Light & Design Readings

1] How would you feel about being an occupant in San Francisco city hall after the renovations?
I would love to be an occupant in the new city hall. A lot of time and effort was put into creating a space that worked best for the occupants and still recognized and honored the original style of the building. There was a lot of thought into how this could be accomplished and put together so the focus wasn't on the lighting itself, but what it lent light to, which is the amazing architecture and history of the space.


2] What types of lighting discussed in readings & how could they benefit the city hall?
There were a ton of different types of lighting discussed in the readings. Some of the major types were: daylighting, LED, indirect vs. direct, incandescent, accent lighting, flood lighting, recessed, accessible, halogen, fluorescent, overhead, built-in, and diffused. I think knowledge on them all would benefit our space because it will take work to determine how to balance the natural lighting with lighting I install. Also finding the right lighting for the right purpose and space is important.


3] What seemed to be the biggest dissatisfaction expressed with office types, and how could they effect our hall?
To me the biggest dissatisfaction seemed to be finding a balance between all the elements in the office. Some of the biggest issues are: finding the right amount of light, the right distance from the windows without being too far away, finding if open or closed worked better, balance between acoustics being too quiet or too loud, and privacy issues between the office types. This effects our hall because I already have a fixed shape and it will take work on finding out the best layout that accommodates it and fits everyones needs.


4]Is the court house appropriate for a dominant day lighting system and explain?
Yes, I believe that a courthouse would be an acceptable place to have dominant day lighting. It is a place that needs to be well lit and provide light to read, see, and witness what is going on inside the room adequately. Also, day lighting would eliminate some of the stress of the situation and add a sense of warmth and security. If the courthouse is used for our purposes I do not think that it would be the best option. Galleries are very sensitive to light and the pieces inside could be damaged by too much sunlight. A performance space could benefit for specific purposes. If strong stage lighting wants to be used daylighting could disrupt this and ruin the presentation, however if all that lighting isn't needed it could be a good option.


5] What are the benefits of day lighting?
There are a plethora of benefits of day-lighting in an environment. I know personally that if I am in a work environment having natural light is refreshing and adds nature and the environment into the space. Sunlight also releases the chemical serotonin which is a feel good chemical which would make one happier in such a space. Natural daylight also can be good for productivity and working when it is the right amount.

6] Do codes matter for lighting design? Explain.
Yes, i believe that codes have an effect in lighting design but do not define it. Codes work to make the space more functional and safe, and that is exactly what lighting does as well. I think they work hand in hand to achieve this and without the other the space would not be effective.

7] Is lighting subjective or objective?
I think that lighting is both subjective and objective. I think it is objective in the respect that there has to be a certain amount of light to be able to do something and light a space, but it is subjective in the fact that a difference in light will affect certain people and their work differently depending on their preferences.

8] How does the information in the articles apply to programming and design?
All of these articles are helpful in filling out many aspects of the programming document. The portion discussing office types could benefit from it, the space planning section, concept development, and adjacencies as well.


9] Does cooper lighting make an indirect light?
Yes Cooper does in fact make indirect lighting. Most lighting can be made indirect by the placement of it. If you put the lighting in coves, under objects, behind objects, or tuck it away so that the light beams are not directly shining on the space they become indirect. Cooper's cove lighting, recessed lighting, track lighting, and step lighting would be good choices when trying to create an indirect light effect.