78 minute read
Dark Source
Lighting The Way WiL Ambassador for Poland, Asst. Prof. Dr. Karolina Zielinska-Dabkowska IALD, IES, CIE, MSLL, RIBA, reflects on her lighting career, as a designer, researcher, educator and mentor.
Although Asst. Prof. Dr. Karolina ZielinskaDabkowska is now recognised as one of the primary educators and trend setters in the lighting design world, her career in lighting design almost didn’t happen. “I never planned a career in lighting design, it just evolved on its own,” she said. “I always wanted to be an architect, and graduated with two degrees in Architecture. Until 2000, I was unaware that lighting design existed as a profession.” Zielinska-Dabkowska first ‘discovered’ lighting design while studying architecture in Germany, where she noticed that in Hildesheim, at the HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Art, you could study architectural lighting design – the first such lighting programme in Europe. Although she has some memories of playing with candlelight as a little girl growing up in Poland, it wasn’t until 2002, while participating in a lighting design workshop in Alingsås, Sweden with Jonathan Speirs and Mark Major, that Zielinska-Dabkowska realised lighting design was the career she wanted to pursue. “I was immediately hooked, as I always felt my architectural design was incomplete, that something important was missing. That special something turned out to be light.” Zielinska-Dabkowska followed this interest in light and began working for L-Plan Lighting in Berlin in 2002. It was here where she began to understand the true potential of lighting design. “While working in Berlin on the illumination of the new Munich airport terminal, I realised for the first time, as a building architect for many years, that I could only work on one large project at a time. Whereas, a lighting designer is fortunate enough to work on many projects concurrently because these projects are at different stages of development and sometimes they are located in different places around the world,” she said. “It could be an urban lighting masterplan, the illumination of an exterior façade, the interior of
1. Site sensitive Heritage Crane illumination, as part of the Porto Montenegro lighting masterplan, designed to support the UNESCO Heritage Kotor Bay environment with lighting scene setting and minimal illumination after midnight (Pic: Paul Traynor) 2. In 2015, Zielinska-Dabkowska was awarded the international Professional Lighting Design Recognition Award in the category “Research” for her work and scientific research about the non-visual effects of light on humans, flora and fauna. (Pic: Via Verlag/PLDC 2015)
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the building, or elements of landscape architecture, there are many possibilities.” Upon graduating in Architectural Engineering at HAWK in Hildesheim in 2004, she left for New York City to work for Fisher Marantz Stone. “My departure to New York to gain experience in one of the oldest lighting design practices in the world, and to work with a great international team on many world-famous projects, convinced me that this was the professional path to follow,” she explained. “Light gives the opportunity to change architecture, to visually modify its form, material, etc.” She relocated again in 2005, moving back to Europe to start a new role as Senior Lighting Designer at Speirs + Major’s London office, where she worked on numerous projects centred around external illumination. “This is also where my knowledge about urban lighting masterplans (ULM) developed, and thanks to this valuable experience, enabled me to contribute a chapter titled “Urban Lighting Masterplan – origins, definitions, methodologies and collaborations”, for a RIBA book called Urban Lighting for People: Evidence-Based Lighting Design for the Built Environment,” she explained. Then, after a chance encounter during a flight in 2007, ZielinskaDabkowska was offered an interesting job opportunity at Light Bureau by its founder, Paul Traynor. “The company was redesigning the previous lighting proposal for the new Main NATO HQ in Brussels, and I was going to be fully responsible for this, and other exciting projects.” Six years later, due to family reasons, she relocated to Switzerland in 2013, where she started working for Reflexion, and after obtaining her PhD degree in Technical Sciences with honours from the Faculty of Architecture at Gdansk University of Technology (GUT), Poland, she founded designs4people [d4p]. With a CV that has seen her work for three of the largest, most wellknown lighting design practices in the world, Zielinska-Dabkowska believes she learned a great deal before setting up her own studio. “I decided to join these companies to know what makes them stand out and discover why they’re so unique and different,” she said. “I soon realised that the creative designers of these companies work under visionary individuals. Also, each company has a specific design approach and process in place, so combining these experiences was highly useful.” Zielinska-Dabkowska elaborated on how these experiences led to a shift of ambition in her lighting design career: “At first, I was only interested in creating beautiful spaces with the help of lighting and the expression of my creativity, but it didn’t take long before I understood there was much more to realise,” she said. “My vision for the future soon became focused on redefining what it meant to design healthy lighting for humans and built environments, via education, research and policy making. I believe we are just at the beginning of a long and winding road. In today’s world, I think individuality equates to a designer’s ego, which is not my aim, rather, as things become more complex in terms of knowledge inputs, the solution involves the creation of intradisciplinary teams and teamwork.” With this in mind, Zielinska-Dabkowska explained in more detail the design philosophy for her consultancy, designs4people: “We no longer solely design illumination just to create memorable, highly aesthetic spaces during the night. Our approach is unique and it’s centred on the user and his/her habitable environment. “This involves basing our designs on the newest research knowledge in the fields of astronomy, biology, medicine, ecology, etc, whilst also applying practical experience. “Essentially, I am a problem solver. My love for integrated lighting design involves a hands-on process, lighting mock-ups and tests onsite in order to find the best possible lighting answers. A professional lighting designer with my perspective and background, has a responsibility and moral obligation to use lighting with far more care, caution and restraint. More recently, there’s been an increasing number of municipalities seeking my advice on how to create healthy, environmentally conscious nighttime built environments that exist in harmony with architecture, urban planning and the natural landscape. There’s growing awareness now, of the value and importance of providing a safer environment for humans, flora and fauna by significantly improving the way artificial lighting is applied both in urban and rural areas, and particularly, in places recognised as ecologically
significant, or where there are vulnerable species.” Alongside the aforementioned NATO HQ in Brussels, ZielinskaDabkowska believes she has been privileged to work on a number of high-profile, well known projects. Some examples cited by Zielinska-Dabkowska include the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Tribute in Light Memorial art installation in New York while at Fisher Marantz Stone, the lighting vision for King’s Cross Lighting masterplan, the external illumination of the Granary Building and Granary Square in London and the external lighting for the new astronomical observatory cone at the Royal Observatory Greenwich while at Speirs & Major, and the urban lighting masterplan for Porto Montenegro, which includes the illumination of an historic crane, for Light Bureau. “One thing worth mentioning, is that these projects always involved teamwork,” she added. While she has worked for some of the major lighting design studios across her career, Zielinska-Dabkowska cited Lesley Wheel as her lighting hero, one of the founders, and the only female founder of the IALD. She also has a strong admiration for her friend Anne Bureau. “Anne has not only established herself as a female lighting designer over the last 25 years, but she’s also capable of handling large scale projects almost on her own, and on top of that, she has a family with two children, enjoys what she does and is an authentic person. I do not know how she does it all!” Throughout her lighting design career, education has also played a key role for Zielinska-Dabkowska, both in her own studies, but also through her work as a mentor and teacher. This is something she feels came naturally to her when she was young. “I seem to have teaching in my blood,” she said. “Very early on, I mentored people in the lighting design offices I worked for. Often, we had students who would intern with the company and would stay during their Master’s thesis semester, and I would mentor and supervise their Master’s thesis. “This developed gradually over the years while I was a guest lecturer for the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) in Barcelona, and also during my time as a senior lecturer at Hochschule Wismar University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design in Germany for three years, I oversaw Master’s and PhD students.” More recently, in 2018, Zielinska-Dabkowska was offered a part-time Assistant Professor position at GUT, where she founded the research lighting laboratory, GUT LightLab, which conducts research on various aspects of light and lighting in the built environment. Now, she is currently involved in the new Erasmus+Strategic Partnership project called Light4Health – Health Research-Based Innovative Open Educational Resources and Tools for Lighting Design Students and Professionals. “The team is developing a novel educational course to teach health research methods and findings to lighting designers at the graduate level,” she explained. “I am especially excited as Prof. Dr. George Brainard and his lab are involved in this work.” Over the last 15 years, since her early days in the profession, Zielinska-Dabkowska has noticed a marked improvement in the level of education on offer for prospective lighting designers. “Today, it’s much easier to deepen your knowledge about lighting design than when I began,” she said. “Quality education is now offered in countries such as the UK, US, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Spain. Interestingly, each of the programmes have a slightly different focus point, which I think is necessary. I love the variety.” “While I was working for Hochschule Wismar as a senior lecturer, I often had requests from my colleagues, who were principals of top international lighting design consultancies, wanting recommended students for internships. After finishing their obligatory internship, many of my students were given a great job position before they even graduated.” She continued that this increased level of educational opportunity only helps to boost the profile of lighting design as a profession – something she feels could still be enhanced. “Good quality education
