Cultural Aspects in Lighting Design - الجوانب الثقافية فى تصميم الاضاءة

The Middle East 3rd Lighting Solutions Conference 26th April 2011 PALME Conference Room, Sheikh Saeed Hall Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre

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Introduction The Significance of Lighting in Culture.

Traditional Lighting Solutions.

Cultural Values in Users Sensory Experiences.

Cultural Impacts on Lighting Design.

Lighting and the Emerging Culture of Branding.

Sustainability and Lighting Design: Conflicting Factors.

Functionality, environmental concerns and cultural aspects are all issues, which need to be taken into consideration by today’s leading lighting designers, and this is certainly true of the lighting trends currently emerging in the Middle East.

KELLY LEWIS

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This presentation focuses on the cultural aspects in lighting design in Islamic and Middle Eastern architecture.

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It discusses the cultural values that influence the need for natural and artificial lighting.

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Design is a culture-making process in which ideas, values, norms and beliefs are spatially and symbolically expressed in the environment to create new cultural forms and meanings.

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Cultural backgrounds influence people’s perceptions of natural and artificial light .

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Cultural aspects of design focus on the complex relationship, interaction and correspondence between cultural processes and principles of design.

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Light, as opposed to dark, carries significant meanings in Islamic and Middle Eastern cultures.

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God (Allah) is described in the Quran as ”the light sources of heavens and earth”.

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Light carries positive values as opposed to the negative values of darkness.

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The understanding of the importance of good lighting design in urban areas, public buildings and interiors is increasing.

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Lighting design in multicultural settings should consider different cultural backgrounds.

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In contemporary global cities, multicultural interactions are common in many urban spaces.

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Light is fundamental for architecture and essential for human well-being.

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Lighting quality affects human behavior, comfort, health, efficiency, safety and security.

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Lighting provides an exciting human experience of spaces and artifacts.

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Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some aesthetic or practical effect.

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Lighting includes use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and natural illumination of interiors from daylight.

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Lighting can also be an intrinsic component of landscaping.

Aspire Zone, Doha, Qatar

The Pearl, Doha, Qatar

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Several solutions were available to provide natural lighting in traditional environments; i.e. courtyards, mushrabiyas, and lighting wells.

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Cultural values, such as privacy and gender segregation affect the need for natural and artificial lighting sources.

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Users’ sensory experiences were affected by these cultural backgrounds.

Lantern used for the interior lighting in the night

Windows for natural lighting with wooden patterns

Openings for natural lighting & natural ventilation

Windows ,with steel bars, for safety reasons

Openings for natural lighting & natural ventilation

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Traditional interior spaces incorporated natural and artificial lighting to provide spaces of social interaction with adequate lighting levels.

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Artificial lighting is most commonly provided today by electric lights, but gas lighting, candles, or oil lamps were used in the past, and still are used in certain situations.

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Alfanar was the oldest instrument used. The flame was usually kept inside a glass vessel.

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Natural and artificial lighting design for mosques and places of worship enhance the individuals and groups sensory experience.

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Privacy, visibility, and social relationships impact the design of artificial lighting of traditional and neotraditional spaces.

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Private celebrations, and weddings usually require lighting to announce the event for others.

Tall buildings are source of pride and identity for many emerging countries in the Middle East. ď‚Ą Aside from providing sufficient lighting for interior spaces, their exterior lighting enhances their manifestation at night. ď‚Ą

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Proper lighting can enhance task performance or aesthetics, while there can be energy wastage and adverse health effects of poorly designed lighting.

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Day lighting (through windows, skylights, etc.) is often used as the main source of light during daytime in buildings given its high quality and low cost.

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Artificial lighting represents a major component of energy consumption, accounting for a significant part of all energy consumed worldwide.

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Light is life, without light we can’t or enjoy the wonderful objects and colors around us.

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Different sources of light produce different sensory and existential experiences.