Lightening the wait

While we may comment on an interesting fixture or, conversely, a lack of light, most of us do not put much thought into the illumination of our surroundings. Lighting public spaces, such as Auckland's domestic airport terminal, involves a great deal of consideration.

Geoff Waller, lighting consultant at Beca and also a Fellow of the Illumination Engineering Society (IES) of Australia and New Zealand, completed the lighting scheme for the new terminal. As an amalgamation of two old terminals, with the addition of a retail area in between, the building's inconsistent ceiling heights provided some challenges.

"The central area is very low so that you could jump to touch the ceiling. Psychologically, people do not feel comfortable unless the brightest light source is coming from above them, so in this area we installed square luminaires that drop down 4cm from the ceiling. If they were integrated, the effect would be simply a square of light on the ceiling. However, the dropped diffuser allows a small amount of sideways glare-free light, to give a sense of brightness to the ceiling," he says.

To light the retail space, which has a high, wood-panelled ceiling, Waller used integrated downlights, as well as uplights installed in the centre of the unusual bracework structures that extend from the ground.

"This works to highlight these architectural features, and also takes the eye away from the clerestory windows, which are effective in the daytime but can appear dark and gloomy at night," he says.

Clerestory windows are also part of the design of the check-in area, where they are counteracted by up-and-down lights on prominent bulkheads.

Aside from being one of only four Fellows at New Zealand's IES, Waller is a convenor of the judges at the society's annual lighting awards. He is also one of only three IESANZ Registered Lighting Practitioners.

IES: The Lighting Society aims to advance the art and science of illumination, and provides information to interested parties. Members include engineers, architects, students, contractors and manufacturers.

For more information on Beca, visit the website: www.beca.com. For further details on IES: The Lighting Society, view the website: www.iesanz.org.

Story by: Trendsideas