la villa

these photographs were taken from the la villa restaurant in paris.  this photograph shows the bar and the shelving system behind it. i like how the structural column is illuminated by the large pendant light over the bar but what really captures my eye is how the shelves are glowing in the background.  the light emanating from the shelves is soft, but gives the items on the shelves a presence.





this photograph shows the main dining area of the restaurant.  the direct spot lights above illuminate the white corner banquet and make it pop even more against the interior finishes.

bubbles

this photograph is the interior of a residence.  i really like how the pendant lamp adds a soft light and focal point above the table, but also how it creates a gentle glow against the wall behind the banquet. you can tell the lamp does not add too much light to the space, but it acts as an architectural feature as well as a textural addition to the space both in lighting effect and decor.  much of the furniture is very linear and structured and the lamp is a bit whimsical.

halo

i have several dropped ceilings in my coffee shop   and the lighting effect above the dropped ceiling here in this photograph is dramatic yet soft.  the light emphasizes the overall height of the space by bringing your eyes to the ceiling.  it also creates an outline of the kitchen/bar space.  the light defines the space in this photograph.  this will be useful in my space because of the dropped ceilings, but it will also provide me with a way to define spaces without using walls.  my coffee shop is very open and by defining spaces with light, i believe i will be able to achieve many intimate spaces within one large space.

serendipity

this photograph is from serendipity in florida.  i really like how the lights in this space create a pattern on the ceiling.  the lights softly illuminate the space but also create more more direct light along the ceiling which creates a textured light throughout the space. the lamps on the ceiling are placed in a somewhat random fashion and seem to mimic the tables below.

contemporary chic

i love the soft light cascading along the sofa from the windows.  this natural light combined with the small spot lights behind the sofa create a wonderful ambiance.  the back lit shelf behind the sofa draws your eyes further into the space and helps to direct attention to the main focal area of the space.

space, light and trendy spaces

the hotel sierra at short pump offers a bit of luxury and city chic to richmond.  it is a chain hotel that has taken the elements of boutique properties and formularized it.  

my visit to hotel sierra was mid morning on a sunny day.  light was streaming in the large windows surrounding the large loft-like lobby space giving the entire space a diffused glow.  the floor material is polished painted concrete which allows the light to reflect and illuminate the space.  various dropped ceilings throughout the space allow for light to reflect off, combined with the light reflecting off the floor gives the space a very well lit feel.  there are also lots of pendant lamps which hang from the dropped ceilings to give more direct light in certain areas.  the small bar area pictured to the right has a mirrored wall which reflects the light from the windows into the space.


   

the lobby seating areas like the conversation pit pictured to the left, are open and have lower seating elements to give it a loft-like feel.  there are exposed elements along the ceiling, including metal pipes, which add to the nyc loft feeling but also allow the light to be reflected into the space and a long the pipes.  the walls are light colored paint which help give a warm colored glow to the space.

 the restaurant is located on the eastern side of the building and sees daylight during most of the day.  the large windows allow ample daylight to enter the space.  as you can see from the photograph to the left, there is a lot of glare from the light.  there are large draperies which hang from the ceiling, these can provide relief from the sun if need be and also serve to separate the dining area from the lobby during meal times.

let the sunshine in

the darden school of business at the university of virginia in charlottesville, va.  this photographs below include the main building, saunders hall and the classroom space.

when you walk into saunders hall, you enter a rotunda like space called the pepsico forum.  at the top of the space is an occular window which allows daylight to enter and fill the space (as pictured to the right and below).

this photograph shows how the light from the cupola above is diffused throughout the forum space to provide a bright area for gathering.  the lighter paint colors allow warm light to illuminate off of the walls as it filters from the ceiling to the floor.

down the hall from the forum is the main classroom hallway.  this hallway is where all of the case classrooms are located off of.  it is light in color and lit by large pendant lights as well as ample windows which allow daylight into the hallway to keep it bright. 

this is a typical case classroom.  there are no windows and no natural light enters the room unless the doors are propped open.  in this photograph, the only light used are the overhead lights.  all things considered the space is well lit, but it is a cool diffused light and not the warmer glowing light provided by natural sunlight.

reflect, just a little bit

water grill is located in richmond, va in carytown.   they serve seafood and american fare. the restaurant appears to be located in an old house that has been converted.  it has an open patio in front and is completely faced with windows on the street side.  my visit to water grill was in the late afternoon on a sunny day. 







