We work with architects to inform the design of windows and other openings to maximise views out to nature, and strategically light the planting beyond glazing to extend the opportunity for connection with nature after daylight hours.
When we consider biophilic aspects of lighting design, rather than using light to facilitate literal and often problematic interpretations, such as growing plants in deep plan indoor spaces, our designs can reference, reveal and enhance colours, abstract patterns, and textures that help our brains to create a positive natural connection.
In K11 Discovery Garden, the garden is illuminated to maintain views from the restaurant to the planting after dark, extending the biophilic connection even when sitting inside behind the glazing.
We work with architects to inform the design of windows and other openings to maximise views out to nature, and strategically light the planting beyond glazing to extend the opportunity for connection with nature after daylight hours.
Temporal Connections
Another aspect of biophilic design considers the natural diurnal and seasonal rhythms influencing our circadian cycles. Natural light is constantly changing in intensity, colour, and character. This may be one of the reasons why, when people are subjected to lighting conditions that are too uniform and homogenous, it can feel oppressive, even exhausting. Where possible, we design lighting to encourage views and connection to the outside world, helping provide visual respite.
In the café space of 100 Liverpool Street, London tuneable white light above the cloud-like suspended ceiling panels creates a sense of the sky and the natural rhythms of the day with a gently changing atmosphere, from a brighter, fresher experience during the day, to a warmer, softer atmosphere in the late afternoon and evening.
We incorporate change over time into our lighting designs: setting scenes and curating spaces with subtle shifts in light intensity, colour temperature, shadow, texture, and accents to change ambience and spatial perception across the days and seasons, echoing natural patterns of light.
In Exchange Square, Broadgate, the colour temperature of the light to the rows of beech trees shifts in response to the seasons, reflecting the changes in the natural environment.
Connection to Darkness
Just as we are attuned to natural light, we also need natural darkness. Darkness provides us with balance and enables us to re-set. Darkness provides us with contrast, which is necessary to create visual hierarchy and focus. We incorporate degrees of darkness and shadow in our designs to provide visual respite and to enable us to maximise the impact of the light we have designed, using the least amount of light. This is not simply an aesthetic response but also helps to protect biodiversity and minimise any negative impact on the planet.
In Exchange Square, Broadgate, we kept the general light levels as low as possible, channelling the focus onto the water and seating areas. Despite the low light levels, people feel safe in the comparative darkness, gathering to socialise and benefit from the calming influence of the flow of water and light.