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Asst. Prof. Dr. Karolina Zielinska-Dabkowska
is one of the important pillars of professional recognition. For example, architects and civil engineers are subject to legal restrictions and requirements. As such, they can only be carried out by holders of specific qualifications. Yet, with lighting design, such credentials remain unrecognised worldwide. I hope one day soon this will change for the better.” However, while Zielinska-Dabkowska does believe there is more recognition of lighting design, thanks to the greater availability of higher education on the subject, she feels there is still some way to go for it to be considered an essential service. She explained: “When there is an economic crisis, the first professionals who are mistakenly, often seen as just ‘nice to have’ and ‘unnecessary’ on a project, and therefore, easy to get rid of, are lighting designers and landscape architects. “Today, I do see a trend of some of the large engineering companies such as Arup, WSP, AFRY and Buro Happold, offering lighting design in their services. With the rise in complexity, budgets, and also the scale of the latest architectural projects, clients increasingly prefer to deal with one company, i.e. a multidisciplinary consultancy that can provide all the required services under one roof. This way of appointing the design team is perceived as creating a better flow of communication between the different disciplines, which can facilitate faster solutions to problems. Moreover, responsibility is focused on one entity. The disadvantage with this approach, is that it can at times, prevent the introduction of innovative solutions to the project in order to avert risk, so there may be a tendency to avoid employing smaller or less known new outlets.” Although she has achieved a great deal throughout her lighting design career, Zielinska-Dabkowska revealed it was a struggle for her to be to where she is in now. In her early days as a young woman she “had to fight to get to my current position. I wish I had a mentor back then but I did not,” she said. “Most often, I was the only female and the youngest person on the project team. Many times, I also had the impression I was denied the same entry level on a project as my colleagues simply because I was a woman, and that I had to first prove my skills and competence. This has changed now as I have more grey hair [she laughs], or perhaps there has been a slow shift in attitudes of investors or architects?!” While the situation is improving for her personally, Zielinska-Dabkowska still has some frank concerns regarding inequality within the lighting design field, both in terms of pay, and opportunities for career progression. “I remember once in the past, discovering my work colleague was earning 10% more than I was, even though we shared the same position and I was dealing with international projects, which involved a lot of travel,” she said. “When I questioned my boss about this discrepancy the answer was “you don’t have kids.” That seemed grossly unfair. “From discussions with many of my colleagues, who are male owners of lighting practices, there appears to be some hesitation in hiring a woman of reproductive age. What’s preferred, are graduates who still want to have a career, who can work hard
1. The Main Council Chamber of the NATO HQ building in Brussels. The custom-made colour changing chandelier was created when LEDs were not commonly used by lighting designers (Pic: NATO/Marc Detiffe) 2. Zielinska-Dabkowska was a member of the Scientific and Organising Committees of Light Symposium Wismar 2016 (Pic: HSW/G. Hundt) 3. Subtle illumination to the Granary Square, with its Grade II listed Granary Building, shows its distinct identity at night in the heart of London’s King’s Cross development (Pic: Argent/John Sturrock)
1. The lighting design workshop in Alingsås, Sweden in 2002 where, working with Jonathan Speirs and Mark Major, Zielinska-Dabkowska realised that lighting design was the career that she wanted to pursue. (Pic: Patrick Gunnar Helin/Alingsås Kommun) 2. In her role as an educator and researcher, Zielinska-Dabkowska has spoken at a number of lighting design conferences around the world, including IALD Enlighten Europe in 2014 (pictured). (Pic: IALD)
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and believe it’s too early to settle down and have a family. Sadly, for those who do decide to have children, after maternity leave, often their contracts are terminated. This is unjust in our society and should change in our field as well. A real-life example, is of a good friend who was senior lighting designer in a large company. When her maternity leave ended, she was asked to depart after ten years of employment with that business.” “This situation has impacted me personally as well. Throughout my career, due to the demands of my profession and the many everpresent expectations, the timing was never right to settle down and have a family of my own. If you were to ask me if I regret anything about my career, my answer is a resounding yes. I would have loved to have had children, but it’s impossible to turn back the clock.” While her story is heartbreaking, it’s both striking and refreshing to see Zielinska-Dabkowska talk so candidly about what can be an uncomfortable topic, but such inequality is one of the core reasons that Women in Lighting (WiL) was established. Zielinska-Dabkowska has been involved with the initiative, acting as the Women in Lighting Ambassador for Poland, both to raise the profile for women in lighting design, and also to establish the lighting design profession in Poland. “It is very hard to work here – I am the only IALD professional member in the country so far. It’s also challenging being a woman lighting designer. Most of my competitors here provide lighting design services for free by selling lighting equipment to cover their costs,” she explained. “We will be unable to establish an independent lighting design profession in Poland if such procedures remain in place. Often, projects are lost as my fee proposal is considered too expensive. The general attitude of architects also needs to change. They expect between 10-25% of the lighting equipment budget price to be paid to them by lighting suppliers who also provide so-called “lighting design”. It’s unfeasible to compete with this.” Looking forward, Zielinska-Dabkowska would like to see an increased impetus on the importance of cross-disciplinary research – something she feels would both improve the stature and recognition of lighting design as a profession, while also leading to an improvement in the health and wellbeing of both humans and wildlife. “The only way to establish lighting design as a recognised profession is to ensure a transdisciplinary, design-led research approach is established, in order to generate strategies that support both the health and life quality of humans and wildlife,” she asserted. “We need to become experts in our own right and be paid for this complex knowledge as well as the proper methods to apply it. For us as practitioners, it’s crucial to gain new knowledge and an appropriate integration of skills, methods, data, and perspectives from different scientific fields connected to health, wellbeing and biology.” Since 2014, Zielinska-Dabkowska’s has been active on the Scientific and Organising Committees of the Light Symposium Wismar, Germany, which is a platform to connect research and practice. She’s also been involved in public policy making connected to lighting and light pollution and is on the Technical Committees of the CIE, IES and IDA, which all work on the development and establishment of lighting standards and/or guidelines. This means that Zielinska-Dabkowska’s role as an educator within the lighting profession shows no sign of slowing down, and she concluded that her role as a mentor and teacher is one of her main sources of inspiration. “I love to mentor my Master’s and PhD students on light and lighting,” she said. “My students and colleagues who have developed their skills under my tutorage and are recognised in the lighting design field, provide endless inspiration and are my ultimate lighting design qualifications.”
www.designs4people.com www.researchgate.net/profile/Karolina_Zielinska-Dabkowska
Division of Distinction As the Lighting Design Division of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm Sweden celebrates its 20th anniversary, arc looks back on the history of the Division.
