The Different Types of Architectural Lighting

Architectural lighting is a type of lighting design that goes beyond just aesthetics. It combines the fields of architecture, interior design, and electrical engineering into one creative design practice.

Architectural lighting is practical and serves a fundamental purpose in an indoor space. When combined with individual lighting pieces like chandeliers and pendant lights, architectural lighting makes a space look cohesive.

The goal of architectural lighting is to highlight a building’s design, history, and purpose. Lighting holds a lot of power in architecture, providing visibility and atmospheric effects. It can completely transform the look and feel of a room, affecting people’s mood and productivity. The balance of artificial light and natural light in architecture is a vital principle of architectural interior design.

Architectural LED lighting also focuses on efficiency with placement and energy usage. Instead of following standard lighting designs, architectural lighting studies the structural angles and natural light in a space. From there, designers choose light fixtures that enhance key aspects of the architecture without wasting energy to do it.

Architecture and lighting are two design elements that work together to bring an interior to life. The two main types of architectural lighting designs are indirect and direct.

Indirect architectural lighting integrates into the room’s structure itself. Instead of light shining directly from the lamp, light bounces off walls to create illumination.

The three most common types of architectural indirect lighting are cove, soffit, and valance.

Cove Lighting

Cove lighting typically sits on a ledge, shelf, or recess, and the light they emit bounces toward a ceiling or upper wall. Cove lights are ideal for highlighting design elements like crown molding or an accent ceiling. It has the benefit of providing light without a visible light source, giving a sleek and modern look.

Many commercial applications like modern offices, museums, and hotels use cove lighting. It provides a softer way of lighting a space without drawing attention to bulbs or fixtures.

Soffit Lighting

Soffit lighting, also called cornice lighting, sits on the underside of an architectural structure such as an arch, balcony, or overhanging eave. Their light shines downward, best for washing walls and illuminating textured surfaces like wood, brick, or stucco. Rooms with low ceilings often use soffit lighting, and they can even fit underneath cabinetry to light countertops.

Valance Lighting

Valance lighting is typically a linear light fixture located inside a wood, metal, or glass shield. It shines light both upward and downward. The downward light washes the wall, and the upward portion provides lamp-like light. Mounting height typically changes based on window or door height.

In residential applications, valance lighting is good for bedrooms and living rooms. Commercial spaces like retail stores also use valance lighting.

In contrast, direct architectural lighting does not attempt to hide the fixtures from view, instead putting them on display. Often, the fixtures are part of the aesthetic design as well.

Some common types of direct architectural lighting include track lighting and recessed lighting.

Track Lighting

Track lighting supports multiple individual light fixtures on one ceiling-mounted track, rail, or beam. Track lighting systems are task-oriented and adjustable, working well in both residential and commercial areas. Track lights come in several variations and are customizable to fit a variety of electrical and design needs.

The standard type of track lighting is linear track lighting, consisting of multiple track lighting heads, or fixtures, on a singular rail that mounts on the ceiling.

Monorail lighting, also known as flexible track lighting, supports multiple mini pendant lights from one hanging beam. Each light on a monorail can often pivot independently, allowing for multi-directional lighting from one fixture. They are a more creative design choice for lighting kitchen islands, artwork, and display shelves.

Cable lighting is another type of track lighting that uses cables to run electricity and support the fixtures. It has a distinctly industrial look because of its exposed wiring and hardware.

Recessed Lighting

Recessed light fixtures, also called can lights, are best for ceilings in the home where hanging fixtures are not feasible. The style of recessed ceiling lights hides most of the fixture behind the ceiling's surface, giving a clean, seamless look.

Linear recessed lighting adds a modern, almost futuristic style to spaces. Flush mount lights are also a good option for non-intrusive architectural lighting. Modern recessed lighting is a designer go-to when building hi-tech spaces that have low-profile lighting needs.

Most architectural lighting applications today utilize LED smart lighting. This is because of LED light bulbs' energy efficiency and low maintenance needs. Smart lighting also allows for more dynamic controls, like automation and dimming.

Architectural lighting solutions improve the quality and effectiveness of design projects. Whether you want dramatic light and shadows or a subtle look, architectural lighting design enhances any type of space.