 


the room pictured to the right is located in the front of the building.  it appears to be the old sunroom of the house.  it has windows across the front and french doors leading to the interior of the restaurant. it receives northern light, so indirect daylight.  however it is enough sunlight to fill the space with plenty of light and then some.  












the stairs are located directly across from the sunroom.  the materiality of the stairs, polished concrete, allows the light to reflect off of them. the light from the sunroom and recessed can lights from the floor above reflect off of the stairs.  additionally, the paint throughout the space is light colored which allows for the light to reflect off of the walls to fill the space with diffused light.







 
next to the stairs is a small seating area on the first floor.  the mirror in the space makes it appear larger and also allows the light to reflect.  the small recessed lights in the ceiling offer warm direct light on the specific tables and benches so that people are not eating in the dark.  the wood of the tables is somewhat glossy and the textile material of the benches is metallic to allow for light to be reflected.



 


the bar located on the first floor is made of dark wood which absorbs light, but the counter top is polished concrete which reflects the light from the pendant lamps above.  overall, the light in the bar area is warm and diffused.  it is bright but not overly so.  unlike many restaurant bars, there are not really any dark areas, the entire bar seems to be well lit.  i would be curious to see it at night though to see if the pendant lights are sufficient to keep the space bright without sunlight.

this is the second floor.  part of it is open to below which allows the daylight from the windows below to filter to the space above.  there are also some smaller windows along the second story in the front which provide direct light into the space.  the recessed can lights provide direct light to specific areas of the second floor and the light colored walls keep the space from appearing too dark.







 

the photograph to the left is the back room on the second floor.  the large mirror makes the room appear larger and reflects the light from the front rooms.  the ceiling lights offer direct light along the side walls and their reflections in the mirror make the space appear brighter.




 



this is the corner banquet on the second floor. it shows the reflection of light off the metallic wallcovering and white colored ceiling. 





in general, the space is very bright and well lit during the day.  it would be interesting to see the place at night when there is no daylight to see if the artificial light is appropriate.

let there be light

                                  
    
  sustain is located in the main street market in 
  charlottesville, va.  it is a retail store devoted to 
  lifestyle and is similar to anthropologie.

  i visited the store on a bright and sunny morning
  so I was able to see all of the light penetrating   
  through the windows.  the space itself is fronted with 
  giant curtain wall like windows, which allow a lot of 
  natural light into the space.  the light is then diffused 
  throughout the space and gives it a very warm glow. 
 


             



 


there are  several smaller windows in the back of the space with allow daylight in to balance the light that comes in from the front windows.  (see picture at right)  

the light comes in though the windows and reflects off of the white wallcovering and the light reclaimed wood floors to illuminate various items throughout the space and give the store and overall warm feeling.




 

the picture to the right shows the floorspace in the front of the store 
as well as the windows in the back.  from this picture, one can see how well lit the space is.  there are not 
any areas that are dark.

 

in addition to the ample daylight, the space is decorated with lots of table
lamps to add a soft glow.  there are
also track lights placed along the ceiling to provide additional lighting
capacity if need be.  however on 
bright days like this, there really is 
not much need for the track lighting.

this is a photograph from the second floor.  similar to the lower level, the upper level has a window wall (opposite the bed) which allows ample daylight into the space.  there are also two large windows behind the bed as well as floor lamps and track lighting (not on during this visit because it was so bright outside).  additionally, the walls are covered in wallcovering made of small, clear, recycled glass beads which helps to reflect the light throughout the space. 

the picture to the right shows the window wall on the second floor.  it allows diffuse light throughout the second level because light does not directly enter the windows. 

 

another design choice used by the owners was to place mirrors in various places around the space.  this allows for light to reflect and illuminate the space as well as objects in it.  it makes the space appear larger and brighter.  


it is a great space and the designers have used the windows to their advantage.  overall the lighting in the space is appropriate and ample and it allows for customers to see everything in its best light.

bathed in light

                                   

this is the new wing of the vmfa in richmond, va. it was designed by rick mather architects and smbw. this posting will only focus on the atrium of the new wing since it has lots to offer.

 

i visited the vmfa on a sunny summer morning.  as you can see from the pictures, the new wing's main addition is the huge atrium between the entrance and the old wing.  the atrium contains large curtain glass walls on both ends and skylights at the top to allow for a lot of light to enter the building.

                                             

                                            

the light comes in through the skylights and creates dark shadows along the stark white walls.  the light is intense and warm along the wall but diffuse throughout the rest of the atrium.  the dark floor allows the light to be absorbed so that the space is not over lit. 

 

the light comes through the skylights and reflects from the walls onto the carpet on the stairs illuminating the path up to the next level.

light enters the atrium through the skylights and the curtain wall.  the light softly filters through the various levels until it reaches the lobby level.  the light is the brightest at the top level and is the darkest when it reaches the lobby and is absorbed by the dark granite flooring. although some light from the curtain wall is softly reflected on the polished granite to illuminate objects from below.