In our experience all too often lighting is considered far too late in the design process, much to the detriment of all those working on the project. Lighting design should be interwoven into the very fabric of the construction process to ensure that the spectacular architectural features that you have laboured over for many months are always viewed in their best light.
Alighting designer can, of course, be asked to use your architectural plans to develop the lighting designs and circuit plans for a project. But to use your lighting designer in this way would not only massively underestimate their worth, but would also limit their ability to assist you in developing truly spectacular results for your firm and for your clients.
The massive benefits your lighting designer can bring to a project
Your lighting designer is a highly trained, highly skilled lighting specialist with expert knowledge of the latest lighting products and technologies that could benefit your project, and cost-saving techniques that could release funds to be reallocated elsewhere. They have a lot more to offer your project than you might think.
Lighting Consultancy – A skill gained through years of specialist experience that’s often overlooked but which can make a huge difference on a project. Your lighting designer has a wealth of knowledge about: selecting the right lighting products; establishing the best plan of action to coordinate all of the many people involved in the selection, development, design and installation of your lighting; and considering all of the implications of Part L compliance to correctly adhere to building regulations. Your lighting designer’s experience can be put to good use to make sure that you start a project off on the right foot to keep costs low and quality high, and to create dramatic results that will surpass your client’s expectations.
Procurement Savings – Once you have selected the right fittings for your project, your lighting designer can use their buying power and supplier relationships to make substantial savings on your purchases, which you simply would not be able to achieve any other way. These savings, along with those suggested throughout the project by your lighting designer, will often entirely offset their professional fees.
Practical Design Advice – Lighting designers work day in and day out with interior designers, builders, electricians and home automation companies, so they speak the same language and understand the intricacies of how each element of the project combines to develop a design vision. More importantly, they understand the practical implications of choosing one direction over another, the knock-on effect of
such a decision and the need for detailed planning from the outset. Your lighting designer can offer advice, guidance, perspective or simply a detailed room-by-room breakdown of exactly what is needed to achieve your vision for the project.
Design Vision – Your lighting designer can create intricate 3D renders of their lighting designs that can not only help you to visualise how they plan to bring a space to life, add drama or create a mood, but enable you to tweak and adapt your design at these early stages to achieve the best results for your clients. The beauty of these 3D renders or walk-throughs is that they can also be used to present interior design elements or architectural features to clients well before the building work has begun.
Site Visits and Project Management – Your lighting designer can take on a great deal of the responsibility you have on your shoulders by project managing the trades and schedules that are involved in the lighting for your build or refurbishment. Not only do they know their products better than anyone else in your team but they also have an intimate knowledge of the lighting design so are best placed to offer guidance to turn a lighting vision into shining reality. Whether they are project managing or not, your lighting designer should also carry out site visits on a regular basis to check on progress as well as educate and inform those involved in the installation of the best ways of working with the technologies and products involved in the project.
Technical Expertise – As part of their project management or site visits, it is the lighting designer’s responsibility to make sure that all of the relevant information on how to best utilise the lighting technology they have recommended is disseminated to all relevant parties. For instance, they should produce and coordinate loading schedules, which among other things will require them to inform electricians and home automation specialists how far a driver can be positioned from a set of LED products. Once again, there is no one better qualified to offer this advice.
Problem Solver – With a good lighting designer on your team from the outset you have someone on board whom you can turn to should any issues arise. Whether it’s to do with building regulation compliance or product selection, installer guidance or anything else that affects the lighting on the project, your lighting designer will be able to step up to the responsibility of quickly finding a practical and cost-effective solution.
Your lighting designer can help you to create truly stunning results, whether you’re looking for the dramatic style of a chandelier dripping with Swarovski crystals uniquely designed and fashioned for your project or the flexibility to mould a
space through infinitely adaptable colour and intensity control. By illuminating the built environment, lighting designers provide the finishing touch that accentuates the fabulous architectural features you have designed. They can offer cost-saving advice and they can provide you with all the information you could need about the lighting of your creation so you are able to make the best decisions throughout a project.
Asco Lights is a company of award-winning lighting designers with a heritage stretching back over a decade. Not only do they offer all of the above but, with the largest design studio of its kind in England, you’ll be invited to investigate the potential of your lighting design first hand and, with their strong relationships with a wide variety of leading manufacturers, you will get truly unbiased judgement on which products to use on your project to always achieve the finest results.
Call in your lighting designer earlier on your next project and see just how they can make your work shine.