Rodrigo Muro
Federico Favero
Foteini Kyriakidou
idely considered to be one of the leading W higher education facilities for lighting design in the world, the Lighting Design Division of KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, this year celebrates itsw 20th anniversary. Founded by Jan and Agneta Ejhed in 2000, the division, formerly known as the KTH Lighting Laboratory and still colloquially referred to as the Lighting Lab by students and alumni, was created due to a lack of Master’s level education in lighting design in their native Sweden. The Ejheds wanted to change this and engage people in the discussion surrounding lighting design in a more advanced, deeper level, and in order to do this, an education was needed. The origin of this educational offering was a series of independent courses with different specialised topics. In 2006, these were later compiled into an overall Master’s programme – the Architectural Lighting Design course. While the independent courses started out in Swedish, the number of international students expressing interest meant that the Master’s programme was offered in English. Since then, it has become one of the most recognised Master’s offerings in the world, with students continuing to travel from around the world to enrol in the course. Rodrigo Muro is the current Programme Director of the Lighting Design Division at KTH. He explained further the original vision for the programme and how it has grown: “Jan’s figure is extremely important to all of us who had the fortune to learn from him,” he said. “His legacy is to promote a deeper engagement in the knowledge and discussion on the subject, and move from a technical approach towards a ‘Human Centred Philosophy’. This has become the motto of the Lighting Design Division.” Muro has been on the faculty at KTH since 2011, and having completed his own Master’s at the school in 2006, he believes that the international scope of its students and alumni has become a beacon of the course’s appeal. “That is the signature of our education; an international education that brings together people from around the world who, later on, will spread the gained knowledge and philosophy of the Lighting Lab worldwide.” Muro’s own Master’s thesis was centred on the need to develop new theory, with education being at the core of the lighting design profession, so it was a natural move for him to return to KTH in an educational role, first as a teacher, then a course leader, before becoming the Programme Director last year. He explained further what this role entails: “My role at the Lighting Design Division is diverse; besides being the Programme Director, I am course responsible, an examiner, lecturer, tutor and I also do some research. So it is difficult to separate one activity from the other,” he said. “Activities range from the macro to the micro: from programme planning to face-to-face tutoring of students’ projects; evaluating the prospects for each admission period; defining content for each course; evaluating each course to see how it works and how we can improve it; coordinating with the administration and aligning the programme into KTH’s vision; coordinating teachers; coordinating activities with students, amongst other tasks, are part of the everyday responsibilities. And very importantly, evaluating our own performance to be able to evolve and improve the course in every edition.” In its current formation, the Architectural Lighting Design Master’s programme comprises five courses, which students go through in one academic year. The education is structured under the criteria of building up knowledge, course after course, with the principle to learn by means of first-hand experience, which is then complemented with theory. “So the students test a lot, they see light, they work with light, they feel light,” Muro explained. “One of the main principles that we have is that students should start working with hands-on projects so that they really understand how light works from experience, and then the theory comes into place afterwards, so that they’re free of the constrictions that theory can give you. And when the theory does come, they then understand why things happen. We have noticed that sometimes when we start giving out facts and numbers and theory, it can be difficult to grasp if they don’t experience it first. That’s why we have this approach.” The curriculum of the programme addresses different ways of learning under a structured, pedagogical system, and the learning process of the students follows a mix of processes where explicit, implicit and tacit knowledge is attained. Content is distributed under
1. The Architecture School within the KTH main campus, where the Lighting Design Division is currently based (Pic: Rodrigo Muro). 2. KTH Lighting Design Division founder Jan Ejhed leads a lecture (Pic: Rodrigo Muro) 3. Rodrigo Muro and Federico Favero welcome new students on the first day of the Architectural Lighting Design course in 2016. (Pic courtesy of Katia Kolovea) 4. Student Naufal Akariou testing fixtures at the Cloud - one of the principal locations for the Lighting Design Division (Pic courtesy of Katia Kolovea). 1
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four main topics – Light and Humans, Light and Space – Outdoor, Light and Space – Indoor, and Light and Science, alongside the final course, a degree project, where students combine the theory and skills learnt throughout the course in a specific situation. While the programme has naturally expanded across its 20 year history, the core principles instilled by Jan and Agneta Ejhed still remain in place, as former Programme Director Federico Favero, explained: “The programme is so immensely more dense, intense and structured,” he said. “But the basic philosophy and goals are the same: give the students the tools to understand conceptually and technically why they’re lighting a space. “We provide a methodology to approach the complexity of the architectural space and the interaction between light, people and the environment. I believe we are advancing continuously in the understanding of this interaction, which is ever more important for health and the sustainability of the planet.” Favero has been involved with KTH since 2005, when he “came to Sweden to attend a four-month course and never left”, and was the first full-time employee recruited by Jan and Agneta Ejhed to the Lighting Design Division. In the following years, he progressed to the position of Programme Director, before stepping down to focus solely on his PhD in 2019. “It was wonderful, exciting and overwhelmingly enriching,” he said. “It was my first job in an academic setting, and at 27 years old I found myself being an assistant teacher of a class of students who were my age or older, with more experience than me and an incredibly varied background from all over the world. I couldn’t have asked for more in that period.” Favero also expanded on the “philosophy” of the Lighting Design Division, emphasising the experiential focus discussed by Muro. “Jan Ejhed’s approach to design education is at the core of our philosophy. We are very much concerned with understanding light and the effect of lighting on people and architecture, only when we have shaped that idea we discuss what and how to design lighting. Lighting design is a reflective practice that needs to learn continuously to dialogue with the complexity of the architectural process and the dynamic transformation of technology. “The role of experience is also vital for us. We cannot conceptualise light, we need to experience it, observe it, play with it, recreate it, reconceptualise it, and then observe again what happened. It’s an amazing, never-ending process of discovery that is motivating and similar to life, which is a continuous process of learning and doing. “We provide an open platform for discussion. We don’t talk of right and wrong - this approach helps the students to feel safe, which is important to create a sense of trust. This is perhaps one reason why we are called ‘the lighting family’, we create an atmosphere where it is possible to speak and develop freely. “In this frame, at KTH we inspire the students to collaborate more than compete with each other. We really focus on the importance of good teamwork, of process development and not just the final product. Hopefully this approach teaches the students humbleness and respect for others, and also a reflective approach that shapes their design thinking positively.” Muro added: “Considering that lighting design is a broad profession with many different angles and at the end, each student will decide their own route, we at KTH have the philosophy to create thinkers that can solve and create lighting related solutions. What does this mean? We promote in the students independence and a self-learning attitude. This comes hand in hand with cooperation and the ability to work in a team; with the spirit, skills and will that this requires. “The whole point is to provide a constructive learning environment,
Paula Bez Cardoso Freelance KTH Student: 2019-2020 “I think there is no better place to study lighting design than Sweden. The dark winters and almost 24-hour days in summer had a great impact on how I think about light. “The culturally diverse character of my classmates was almost as important as the course itself. I can recall of at least 21 different nationalities in my class. To be in contact with so many ways to see light and the world made this experience much richer.”
Rodrigo Roveratti La Luz Lighting Design KTH Student: 2005-2006 “I chose KTH due to the lighting culture in Sweden and the high standards and infrastructure of the KTH university. At KTH they teach students to think about lighting as a material, different than at other universities. “I had such a great experience at KTH, with an amazing integration among all the students and professors. It taught me how to think about lighting to enhance architecture. I have an immense gratitude to Jan Ejhed.”
Alexia Gkika Buro Happold KTH Student: 2012-2014 “KTH has a mentality of freedom that can only be appreciated when one becomes part of its community. I felt creative, challenged, inspired, and above all surrounded by people who wanted to share knowledge and experiences. “The mentality of KTH has influenced the way I perform in my job and my interrelation to others to a great degree. KTH changed the course of my career, enabled me to be where I am today, and for that I feel both blessed and proud.”
in which the goal is to foster creative, critical and inquisitive thinking. We ask them not to accept blindly what we teach, so fruitful discussion is what is most important to promote during the sessions.” While the Lighting Design Division began life as part of KTH’s School of Technology and Health, it has since become a division within the KTH Architecture School – a move that has opened up more collaboration and cooperation between architecture and lighting design students, while architects are also now able to take part in a one-year course on architecture and daylight. This is something that Muro feels will be beneficial in the long run, as it will increase the chances of architects bringing in lighting designers for projects and involving them in the design process, as they’ll have a more solid understanding on the importance of lighting. Alongside the educational offerings, Muro added that research has always been an important factor for the Lighting Design Division. This has recently been expanded with the introduction of Ute Besenecker, who last year was appointed as Associate Professor in Lighting Design. “Ute is leading and strengthening the Division with multiple research projects, collaboration with other universities, and setting up a platform for a strong PhD programme within the Division,” he said. Another new recruit to the faculty at the KTH Lighting Design Division is Foteini Kyriakidou, who joined as a lecturer at the same time as Besenecker. Another former student of KTH, having completed the Master’s programme in 2007, Kyriakidou teaches on both the Architectural Lighting Design Master’s course and also the Daylight Architecture Studio. She agreed that the core principles of the school have remained the same in the time between her graduation and her return in an educational role. “What I find different is that the course is even
Ognyana Zhelezova Lichtkompetenz KTH Student: 2011-2013 “I’ve always been fascinated by Scandinavian design, and a curiosity to learn more about lighting and do a Master’s degree abroad made me apply to KTH. KTH opened my mind for a lot of things professionally and culturally. I got to know the depth of lighting, which is still not even a profession in my home country of Bulgaria, and what a person can do with lighting is beyond borders. The people I met were amazing, so diverse, and I have friends all over the world now!”
Mahdis Aliasgari Lighting Design Collective KTH Student: 2010-2012 “Those two years were an unforgettable journey for me! From the international vibe to the school’s practical approach and variety of subjects, I learnt a lot from my teachers and classmates. “KTH connected us to the international world of lighting. Thanks to the programme, we gained confidence to aim high not only for the practical sides, but also to be involved in the theoretical and academic side of lighting.”
Farahbee Rahman Freelance KTH Student: 2019-2020 “My experience at KTH was deep and intense. It was one year of rigorous learning and exploring a new track. The Lighting Laboratory allowed us to indulge into both artistic and philosophical approaches, as well as hands-on, technical, playful experiments. It was stressful, but not in a negative way. Rather, KTH prepared us for facing harder challenges ahead in our upcoming careers. The experience has been triggering, boosting confidence in our chosen path.”
Basar Erdener LED Linear KTH Student: 2006-2008 “What appealed to me the most was the approach and attitude to lighting. It was deep, intellectual and holistic. I quickly realised that there is much to learn from your peers on top of school work. Jan and Agneta Ejhed deserve so much credit for putting us all together and running the programme. “My entire career took shape during and after my time at KTH. All that I learnt from KTH professors, alumni and fellows are still a big part of what I do and how I work.”
Katia Kolovea Archifos KTH Student: 2016-2017 “With a very diverse and international student background, highly experienced professors and many recommendations from people in the field, I was sure that the KTH Master’s programme would be a fantastic way to begin my career. “My overall experience at KTH, the interaction with my worldwide classmates, and the participation in global conferences, lighting festivals and other events during my studies has shaped my path as a lighting professional.”
