Timeless Illumination: A Journey Through Light and Space
Exploring interior design beyond the studio is always an important factor for an interior designer's exposure. This is part of an experiential series that enables students to learn about light from a different perspective. Students are given the opportunity to visit a local showroom located in Kuala Lumpur, which is an adaptive reuse of an old bakery factory and is currently a lighting showroom. Visiting the showroom is more than just exploring the fixtures; it is also an experience of how light shapes space, creates atmosphere, and tells the story under the roof.
The building showcases the beauty of adaptive reuse, and history and the contemporary perfectly coexist. The first moment you step into the building, it brings back the moment of the olden days where it features the original architectural characters such as exposing the beams and columns and how the lighting enhances the raw materials so it fills the space with character. As you move through the interior of the building, the building materials tell a story of the chronological development of the era. For example, the ventilation blocks are in place for natural airflow, while the terrazzo tiles and white ceramic tiles are popular in the '70s and 80s, which reflect the vibe of that era. Although these materials seem aged, they have been preserved in good condition and seamlessly blended into the contemporary lighting showroom design. These experiential experiences provide a timeless design appearance, offering students valuable experiences and design inspirations.
Other than the building, students have a completely different perspective on lighting. Students are introduced to various types of architectural lighting, decorative lighting and task lighting by the lighting specialist. Architectural lighting is used to enhance the building’s structure and is usually integrated into the architecture. Decorative lighting enhances the look of the space, or it could be a masterpiece and the focal point of the room, and the task light is for specific tasks. They are also exposed to various forms of lighting like floor-standing, wall mounted, ceiling mounted, recessed lighting and more.
Additionally, they learn the technical aspects of lighting, learning key terms from lighting specialists, such as Color Rendering Index (CRI), IP (Ingress Protection) Rating, and Correlated Color Temperature (CCT). This is important to interior design students because it helps them understand both the functional and aesthetic aspects of lighting design. With this showroom experience, students have the opportunity to experience how different color temperatures influence the atmosphere, understand their effects, and observe their seamless integration into real spaces
A showroom visit is not just about the technical aspects; it also offers a comprehensive experience of how lighting placement shapes ambience to complement the space. Experiences outside the classroom always provide a different learning environment. It might not be the most exclusive experience, but it is definitely one of the unique ones during their studies. A showroom visit is not just about exploration; it is also part of training students' observation skills and helping them absorb new knowledge to apply in their assignments and practice. Through this visit, students not only enhance their technical knowledge but also gain a deeper appreciation for how lighting shapes the spaces we live in.
Lighting is not just about illumination;
It’s about creating a moment.
It’s about creating an experience.
It’s about crafting a series of stories—
the stories under the roof.
Jeryn Lee Jie Iyin
School of Arts
Email: @email