By Gerard Bowtell-Harris, Technical Lighting Specialist, Raylinc Lighting
Gerard Bowtell-Harris prefers more lights over more power. Fewer, brighter fittings create hotspots with dark patches between them. More fittings at lower output light a space evenly, and people are more comfortable staying in it.
The argument for more power is that it lets you use fewer lights. The cost shows up in the space itself: hotspots, and much stronger contrast. Outdoors, against a dark sky, that contrast is even sharper.
“A highly bright fitting on its own is a lot more intense than a smaller light with multiples of them,” Gerard says.
The area under each fitting becomes floodlit. The light drops away, then the next fitting takes over. “It’s never going to be an even crossover,” he says. You are left with a clear dark spot between the two.
When the lighting is comfortable, people stay longer. They aren’t fighting the light around them.
Gerard compares harsh lighting to “that one uncle that wears overpowering perfume at the family events.” You don’t want to stick around. It pulls your attention away from the conversation and from what’s happening around you. “It then becomes consuming,” he says.
Gerard prefers more lights at lower output. Fewer high-output fittings create hotspots and dark gaps between them.
Often because a few very bright fittings create strong contrast, with floodlit patches and dark spots in between.
Yes. Comfortable, even lighting helps people relax and stay. Harsh lighting draws attention to itself and pushes them away.
Gerard Bowtell-Harris is a technical lighting specialist at Raylinc Lighting and a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society. He designs lighting for roads, pathways, car parks and facades with consulting engineers.
Contact the Raylinc team to plan an outdoor space people want to spend time in.