Gayathri Unnikrishnan International WELL Building Institute KTH Student: 2012-2014 “My experience at KTH was life-changing. The whole year was filled with lighting experiences in different shapes and forms. It was such a rich, layered experience with a stellar faculty, challenging projects and lifelong friendships, all in the setting of Swedish culture. Working with a multicultural student body sharpened my collaboration skills and cultural sensitivity, and the ethos of the Lighting Lab of putting people at the centre of design has become the North Star of my career.”
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1. A large part of the school’s philosophy has consistently been to nurture the feeling of family and community, with food being at the centre of this. Here, students and staff enjoy a welcome lunch (Pic courtesy of Rodrigo Muro). 2. The KTH Architectural Lighting Design class of 2007 enjoying some down time (Pic courtesy of Alp Durmus). 3. The KTH Architectural Lighting Design class of 2020 (Pic courtesy of Paula Bez Cardoso). 4. A lecture in full flow in the Lecture Hall of KTH’s Architecture School (Pic: Rodrigo Muro).
more structured than before,” she added. “I believe this is due to the experience of my colleagues, the development of scientific knowledge within the KTH academic environment concerning light and the general evolution of technology – when I was a student, we used to work with different types of lamps (fluorescent, halogen, metal halide, etc), rather than LED lamps that are widely used today.” This vast advancement in lighting technology over the past few years means that the Lighting Design Division needs to remain at the forefront, so that what it teaches its students is always up to date. Favero explained how it achieves this: “We teach the students the basics in terms of terminology, approach and technique. With that in mind, we invite guests who are at the forefront of tech development to show us the way. But we always have to keep in mind that technology is a tool to achieve a goal, which is a sustainable and enjoyable environment. It is a key difference with educations that have photometric knowledge as the goal of their education. In the future we need more collaborations to help us develop, for instance, a better understanding of the interaction between technology and humans through software, controls and AI.” Muro added: “We update ourselves as any other lighting design professional should: courses, training, conferences, reading papers, spreading information internally at the Division. A very efficient way is keeping in close contact with different actors within the profession; researchers, designers, manufacturers and other educators. I am personally also a part of Light Bureau, so this keeps me updated at the praxis level. “But it is not just a matter of lighting skills or knowledge. We all in the Division undergo thorough training in teaching in higher education. This means we get pedagogical tools and philosophy to approach teaching and student learning in a more efficient and successful way. Collaborating with other departments at KTH also enriches our experience to learn from other fields. We support the interdisciplinary approach.” Alongside the technological advancements, there are a number of other ways in which Muro believes the lighting industry has developed for the better, which will also impact on how KTH approaches each academic year. “Today’s debatable commercial approach of so-called Human Centric Lighting might have been influenced partly by our 20-yearold approach to lighting; a Human Centred Philosophy. This is now at the core of the industry and the design profession. Light’s impact on health and a concern for taking care of the environment through initiatives such as the preservation of the Dark Sky, energy saving, and social aspects with active proposals like the Social Light Movement and Women in Lighting are all great examples of how much we have evolved. “At the end of every light related event, I perceive a profession that agrees more and more in the important general questions. Of course there are different positions, but those different opinions create debate and help to push forward important themes. There are still issues to resolve. Maybe I am just too optimistic, but I think we are on the right path.” While the KTH Lighting Design Division was hoping to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, the ongoing Covid-19 crisis has made 2020 an incredibly difficult year for the school. However, out of difficulty comes opportunity, and Muro feels that the pandemic has actually led to some interesting new teaching developments. “It started as a difficult situation and then became a challenge, but later on it actually offered more opportunities,” he said. “We used to run everything face to face, but going digital has provided space for new guests from around the world, who have given a different input into the education. We’ve been able to invite people who previously
1. Students on a study visit to James Turrell’s Skyspace (Pic: Foteini Kyriakidou). 2. In 2016, KTH students created the installation Tunnel to the Future for Eskilstuna Natljus Festival (Pic courtesy of Katia Kolovea). 3. Rodrigo Muro talks students through a demonstration in the visual laboratory (Pic: Foteini Kyriakidou).
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Bojana Nikolić BDP KTH Student: 2012-2014 “When I enrolled, there were very few courses in Europe in English, and the KTH curriculum covered a little bit of everything - interior and exterior lighting, luminaire design, impact of lighting on health and environment, daylight. It was the perfect chance to get a firm knowledge base, and find out what I really liked. The fact that the course was based in Stockholm, with long sumer days and short winter days, just made a perfect setting for the whole experience.”
Selen Çelik Güngör Ramboll KTH Student: 2017-2018 “I was interested in the Nordic countries in general and their approach to designing light. The lack of daylight during winter, and how they deal with it is fascinating for me. The curriculum at KTH was very diverse in scale and detail. Besides its super intense programme that focuses on architectural spaces, our teachers’ vision taught us to study and understand light with its many aspects. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to dive into the lighting world.”
Isabel Villar White Arkitekter KTH Student: 2006-2007 “I have no words to explain the positive memories I have from my time at KTH. When I started the course I wasn’t sure I wanted to specialise in lighting design, but it didn’t take too long until I found that this was exactly the field of specialisation I was looking for. I’ll always be grateful to Jan and Agneta, who fought so hard to make this education possible. I never would have discovered the passion I have for lighting design if it wasn’t for KTH. It changed my life.”
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wouldn’t have had the time or wouldn’t have been able to come from another part of the world. “This will certainly change our education for the future. Not changing into a digital format forever, but whenever it is possible, why not have digital lectures where you could talk with people that otherwise you wouldn’t meet? “It’s a matter of resistance. If you would have told me a year ago that I had to do lectures online, I wouldn’t have liked that approach, but now that we’re forced to do it, it works. We basically update ourselves. “From a project side, we had to re-evaluate the methods that we were following to make sure it works, if not completely then some parts of it being digital. We’re still having meetings where it is absolutely necessary to meet – when we’re looking at luminaires, lumen observations, etc. But having a smaller class this year helps a lot for us to be in the same room together and still be able to run it.” Muro also revealed how the Lighting Design Division plans to celebrate its 20th anniversary in the new Covid climate: “We will have digital sessions, organised in different locations around the world with former students. The idea is to gather different generations from the past 20 years and start the lighting discussion around food. “Food has been something that has unified the Lighting Family; Agneta Ejhed has welcomed us throughout the years at their place and shared with us on a more personal level their heart next to a plate of food. As a result of that, we have continued organising dinners where we all, students and staff, share dishes from each of our different backgrounds. “At the 20-year celebration, we will discuss lighting through the first task that as students they all had - “My Favourite Light” - and what that would be today in 2020. All this is the frame around
the acknowledgement of the importance of our founders, Jan and Agneta Ejhed.” Over the last 20 years, the KTH Lighting Design Division has produced an enviable list of alumni that have gone on to achieve great things in lighting design, whether joining renowned practices, setting up their own studios or furthering the profession in other means. As Programme Director for the Division, Muro explained that it is a source of pride to see what becomes of his students postgraduation. “I am proud to be able to call them colleagues,” he said. “I try to invite practicing KTH alumni as guest lecturers as much as possible to give the students inspiration, so that they can see where they can go. Being contacted by prestigious lighting offices around the world asking for graduates and praising KTH students is also certainly an honour.” “The moment of catharsis when the students get confidence with the topic as long as they go through the programme is an immense source of joy,” Favero added. “That sparkle in the eye that is a sign that someone became confident and has grown is an epiphany and it motivates all the effort that you might have to make. “We are proud to have given many students the basis to be able to speak with architects and engineers, therefore they are spread in a varied constellation of offices and institutions. They are not only professionals, but educated in the topic, who can push the boundaries of knowledge further in policy making, institutions and research.” Another key factor in the success of the KTH Lighting Design Division is what has been dubbed the “Lighting Family” – a concept first nurtured by Agneta Ejhed that encourages a sense of community and camaraderie among students and alumni. “It’s all about taking care of each other, providing this sense that you are welcome and a part of something,” Muro explained. “You’re not just in school, you’re part of a group of people that are freaks in lighting, but are also sensible about the human aspect.” It is through this Lighting Family that Favero met his wife, Isabel Villar, and Kyriakidou was struck by the sense of community within the school. “What I find remarkable is that the sense of belonging, which Jan and Agneta Ejhed initiated, is still alive among the alumni, no matter the year of graduation. I feel emotional when I think of how many friends I have around the world due to this Master’s Course, how much knowledge we exchange, and how much we feel part of this family.” Finally, what advice is given to new students as they arrive each year? For Kyriakidou, she breaks it down into three steps: “It is evident that KTH principles have a strong impact on my personal ones since I was a student here. However, trying to summarise and distil them through my personal view, I encourage the students to work with light as an immaterial materials following three steps: Observe; Test; and Be Coherent and Consistent.” Favero was more philosophical, with his advice being: “When the students arrive, I tell them to enjoy every minute of their education. It is a luxurious experience in this complicated world to be able to focus on one thing in the present moment. Have serious fun, which for me means to keep on being curious, motivated and focused.” While Muro concluded with some more basic, but important advice: “We at the Lighting Design Division repeat this every year to all students: test, test, test. Test your ideas, test your proposals, test the luminaires, until you get there.” As the Lighting Design Division celebrates its 20th anniversary, with such a vast, talented group of alumni, it’s clear that this advice is worth taking.
www.kth.se
Paola Jose SOMBRA KTH Student: 2012-2014 “My experience at KTH was truly fulfilling. I learned so many new things, I created a beautiful family and I always felt safe and comfortable. What I loved most about KTH was that the teachers were always there to listen and discuss about our projects or ideas. My time at KTH was crucial in opening the doors to the beautiful world of light. It was the foundation for what I do now and I am extremely thankful to all of my teachers and classmates.”
