Lighting took centre stage at Clerkenwell Design Week, not only by showcasing some great products at the LIGHT exhibition at the old House of Detention, but also through a series of insightful talks at the same venue, called (d)arc thoughts by darc magazine.
Historically, workplace lighting has followed a one-size-fits-all approach, flooding every corner with uniform brightness. This comes from a well-meaning approach, identifying the necessary lighting level to one kind of activity and supplying it as evenly as possible. But our tasks, approach, expectations and workstyles have changed, and one size doesn’t fit any more.
Hospitality design might have the answers to the issues facing the workplace.
Think about your last hotel experience. The lobby wasn’t uniformly lit like a clinical setting. Instead, it featured pools of activity with varied lighting intensities; brighter task areas for check-in, softer ambient lighting for relaxation, and accent lighting that created atmosphere and visual interest.
This concept, the idea of “hotelfication”, is changing how we approach workplace design. Rather than trying to supply everyone with the maximum levels of lighting, we’re creating spaces that offer choice through thoughtful placement and intensity variation.
The two paths to lighting choice
When it comes to providing people with control over their lighting environment, there are two approaches:
- Technology-driven customisation: Individual control systems that allow users to adjust their personal lighting preferences through apps or control panels throughout their working day.
- Intuitive spatial design: Creating spaces where lighting intensity naturally varies by function and spatial character, allowing people to simply choose where to sit based on their needs and activities.
The beauty of the second approach lies in its simplicity. People can instantly read the space and select their preferred work environment without learning new systems or changing complicated settings. It’s about designing choice into the place itself. This results in creating kinetic, ever-changing landscapes that enhance wellbeing and support different work styles.
From concentrated focus areas to collaborative spaces, lighting intensity should match the intended function.
And what about the future of workplace lighting?
As we move away from the sterile, uniformly-lit office model, we’re discovering that thoughtful lighting design doesn’t just improve functionality – it transforms how people experience their workspace entirely.
Our challenge is to design that choice seamlessly into the user’s daily experience, and lighting is just one ingredient in creating a supportive workplace.
