Lighting in Design

posed problems for lighting designers and it is

here that light selection becomes important. The

designer does not have the luxury of hiding services

in the ceiling so more planning and design is re-

quired to ensure that the space is well illuminated.

All fixing details are exposed and electrical fixing

points cannot be moved easily, or at all. In this ap-

plication, linear light sources offer flexibility since

they can run as continuous sources, reducing the

amount of electrical connections.

Also, loop connections within the light source

allow the light fitting to run to many metres. The

longest single linear light source Regent Lighting

has manufactured was that for the University of

Johannesburg where the company manufactured

a fitting of over 90 m long with only two supply

feeds. The light source was used to link two build-

ings, creating improved uniform lighting levels and

a consistent light source.

On a more functional level, up/down linear light

sources installed at the parking entrances of the

recently upgraded Rosebank Mall create a greater

sense of space in the void and supply sufficient light

levels on the floor. It is in this type of installation that

it is possible to see the different effects achievable

by linear systems, which offer the flexibility of sus-

pending the fittings off a ceiling or surface mounting

the fittings onto lower concrete ceilings. At the

lift areas of this particular installation, the plaster

ceilings were even lower and supplying recessed

linear light allowed the designers to maintain the

consistency of light fitting while increasing the light

levels where required.

The flexibility of application created by linear

light sources means they offer a vast number of

opportunities for the design of internal areas. No

other light source can be mounted in four different

ways and at different angles following the internal

lines of the building: suspended up or up/down

light; surface mounted; recessed, with frame or

without; and semi-recessed.

Auditoriums are notoriously difficult to light and

unappealing installations in any number of such

venues across the country are testament to this.

A common sight in many such venues is sections

of light from the ceiling onto specific areas below,

LiD

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