Dane Amilawangi Freelance KTH Student: 2019-2020 “KTH’s focus on a human-centred approach, and how light quality impacts humans, is for me the most fundamental basis to create a responsible design as a lighting designer. “I had fantastic classmates from different backgrounds. At first I was nervous because some of my classmates were more experienced, but we were all excited to learn something new together, and our different backgrounds made us complement each other and collaborate better in projects.”
Beatrice Bertolini giaEquation KTH Student: 2016-2017 “I was lucky enough to be advised to study architectural lighting design at KTH. I must say that everything I was told about this course truly excited me: a very hands-on programme where I could exchange knowledge and experience both between peers and teachers. My expectations have never been disappointed. “The year I spent at KTH helped shape my knowledge and skills, and strengthen my passion for lighting design.”
Martina Frattura A Beautiful Light KTH Student: 2013-2015 “Back in 2011, I attended the Light on Focus conference held during Euroluce in Milan. I listened to each talk and afterwards asked everyone “where do I study to be one of you?” They all answered the same: “Sweden!” “When I was there, I felt I was in the right place, surrounded by friendly people full of passion like me. My KTH stay taught me many things about lighting and the impact that it has on a daily basis.”
Alp Durmus Penn State University KTH Student: 2007-2009 “During my time at KTH, I had the chance to meet a lot of great people, who I’m happy to call friends now. It is always great to see a familiar face at a lighting convention, conference or a fair. “KTH has a great reputation as an institution. Beyond the obvious networking advantage, earning a Master’s degree from KTH added prestige to my resume. I’m sure it played a role in securing a lighting design job early in my career.”
Viola Deti Sweco Architects KTH Student: 2016-2017 “My experience at KTH was very important in helping me build a new perspective regarding the importance of light and lighting design in an architectural project. “In my opinion, a deep understanding of lighting and how it can either improve or ruin a project still lacks in many architectural educations. The Master’s programme at KTH helped me to see this as a fundamental architectural element, crucial in spatial design and planning.”
PROJECT DETAILS
University of Michigan Biological Sciences Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Client: University of Michigan Lighting Design: SmithGroup, USA Architect of Record: SmithGroup, USA Design Architect: Ennead Architects, USA
Cabinet of Curiosities
The new Biological Sciences Building at the University of Michigan features vast, daylit atria that put the school’s research and artefacts at the forefront. These daylit spaces are complemented by a seamless lighting design from SmithGroup.
Combining state-of-the-art science education with research spaces and an interactive natural history museum, the Biological Sciences Building (BSB) at the University of Michigan is a first-of-its-kind facility, designed to engage the public and revolutionise life science research, discovery and communication. Designed by SmithGroup and Ennead Architects and located on the university’s main campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the 312,000sqft facility is characterised by a transparent, open-lab concept, and brings together five biological sciences departments from across the campus. The site also merges these departments with the newly reenvisioned Museum of Natural History, giving the larger community access to the research coming out of these programmes. The building form was influenced by close collaboration between the University, SmithGroup and Ennead, utilising network mapping tools intended to enhance interaction between disparate groups. The resultant form is that of three closely spaced, terracotta-clad, five-storey laboratory pavilions, broken open on the south side and connected by two vast glass atria, creating views into the facility and bringing natural daylight deep into the laboratories and public spaces. These atria also serve to showcase the institution’s mission to educate the public, acting as giant display cases for large-scale exhibits. Rodrigo Manriquez, Principal at SmithGroup, explained this design concept further: “This project was an effort to open up the otherwise very conventional, closed towers typical to lab buildings, opening them up into the campus environment and the campus fabric. “In an effort to divide the three towers, we have two atria conditions that create a relationship of solid and void. For us, it was really essential to understand this architecturally, to be able to have an input in terms of light and dark, and orchestrate the solution accordingly. The concept of portals guided our thinking.” As such, SmithGroup, alongside Ennead, carried out detailed parametric daylighting analysis, which then informed both the façade design and the glazing choices, ensuring that plenty of natural light penetrated deep into the building without creating any unwanted glare. One of the core facets of the brief given to SmithGroup and Ennead was to “put science on display”. Jarrett Pelletier, Associate Principal at Ennead, explained further: “Our team worked with the University to elevate this ideal and to echo it at many scales. Breaking the machine-like qualities of a traditional research building apart into multiple towers both drove daylight deep into the working spaces, but also allowed views from the exterior into the research laboratories and collections. Like a contemporary ‘cabinet of curiosities’, the museum’s towers fold open to
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reveal the innerworkings of the scientific process.” Matt Alleman, Principal at SmithGroup, elaborated on how lighting design fit into this design brief: “We weren’t given specific direction as to how the lighting solutions should evolve. Rather, we worked in concert with the designers and the university’s brief to create a cohesive lighting concept that further elevated the building’s form and function. It wasn’t a separate thing, it was one and the same. “I think that’s what worked really well in the synergy between SmithGroup and Ennead in terms of developing the architecture and the lighting systems that accompany it.” “We pushed to integrate the lighting into the architecture wherever possible, and to use the lighting as architecture,” added Pelletier. “It was a highly collaborative framework where we set a vision and SmithGroup came back with different ways to address that vision, and we worked together to find the right answer.” As part of this synergistic approach, SmithGroup developed the idea of creating “scientific portals” – a concept that uses day, night, research and exhibit portals to unify the building by strengthening visual connections between the programme, users and visitors. “The building has great touch points for the interface of a human scale, an articulation that brings out the activity of nearby spaces on the inside,” Manriquez said. “Lighting is actually allowing the typical trick of diluting the glazing into the environment and capturing critical moments. It plays at different scale, and that connection is something the team really took pride in – understanding that the building is experienced at different rhythms, but that connection of scientific portals was always the guiding principle.” The fluidity between the architecture and the lighting design extends to the contrasting typologies within the building, as students and visitors experience working laboratories, study spaces, and museum exhibits under one roof. While this project could have felt like a number of smaller, self-contained projects, SmithGroup ensured that there was a commonality in its lighting design to connect each space. “By our description of how you experience the spaces, you might feel that the lab spaces for example, could become very segregated from the rest, but the reality is that we’re putting these spaces on display,” Manriquez said. “That’s how we connect to this notion of scientific portals, whether you’re on the inside, or you’re in the atrium looking in, you have the ability to see the artist on display, if you will.” “We talked about the different space types, where you can move from an exterior walking path, to a museum exhibit, to a working research lab – they’re all very different environments, but it was critical that we have a common language to solve
1. The prominent corner of the building engages the campus community with a striking Triceratops exhibit. The adjacent dome was gently uplit with Ecosense accent lights, bringing a delicate, artistic touch to the exterior. (Pic: Bruce Damonte) 2. The entirely internal laboratories feel daylit, thanks to windows facing into the vast atria, which are filled with natural light. (Pic: Aislinn Weidele) 3. SmithGroup carried out extensive, detailed daylight analysis alongside the architects to ensure that there was sufficient daylight reaching the internal laboratories through the glazing of the vast atria. (Pics: Rodrigo Manriquez) 4. Each atrium is illuminated with crisp ambient light through a series of floodlights, concealed within wall pockets on the third floor, to highlight the billowed ceiling form. (Pic: Jason Robinson)
1. SmithGroup carried out photometric analysis of the space to ascertain the best position to illuminate the ceiling. Owing to the curve of the ceiling, it couldn’t be lit from the edges, leading to a system that blended the ceiling lighting with exhibit lighting to become one element. (Pic: Rodrigo Manriquez) 2. Bright display cases complement active lab spaces to display exhibits, allowing visitors the chance to experience an intimate connection to the fossil preservation strategies implemented by researchers within the building. Internal illumination within each display cabinet is set to eliminate veiling reflection, while echoing the lighting strategy of the atrium itself. (Pic: Jason Robinson) 1
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them, because the idea of this project was that they can be visually connected,” Alleman added. “So we used common approaches that worked well together in solving these very different environments, such that the visual connection would make sense, and that it wasn’t a whole disparate number of different types of space coming together, because there was intentionally a visual connection.” A primary factor in creating this visual connection is the illumination for the two atria. These vast, fully glazed spaces, spanning the five storeys of the building, fill the inner reaches of the BSB with natural light – even reaching into labs that have no external windows. Complementing this abundance of natural light, SmithGroup opted for a layered artificial lighting approach, starting with a crisp, ambient light to the canopy ceilings, then the artefacts on display, before illuminating the staircases through recessed, linear fixtures from LED Linear and downlights from Lucifer, and then the smaller display cases and labs. “If you look at the atrium as the macro, and then the lab volumes and even the individual display cases, the layers and approach to lighting that we’re using are consistent throughout all of those,” said Patrick MacBride, Lighting Designer at SmithGroup. “We created a luminous top, and have strategically located point sources to highlight the artefact within that volume, and those were two of the guiding principles that we utilised in every one of those areas. “In the display case, we added a luminous ceiling to the case, courtesy of Cooledge Lighting, and we had integrated adjustable accent fixtures from Bruck Lighting to specifically highlight the pieces on the shelf, so it was always very intentional, even down to the display case integration of light.” To create the luminous ceiling of the atrium, 42 theatrical floodlights from ETC are concealed within wall pockets at the third floor level to illuminate the curved, billowing form. However, reaching this decision took a degree of trial and error by the lighting designers, as MacBride explained: “The form bows in two directions, and if you don’t light it correctly, it flattens out and it looks like a flat ceiling, which completely undercuts all the coolness of this ceiling system.” “Where we started with the lighting for the ceiling was to light it from the edges, but we found looking through options that there was no way that we could truly articulate the form from those edges; we flattened it out every time, and found that we needed to change the location of the light sources. We worked with Ennead to integrate that into something that was palatable within the space, and created a tectonic that made sense and really blended with some of the exhibit lighting in that space to become one element,” Alleman elaborated. Each floodlight is carefully aimed, lensed and dimmed to create an intentional gradient of light emanating from the centre of the ceiling. This indirect illumination from the five-storey volume provides functional illumination for the ground floor. With this stretching, uplit ceiling canopy, it was important for SmithGroup not to over light the space with further illumination to the suspended fossils that hang in the void. Alleman explained that instead of highlighting them through light, it became a balancing act between “embracing the notion of silhouette, but making sure that we weren’t losing detail”. “One benefit was that because these pieces were being transitioned from an existing museum space to this new space, we were able to go in and really understand the materiality. This was critical because if we don’t get the material right, we don’t get the luminance right, and we don’t get the hierarchy.”
