The Role of Artificial Lighting in Architectural Design: A Literature Review

Abstract

Abstract Artificial lighting design is an integral part of the building design process. However, little or no emphasis is usually placed on its importance in the initial design process, as lighting is often understood as merely the idea of illuminating spaces. This paper investigated the evolved variety of roles artificial lighting plays in architectural designs in the context of psychology and communication. Data was compiled from existing knowledge on artificial lighting techniques, tools and practices to develop a literature for better understanding of the greater capabilities of artificial lighting within the urban context. The study focused mainly on the use of artificial lighting in the 21st century, in a bid to capture the diverse roles artificial lighting plays in the built environment in recent times. The study is a qualitative research that relied strictly on data from secondary sources. A total of twenty-eight relevant publications were sourced using Google search engine via the internet. The data were content analysed, grouped in themes and presented using descriptive approach. The study revealed that artificial lighting plays important roles in delineating spaces, beautifying environments, improving workers’ productivity level, as well as serving as a tool for navigation and communication in the urban environment. The paper concluded that over the years, artificial lighting has evolved beyond spatial illumination, but now functions as a tool for passive non-verbal communication. Therefore, planning for artificial lighting should be introduced early in the design process to avoid incurring unnecessary cost and time wasting usually associated with late decision making in the building industry.