Bewitching Hour

BEWITCHING HOUR

Carolina Florian is inspired by the light at a particular time of day. Here she shares her Top 5 golden hour moments from around the world

The golden hour is a captivating time of the day just after sunrise or just before sunset when the sky transitions from yellow to orange, amber and pink, casting a very warm white light (2700K down to below 1800K). With its soft and diffused daylight, it allows our bodies and minds to unwind as the sun sets. Cherishing these natural transitions provides an emotional connection to the beauty of the day coming to a close.

Photographers appreciate the way it erases blemishes, blurs imperfections and adds the perfect glowing touch to surfaces. For a lighting designer, each golden hour evokes a unique set of emotional responses to the way light reveals landscapes for a brief but spellbinding moment.

These memories serve as inspiration for my designs and enable me to influence others in choosing suitable qualities of light for their projects to make them more nature-oriented and more sympathetic to nocturnal biodiversity.

Caribbean coast, Colombia (NeverWinter Land)

Sitting on the Equator means that back home we experience sunrise and sunset occurring almost at the same hour every day. This transition from intense daylight to full darkness lasts just minutes. Here the large, still-bright descending sun accentuates contrast, the sky on the yellow side of white with hints of blue. When designing spaces requiring significant levels of accent, or transition between contrasting light conditions, I remind people that our eyes can adjust, and we can even enjoy staring at this kind of energy.

Mykonos, [d]arc sessions 2022

Attending an industry event in Mykonos made it natural to focus our thoughts and conversations on current lighting topics, mainly related to electric lighting. But nature beckoned us to pause and immerse ourselves in the idyllic setting, and we found ourselves going down to the beach to enjoy the perfect sunset under a beautiful orange sky every evening. The golden hour provided a comforting atmosphere, making the vegetation colours and sand tones more vibrant while gracefully accentuating the predominantly white finishes of the Greek island's architecture.

Tenerife, Canary Islands, holiday

The Canary Islands were created by a series of volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, and this determines the colour of many of the coastal areas. The sand on the beaches is formed by the erosion of the nearby cliffs, the black colour of solidified lava. When this extreme landscape is revealed by sunlight the contrast is marked. It becomes more pleasant and magical as the daylight transitions into a warm, soft, diffuse shimmer from the sky. This experience helped alleviate my fear of illuminating black surfaces.

London, my current home

This was taken from my balcony. I’m lucky enough to live by a natural reservoir with a bird sanctuary. Sunlight is filtered and diffused by atmospheric particles while the thicker layer of atmosphere scatters the blue and violet wavelengths. This scattering decreases the sunlight's colour temperature creating a golden or reddish hue. It is what all living organisms instinctively cherish at this time of the day – and the main reason why our lighting interventions should align with nature’s intentions.

Al Ula, Saudi Arabia, business trip

A majestic place, with towering rock formations. The top of a mountain overlooking a natural oasis was the best spot to catch the sunset. The natural colours of the landscape became even more vibrant. Yet the grand surprise was when the full moon took the foreground in the still very bright pink sky, bringing a sense of peace as I stared at the sky dome. It was there I was reminded that nature is always variable and unpredictable. I hope to continue using light to create these special moments of surprise in the projects we do.

Carolina Florian, MSLL, is head of lighting at Buro Happold and VP of the SLL.