Evaluation of Lighting Design Essay
Description of space
Libraries come in all shapes and sizes. However, a complete perfect design of a library comes with a combination of art, technology and science all intertwined together good number of libraries have over time worked on their spaces to make the sleek and attractive. A good example is the State Library of South Wales whose design is competitively good. This library has remarkably good features to boast of relating to space description.
To begin with is the wonderous arrangement of books that has comfortably allowed the library to contain very many books. Over four million books have been stored in the library aide by the new extension of the book shelves. State Library of South Wales has come up with a new sorting system of book where books are store based on their physical dimensions increasing the capacity of the library by close to 40%. Frequently used books are available for browsing, while the rest of the collection is held in a non-public area but available for retrieval by staff.
The interior space of State Library of South Wales exhibits a complete cinematic look. It has a perfect arrangement of shelves which creates extra space for free movement of staff and library clients. It can serve about 3.5 million people with ease. The vast floor space is further divide into four rooms with dedicated areas for programming, computers, browsable collections, seating, and a teen zone. The interior space in designed to give a wow ambience to the library clients and enable free air flow. The space design has at large aided in elimination of bottlenecks and congestion as the client access the facility.
Analysis of the Functions of Space based on Visual Task
A good library requires a good visual advantage to lure a good number into it. The visual appearance of the space has so much to do with the space utilization of the interior of the library. Enough space can give room for decoration of the library and seeking visual beauty. Proper ventilation is additional advantage that comes with good spacing. A library with enough spaces allows adequate movement of air and hence provided the users with fresh air that makes the room to remain fresh even when it is occupied to its capacity. State Library of South Wales has a raised roofing system giving a wider view of the dome shaped ceiling. The tall high walls also provide a wide space for artistic painting in a manner that translates into the libraries design. The walls are painted white for progressive internal reflection within the library rooms to completely eliminate the shadow effect.
The white wall provides an -all time full lighting system that is ample enough for learning purposes. The large rooms also have provided extra space for fitting in of enough windows. Windows fitted in the State Library of South Wales exhibit an amazing architectural design and sleek view. They come in large sizes which not only provide a good ambience but also a raging aeration of the library rooms. Additionally, the windows are positioned to allow light rays to stream in giving extra light.
State Library of South Wales has a big spacious roof supported by numerous pillars giving it a sleek mushroom look; an architectural design that dates to the early Roman Empire. This is a big credit to the designers. Due to the wide roof, the library can support AC aeration systems which are fitted into the wide roof and automated depending on the number of occupants’ at a given moment and the prevailing climatic conditions. The pillars also provide the needed support for the interior designs and ensure that it remains strong and stable especially given the high number of people that is expected to visit the library. The choice of white color for the interior ensures that there is proper light since it provides the much needed reflection for the same.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Current Lighting Design
The current lighting system of State Library of South Wales comes in the most recent bulb-design technology coupled with stylistic manipulation of natural light from the sun to come up with a masterpiece lighting system. The shelf arrangement is also a component of this perfect lighting system. The shelves are arranged to allow light to penetrate into the book and reading sections of the library with ease. The bulbs are also arranged direct opposite and perpendicular to each other such that one bulb counters the shadow effect of the other thus completely eliminating the shadow effect. The library has layered lighting system with varied intensity to yield an ambient illumination and asymmetric light distribution to incorporate a user-friendly environment. This also ensures that light is received in all parts of the shelves even in areas that may not be directly adjacent to the bulbs. The lighting system has sensors integrated into them to reduce light intensity in case no one is occupying the space. The roofing system is painted with a variety of colors to radiate different color bands that also aid in beautifying the appearance.
An alternative approach
Deductively, lighting is essential in a good library. Light quality has a great impact on hoe everyone gets their mood and morale set. A good lighting system is a key determinant of individual productivity and motivation. It also dictates satisfaction and self-comfort. Therefore, each and every library need to have a scenic lighting system that incorporates both art and science not only for natural light but also for elegancy. State Library of South Wales can have a variety of approaches to apply so as to give it a perfect look and a fashionable intrinsic design. The very first approach is layering system which adds depth to the quality of light. The most effective way of light layering is incorporating both general, task and accent types of lighting so that each of them can meet the environmental light requirements. State Library of South Wales can incorporate the advanced Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology into their lighting systems. LED comes in variety of colors that are attractive and very friendly. The kind of light emitted by Light Emitting Diode bulbs are of little or no side effects to the users. Light Emitting Diode bulbs are energy efficient therefore, minimizing energy costs.
Additionally, State Library of South Wales can implement the widely known International Association Lighting Design technology in installation of its lighting systems. The IALD comes with a reviewed lighting system that is both cost effective and energy saving. IALD implements internationally accepted lighting systems that provide a motivating learning space vital in a library.