The push for a hierarchy of light extended to the different light levels within the atrium during daytime and at night. This meant that while the atrium is flooded with natural light during the day, more light was put on the ceiling during the day than after dark. Alleman explained: “The reason for that rolls back to the hierarchy of luminance required in a daytime scenario, to make sure the brightness of the ceiling was aligning with and complementing the brightness of the exterior surround. “So, whereas some would assume that during the day you would dim that space because there is abundant daylight, it was really important, at least for the ceiling element, that it becomes brighter during the day, and then it was able to dim somewhat at night too.” Understanding the materiality was another key consideration for the lighting designers throughout the project, as SmithGroup worked to ensure there was a consistency of materiality in every location – tying in with the push for consistency in the overall project. “Every place you see a wood wall, it’s being treated in similar conditions, there’s a perimeter brightness at the top, so it feels as if it’s projecting through, and it has a wall wash layer to it,” Alleman explained. “So, every place that materiality shows up, there’s a consistency, which again helps to layer onto the overall project feel – everything feels tied together.” The end result is a space in which the lighting is seamlessly integrated into the architecture, becoming one entity that celebrates biological sciences and the work of the university. “From the larger architectural features highlighted by the dynamic lighting, to the details of the common display cases and flexible fixtures in the exhibit halls, the lighting design works in tandem with the architecture,” said Pelletier. “It is important to us to make spaces that feel inspiring and that are uplifting places to work and visit. The design of this building was meant to inspire future generations to become scientists. It’s a very human-centred building, designed to support science on many levels. The distribution of daylight across the building makes such a difference in the quality of the experience for the occupants.” Manriquez was equally pleased with the outcome. He concluded: “The concept guides the decisions that we make, but eventually the assessment is done by the user. Everybody is ecstatic about the opportunity to come together and collaborate under one roof. “The concept is one thing, the actual perception of the space needs to be intuitive, and I think the project does that, and functionally it is doing what we set out to do. The user doesn’t really know or care who behind the scenes created their space, they just need it to be a comfortable and functional space. I think we provided that. “It’s a great addition to the campus, and the feedback that we’ve had from the client is a wonderful testimony – it has been used by the university as a great recruiting tool, as an attraction for new talent and retention of faculty. It has become an institutional destination, which is fantastic.”
www.smithgroup.com
When illuminating the suspended fossils, SmithGroup had to make sure that they had the right luminance to stand out, while embracing the notion of silhouette. (Pic: Jason Robinson)
lighting specified
Alight D4 Accolate Architectural Lighting Works Five Bow Birchwood Lighting Jake LED 225 Boca Flasher LED Task Bruck Lighting Enzis Bruck Lighting Ledra II Cole Lighting Lux Rail Cooledge Lighting TILE Interior Ecosense Trov50 Asymmetric Ecosense Trov50 Graze ETC D60 Studio Desire Series Focal Point Covert Focal Point ID+ Focal Point Seem 4 LED Focal Point Seem 6 LED Gotham Incito Cylinder LED Linear Hydra LD10 The Lighting Quotient S223 Lite Lab Flowbus Lite Lab PAR38 Lucifer Lighting CY2-AD LED USAI BeveLED 2.0 USAI BeveLED Mini
Connected Learning
The newly opened Stapaskóli School marks first phase of a wider project to create a new central “heart” for Iceland’s Reykjanesbær. Verkis created the lighting design, accentuating the architecture of the school.
PROJECT DETAILS
Stapaskóli School, Reykjanesbær, Iceland
Client: Reykjanesbær Lighting Design: Verkis, Iceland Architect: Arkis, Iceland Photography: Darío Gustavo Nunez Salazar
Previous Page The baseline of the design concept was to create a heart that connects everything - the main entrance of the school leads into a central hub, while all open spaces can morph and merge, opening up for larger events, or allowing for smaller, more intimate spaces for quiet study sessions. This Page Owing to Iceland’s long stretches of darkness over winter, each classroom features a daylight element, while artificial lighting had to effectively mimic daylight. Classrooms on the ground floor feature backlit ceilings to create a daylight effect. T he newly completed Stapaskóli School is latest part of a planning strategy to create a new central heart in the suburb of Innri Njarðvík, in Reykjanesbær, Iceland. The project, designed by Arkis architects, is an active urban facility that will play a key role within the neighbourhood, providing an elementary school, kindergarten, music school, sports hall, library and swimming pool. The school will house 500 students and 60 staff, with classrooms spaced out over two floors, with additional technical rooms below and above. The first phase of the project, which encompasses the elementary school, leisure centre and social centre, spans across 7,700sqm, on a plot of around 33,000sqm. Phase two will introduce the sports hall and swimming pool, while the final phase will see the addition of the kindergarten, which will cater for 120 children. Speaking of the design concept behind the school, architects Rebekka Petursdottir and Lisa Kjartansdottir of Arkis said: “The baseline of the design language is to create a heart that connects everything. All of the molecules, the strings, the activities, everything is connected.” On entering the school, the main entrance leads students straight into the heart of the site, consisting of centralised, multi-use spaces. Hallways intertwine in a way that they take on their own roles but can also open up to create larger spaces. This concept was extended to all open spaces, which can morph and merge, allowing the flexibility to open up for larger school events, or create smaller, more intimate spaces for quiet study sessions. The classrooms are formed in pairs – all are comparable in size, and again offer a high degree for flexibility depending on the teaching arrangements. The architects took great care to ensure ample daylight was provided; in the centre of each ‘pair’ of classrooms, there is an architecturally defined central sphere, with a light core that provides daylight to both levels. The teaching spaces all connect to the heart, creating a network that informs the school’s sense of community. This creative use of daylight was complemented by lighting design from Icelandic consulting engineers Verkis. Involved from the tender process alongside Arkis, the bid included that Verkis did all the engineering design for the first stage of the school. As such, Tinna Kristín Þórðardóttir, lighting designer at Verkis, worked closely with the architects on the lighting design concept. By working closely with the architects throughout, she was able to react to any changes to the design brief as and when they came in, however, she explained that the principles of the lighting concept were always maintained. “We made minor adjustments during the design and construction processes, but we always referred
1. Intra Lighting’s Lona RV fixtures were used throughout the classroom areas. All luminaires are ‘randomly’ placed in the ceiling, to create more of a fun, lively look, while easily fitting around other ceiling systems. 2. Ciruclar “light tunnels” on the ground floor create the feeling of natural light in areas where daylight may be lacking within the school. 3. The architects sought to stimulate the connection between the school and its surrounding environment through the recurring use of birchwood, coupled with concrete. 4. There is a flexibility in the design of the school, with a transparency in all teaching spaces, regardless of size. Each classroom offers a high degree of flexibility, depending on the teaching arrangements.
