9
by Shawn Basler As technology has transformed lighting design profoundly over the past several years, the fundamental effect lighting has on our built and natural environment has remained constant. Lighting is the medium that helps shape our environments by providing not only illumination, but also the inherent ability to affect our mood and evoke emotion within our daily lives. From the subtle glow of a candlelit dinner to a dramatically lit ancient treasure in a museum, light influences our perception of the environment and attitude toward the spaces we inhabit. Lighting design plays an integral part of the design process on many levels. Over the years, AWA Lighting Designers has been an essential part of that creative process, and one of the most unique firms to work within the industry. Their understanding of light as an art form that can be sculpted through shadow and nuance, rather than simply a utility, is why their collaboration on projects has made such an impact. Their use of technology as part of the design process has
also helped numerous design teams to both visualize the effects of lighting on space and research the effects on the human psyche. All of this has had a profound impact on the quality of design and the ambience of the places we create as designers. The future of lighting design will continue to push the boundaries of technology in both the design process as well as the built environment. The last decade has brought the most significant leap in lighting technology and design tools. We now can study the effects of lighting quality on space in real time and understand the impact on the environment. This becomes increasingly important in analyzing the impact of lighting design on our health and wellness, as well as sustainability. While new tools allow designers to quickly study lighting and technology may allow end-users to customize their experiences, the ability to choreograph this dance in design harmony will be led by those who approach lighting design as an art form. AWA remains one of those
firms at the forefront leading this paradigm shift in the industry. The essays and projects on the following pages represent a culmination of more than 20 years of thinking and practice in the field of lighting design by AWA. The preface, “The Paradigm Shift and Our Zeitgeist,” addresses the notion that the technology shift in lighting design has altered how we experience light within our built environments by seeking to understand the spirit of our times and how we can contribute as professionals. Our ability to use light as part of our built environment by transforming spaces through color, texture, and shape allows us to think of light as a physical medium. AWA Lighting Designers embodies this spirit in each of their projects by exploring the climate, culture, and materiality of each project, and pushing the boundaries of how the physical medium of light can enhance the user experience and impact how we see our world. Through their work, we can begin to understand the meaning of our zeitgeist.
about Shawn Basler, AIA, NCARB Shawn Basler leads Perkins Eastman as a part of the 3-person Co-CEO leadership team. Responsible for fostering the firm’s national and international growth, Shawn is a leader in the design of globally-recognized architecture and planning projects. With more than 20 years experience, his repertoire ranges from hotels and resorts, office buildings, and residential developments to industrial and commercial planning projects located throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Shawn collaborates closely with his clients to lead projects from concept through completion. He stays intimately involved in all aspects of the design process from planning and programming through technical design and construction, providing continuous oversight to meet clients’ goals. Shawn is a member of the American Planning Association and on the Professional Advisory Board of Kansas State University’s College of Architecture, Planning & Design. left: tote I AWA I 2009
C O N T E X TUA LIZING LIG HT
INTRODUCTION
