Shaping the Future of Lighting Design: a Perspective of Architecture and Interior Architecture Students

Abstract

Abstract With the increasing sophistication of global illumination algorithms, lighting design software has become an accessible tool for architects and interior designers. Despite the potential benefits of these tools for teaching and learning lighting design, the use of lighting design software is not widely integrated into architecture and interior architecture education. This paper presents the results of an online survey of architecture and interior architecture students at two universities in Istanbul, Turkey, aiming to determine the extent of use of lighting design software in learning lighting at the undergraduate level and to assess student’s attitudes towards their usefulness in design education. The findings reveal that although lighting design software is acknowledged as an important tool for teaching and learning lighting design, it is not commonly used due to a lack of knowledge, training, and resources. The results of this study also suggest that there is a need for greater integration of lighting design software into architecture and interior architecture education. The paper concludes by proposing recommendations for integrating lighting design software into architecture and interior architecture education, including incorporating software training into the curriculum, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration between lighting designers and architects, and providing access to software and resources.