to the lighting concept,” she said. “And the architects were always quick to inform us of any changes, so we could find solutions based on the concept. “We had a very good working relationship with the interior architects, Lisa Kjartansdottir and Edda Bjorg Jonsdottir, during the design phase. I was given the freedom to do my work, but also got important input from the architects as well. I find that working closely with the architects is really important during the design phase, and it will show in the end product.” As the school has been fully optimised to make the most of daylight, while it is available, it was important for Þórðardóttir and Verkis to design an artificial lighting scheme that complemented the abundant natural light. However, as Iceland experiences long stretches of darkness through winter, the artificial lighting elements had to effectively simulate daylight when it was not available. Þórðardóttir explained further: “The school is a very well-designed building, in my opinion, especially with regards to daylight. In Iceland, it gets really dark during the winter time, so we cherish every bit of daylight we can get. For example, there is a daylight element in every classroom. There are large ceiling windows that let daylight into the second floor, and “light tunnels” on the ground floor. “We made a backlit ceiling on the ground floor to mimic daylight, as well as placing floodlights in the ceiling structure on the second floor, to mimic daylight while it is dark outside.” This blending of artificial lighting with natural daylight was part of a wider move by the design team to ensure that conditions were comfortable enough for the students to effectively work under. A key facet of this, Þórðardóttir explained, was ensuring that the project was designed according to the latest standards and recommendations, both Icelandic and international. These included the Icelandic standard IST EN 12464-1: 2011, and the publication Licht.wissen 02 – Good Lighting for a better learning environment. “The design was also based on a Danish study conducted by Henning Larsen Architects, DTU, Fagerhult, the City of Aarhus, the University of Aarhus and the Danish Centre for Educational Environment, which investigated whether focus lighting or task lighting would encourage students’ concentration, and thus also improve the acoustics of the building,” she continued. Schools of this size are intended to become a community of their own within the wider community. This has been translated into the design, in the form of parallels found in each unit. Whether looking at the smaller or larger units, the design offers a transparency in all teaching spaces, with the possibility for multi-disciplinary approaches and the opportunity for understanding
Tinna Kristín Þórðardóttir, Verkis
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between disciplines to become more open. Furthermore, the design of the school seeks to extend the facility into the environment from which it originates. As such, the design team sought to stimulate the connection between teaching and the external environment with an increased understanding of sustainability and a greater awareness of nature. This was achieved with the recurring use of birchwood, coupled with concrete, inside. Such materials are offset by pops of playful colour, which are intended to provide each teaching space with their own individual identity. To complement the architectural design principles, there is also a consistency and cohesiveness in the school’s lighting design. Whether in the elementary school or the more social areas, Þórðardóttir believes that there is an overall “uniform, cohesive design”. “The overall design is, in a way, ‘fluid’, in that we do not have a strict symmetrical design,” she continued. “All the luminaires are ‘randomly’ placed in the ceiling to give it a fun, lively look. This meant that it was easy to adjust the location of the luminaires if there were any collisions with other systems, for example sprinklers, ventilation nozzles and such.” Verkis opted for a number of fixtures from Intra Lighting, iGuzzini, Fagerhult and Rovasi, alongside LED panels from Modus and Osram, which are complemented by Exenia’s colourful Willy pendants. Þórðardóttir explained further the selection policy for the project: “We looked for luminaires that we know we can count on, where the quality and the price is good for our client. I also find it important to calculate all rooms in a calculation software such as Dialux, and therefore I also look for products that I can easily use to calculate. Not all companies offer that option, but as a lighting designer, I find that very important.” Þórðardóttir’s attention to detail in this regard, and the close communication across the entire design team throughout the construction process, has led to a school that proudly sits within its surroundings, becoming an integral part of the local community while honouring it’s environment. The lighting is a key facet of this, complementing Arkis’ architectural designs. Þórðardóttir is equally pleased with the end result. “We are very happy with the final outcome,” she said. “During the construction phase, we visited the site many times to see how the project was coming along, consulting with contractors and solving issues along the way. “Seeing the final product is such a good feeling, seeing everything coming together, and as our goal was to emphasise the architecture, it was really pleasing to see that we achieved this.”
www.verkis.com
lighting specified
Edison Klaus PLCC Lightbar Edison Klaus Stellar Exenia Willy LED Fagerhult Monitor iGuzzini Laser iGuzzini Laser Blade iGuzzini Reflex iGuzzini Palco iGuzzini iRound Intra Lighting Lona RV Modus FIT3000A Modus FIT4000C Modus PL3500L1N Neko Lighting Takeo Osram BackLED M Plus Rovasi Tekno Rovasi Super
PROJECT DETAILS
Charles Library, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
Client: Temple University, USA Lighting Design: Tillotson Design Associates, USA Photography: John Muggenborg
Pages of Light
The latest addition to architectural firm Snøhetta’s portfolio is the Charles Library at Temple University, Philadelphia, with lighting design by Tillotson Desgin Associates.
This time last year marked the opening of the new Charles Library at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ready for the beginning of the Autumn semester. arc sat down with Suzan Tillotson, Founder of Tillotson Design Associates, to find out more about how she and the team became involved with creating the lighting scheme for the striking Snøhetta creation. Located at the intersection of two major pedestrian pathways, one block away from the connecting artery of the city, and connected to Temple’s Main Campus, the Charles Library anchors a new social and academic nucleus for the university’s student population of more than 39,000. First impressions of the building are dominated by a soaring high cedar wood archway that envelopes the entrance way, inviting visitors into the 40ft-high cedar wood ceiling lobby. The solid foundations are clad in vertical sections of split-faced granite as a nod to the materials of the surrounding campus context, with its unusual geometric expression providing the building with a distinct identity. Snøhetta’s design, developed in collaboration with Stantec, is deemed a reinterpretation of the traditional typology of the research library, with a strong theme of integration and unity taking lead in the firm’s design. Incorporating a diversity of collaborative and social learning spaces along with an automated storage and retrieval system for the library’s collection, affectionately termed the BookBot, has allowed the original 1960s floor plan to more than double. The 220,000sqft library anticipates welcoming more than five million annual visitors to its larger space. Moving inside the building, architectural elements are continued throughout, creating a seamless transition between spaces and a cohesive design aesthetic. The vast wooden arches continue
Tillotson: “On the fourth-floor, visitors are invited to stroll through the serene sun-filled, glass enclosed collection stacks where we mounted linear lighting to the tops of the stacks to provide ample lighting for the collections, with supplemental pendants to uplight the wooden ceiling.”
internally, forming a dramatic three-storey domed atrium lobby where a central 24/7 working zone is located, which includes a computing work zone for residents of Philadelphia. Offering views to every corner of the library, the atrium serves as a wayfinding anchor for users at the centre of the space. An oculus carved into the expansive cedar-clad dome lets daylight pour into the lobby from the floors above, creating a connecting void of light to each level. Beginning its journey with Snøhetta, Tillotson explained that the team was contacted by the architectural firm in 2012 to join its team for a “Request for Qualifications”. “We went through an evaluation and negotiation process that lasted through April 2014 when our team was formally awarded the project,” she said. “Their design emphasised transparency and openness as key themes and included the glass curtain wall wrapped around the upper floors, allowing light to fill the space. The undulating wood surfaces and indoor/outdoor connections were very important to them. The main lobby, with its curved 40ft-high cedar wood ceiling is the heart of the library with connections to all floors of the building vertically through the oculus.” It was also vital that this wooden structure was to be kept clear of any fixtures causing blemishes on the natural finish, so Tillotson ensured the fixture placements were kept away: “One
of our design goals was to keep the beautiful curving wood ceiling clear of fixtures, so systems were organised at the columns and track mounted LED downlights mounted to the top of the columns are used for general downlighting. Adjustable LED downlights were integrated into the top of the curtain wall to provide task lighting for the desks below. The three intersecting direct/indirect circular LED statement pendants draw students deeper into the building while also adding ambient lighting to the space and illuminating the wood ceiling.” Working towards emphasising the colour of the cedar wood was also prevalent in the design approach for both Tillotson and Snøhetta. “The high CRI lighting system and warm 3000K LED lighting brought out the richness of the material,” commented Tillotson. Further warmth was brought to the space via the clever use of outdoor, in-grade LED uplights with louvers and shields to reduce glare, to render the warmth of the cedar ceiling and create an “elevating yet intimate space in the evening”. “An array of indirect/direct linear uplights at the fourth-floor wooden ceiling (which spans the length of the building) help to unify the library from the exterior,” she explained. During the daytime, the library is typically flooded with natural light through the vertical void cutting through to the lobby. Tillotson explained how the architectural lighting was used to elevate the light
levels in a cohesive manner with the daylight that would then transition into the evening hours: “During the day, study spaces are bright with vertical illumination to balance with daylight and attract students and staff to these pleasant areas to work in. But the library also needed to be available to students on a 24/7 basis, requiring a safe and inviting experience for studying late in the evening when the rest of the building was closed. “Multiple open study spaces throughout offer varying levels of brightness to create intimate spaces, with 20fc to facilitate laptop use and brighter spaces at 30-50fc for reading and writing tasks,” she added. “On the fourth-floor, visitors are invited to stroll through the serene sun-filled, glass enclosed collection stacks where we mounted linear lighting to the tops of the stacks to provide ample lighting for the collections, with supplemental pendants to uplight the wooden ceiling.” She continued: “The architectural design intent was to promote interactivity and unification, so one of the key architectural lighting design considerations was to ensure that the lighting was consistent on all architectural elements, vertical surfaces and ceilings. In the study areas, we used linear T5 fluorescent fixtures with a custom reflector above a one-inch cell egg crate ceiling system to create a
visually appealing pixel image effect. This concept repeats throughout the building to create a feeling of unity and consistency.” In addition to being an architectural icon for the city of Philadelphia, the construction and design teams on the project were also mindful to make the library an environmentally conscious addition to the city. The fourth floor boasts glazed glass walls on all four sides, giving views out onto the lushly planted green roof. Covering more than 70% of the building’s roof surface, the 47,300sqft garden is one of the largest in Pennsylvania and also plays a key role in the site’s stormwater management system. The meadow-like landscape is filled with ornamental grasses and flowers, providing a rich habitat for pollinators and a calming visual to those both inside and outside the library. In addition to the garden and water management system, the University also had a target for LEED Gold certification for the library, which required Tillotson’s lighting scheme to adhere to a Lighting Power Density level to be 40% under ASHRAE 90.1.2010. Overall, Tillotson reflects on the project being “a rewarding and collaborative process. We presented our solutions to Snøhetta and they co-operated to help make their vision for the building’s image at night a reality”.
www.tillotsondesign.com www.snohetta.com
Sweeping cedar wood arches envelope the entrance to the Charles Library and continue inside into the library’s atrium. Tillotson’s lighting design ensures the warmth and texture of the wood was dramatically highlighted as a welcoming destination to Philadelpiha residents and university students alike. Decorative pendants in the centre create a visual impact, and provide general lighting to the space while acting as a visual wayfinding beacon.
lighting specified
Acclaim Lighting Linear LED Aculux Downlights Amerlux Linear indirect LED pendants Bartco Linear fluorescent Bartco LED Stack lighting BK Lighting lngrade LED uplights Cole Lighting Handrail lighting LSI Lighting Column lights Lucifer Downlights Lutron Controls Sattler Ring pendants Selux Exterior poles Selux Linear LEDs
Royal Grounds
A new motion-controlled outdoor lighting system, featuring luminaires from Siteco, has brought a sense of safety and security to the grounds of Royal Holloway, University of London.
Royal Holloway is a college of the University of London in Egham. The college is situated on a beautiful, park- like site and surrounded by lush greenery, and has been complemented by a new, innovative motion-controlled outdoor campus lighting system. The system utilises City-Light Plus LED streetlights from Siteco and Tvilight CitySense Plus sensors to provide a greater sense of safety, security and optimum energy efficiency – the new lighting system is entirely wireless with no complex and costly data cabling between the individual lights. Students, lecturers and faculty at Royal Holloway are often on campus late into the evening and while the natural surroundings and tree-lined paths that connect its lecture halls, canteen and student accommodation are one of the college’s defining features, bright and reliable outdoor lighting is needed to ensure optimum illumination of these paths and therefore the necessary levels of safety and security. Equipping the City-Light Plus LED luminaires from Siteco with the Tvilight CitySense Plus motion sensors was a quick and simple way to provide an efficient, demand-led lighting control solution. The motion sensors help the college reduce its energy requirements in off-peak times with a positive effect of lower light levels and a reduction in light pollution – beneficial for the surrounding nature. Siteco’s City-Light Plus LED mast lights have been installed in almost all areas of the campus. The first luminaires to be fitted with CitySense Plus sensors were in the park, along the road and along the footpaths in front of the main buildings. The central Tvilight gateway controls up to 200 light points. The light control is set so that the LED luminaires are switched on at twilight at 10% light output. When movement and presence are detected, the lighting is faded up to between 50 and 100%, depending on the location. The two adjacent luminaires are also automatically faded up. If no new movement is detected, the light output of these luminaires return to the predefined minimum level after a hold time of 30 seconds. The City-Light family takes the form of classic lantern-shaped outdoor luminaires for street and park lighting but with a new, contemporary look. The result is a modular luminaire that is easy to install, has an elegant transparent appearance, features efficient LED technology and in this version with its customised colour, blends into the surroundings of the architecture and nature without taking any attention. Luminaire control using data cables to be laid at the campus would have been extremely complex and costly. Wireless lighting control was therefore the ideal solution, particularly when renovating old installations. Further to this, all new luminaires are linked in a mesh network thanks to the Tvilight control system, which means that all the light points communicate not only with the gateway but also each other, notifying the neighbouring luminaires whenever they detect movement. The motion sensor can therefore immediately switch on other luminaires in the wireless network. This system architecture enables the lights to be activated much faster than is the case with other wireless systems in which communication among the light points must always go through a gateway. The entire lighting system is configurated and managed via Tvilight CityManager software. The motion sensors, the dimming profiles of the luminaires and the way in which individual luminaires respond to the motion sensors are all defined in the software. Users can adjust all the settings via the web application, and maintain an overview on smartphone, tablet or PC.
www.siteco.com
Modern Highlights
Kingfisher illuminates the new Jedburgh Grammar school campus with a variety of fixtures that compliment the modern architecture while also providing a safe atmosphere for the students and staff members.
Jedburgh Grammar Campus is a £32 million facility in Jedburgh, Scotland, accommodating nursery, primary and secondary school children. Its amenities include a wide variety of sports facilities, rural skills areas and a range of science, technology labs and work rooms. The facility is also home to a range of community led projects, services the wider area. The site’s open plan layout adds to the modern industrial aesthetic of the building. Using materials such as steel, wood and large glass panels helped add to the overall appeal of the building. Its economic steel frame allowed a saving in weight which allowed roof lights and other features to be added. Kingfisher’s lighting design team meticulously chose its amenity luminaires suitable for public areas. They achieved an elegant scheme matching the building’s aesthetic as well as creating an energy efficient LED scheme with low uniformity. The outcome resulted in using bespoke solutions to illuminate the pathways, building entrances, perimeters and car parks. Across the site, they selected the Soul 180 Urban bollard for its unique design, contributing to the site’s overall aesthetic. The bollards were chosen alongside a bespoke spill shield to illuminate pathways and car parks. The Nadir fittings surrounded building entrances, perimeters and pathways creating a safe environment for both students’ teachers and visitors alike. Nadir offers excellent performance with an elegant square design. The Ray 180 recessed luminaire provided downward facing light to a range of areas around the site including building perimeters and entrance ways. The luminaire was the perfect choice for this project as it enhanced the building’s exterior, while offering valuable illumination around the site. The Italo was selected to illuminate roadways due to their sleek design and highperformance functionality. Designed using reflector technology, this luminaire provides an enhanced output with lower glare. The scheme was designed with the site’s aesthetic in mind. The team created a high-performance lighting scheme using sleek luminaires and advanced technology, enhancing the look and appeal of the site.
www.kingfisherlighting.com
The Art of Architecture
The LED Lightline and LED Spacelight from ADO Lights help to combine art and architecture at the Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf.
For the Chemical-Medical Institute at Düsseldorf’s Heinrich-Heine University, ADO Lights developed a 19.5-metrelong light sculpture that illuminates the stairwell. Its shape is based on that of the high-grade, curved stair handrail. Installed on the concrete substructure, a slender black steel casing then serves to hold the light sculpture based on high-performance LED modules. A cover made of satin-finished PMMA plastic ensures homogeneous, diffused lighting even in the corners. Looking up at the sculpture creates a trompe-l’œil effect, as the illumination is repeated on each of the eight stories. The substructure is barely visible, making the sculpture with its white frame appear to hover. The brightness can be regulated: It is dimmed by 50% after lectures have finished, and can be reduced down to 20% in the later hours of the evening. A sculptural U-shaped staircase leads specifically to the foyer of the Faculty of Medicine. Indirect lighting has been installed on the steel structure such as to subtly trace its contours. To this end, an LED light line system was installed over a length of 36.5 metres – an elegant solution, designed and realised by the specialists at ADO Lights. An aluminium profile that also includes the cable duct serves as the backing for the light line. Thanks to opaque encapsulation conforming to protection class IP68, there is no danger of dust particles or moisture damaging this custom-made installation. It is functional, robust and nonetheless highly aesthetic. Indeed, the light is emitted downwards and underscores the special quality of the staircase – entirely without dark areas at the joins.
www.ado-lights.com
