“Recessed light fittings are less visible during the day and only appear at night when in use.
Interior spaces also benefit from recessed luminaires, with the light itself being the only visible element”
Recessed Lighting
For many architects there is nothing worse than surface mounted objects disturbing their clean spaces.
Surface mounted lighting fittings, particularly ones which are more functional than decorative, can spoil an otherwise minimal aesthetic. Recessed lighting is a popular alternative for many architects and designers for this very reason.
Recessed light fittings are less visible during the day and only appear at night when in use. Interior spaces also benefit from recessed luminaires, with the light itself being the only visible element.
Recessed lighting can be ceiling recessed, wall recessed, and even in ground recessed. The main limitation to installation of recessed lighting is the material and recessed depth. For example in areas where there is not enough space for the luminaire housing, it is not possible to recess the light fitting.
Likewise in materials that cannot be cut into, it wont be possible to recess anything. Otherwise proper planning and preparing needs to be made in advance. For example when recessing light fittings in concrete or other poured materials.
LED Recessed Lighting
The adoption of LEDs by the lighting industry revolutionised the design of light fittings. Traditional lamps were much larger by comparison, required ventilation for the expelled heat. As well as needing more space for reflectors to control the lighting distribution.
The smaller physical size of LEDs meant that luminaire housing could be significantly reduced. The heat generated by LEDs is a fraction of what traditional lamps generated, and the distribution curve of LEDs is from integrated lenses, rather than a combination of lamp and reflectors.
Each of these advancements is beneficial to recessed lighting as the recessed depth for the luminaire is now less. In the past if the ceiling depth wasn’t enough, then lighting designers and electrical engineers had no choice but to use surface mounted or semi-recessed lighting. Thanks to LED recessed lighting, it is now possible to recess fittings in smaller spaces.
Linear LED recessed lighting is also now a reality. In the past linear recessed fittings had tubular fluorescent lamps. Which were both large and diffuse in the quality of light. LIGHTTALK from LIGMAN has a narrow profile and range of beam angles for a variety of lighting solutions.
Kauppakeskus Goodman retail shopping centre in Hämeenlinna Finland, uses LIGHTTALK fittings in place of linear fluorescents. Not only are the linear LED recessed lights more powerful, the life of LEDs is also much longer, saving on maintenance costs.
Not only that LED recessed lighting can make use of all the advantages of LED. Such as dimming, RGB colour changing, colour temperature regulation, and precise beam distributions.
Recessed Wall Lights
Recessed wall lights are an effective way of lighting paths, ramps and stairwells.
By recessing wall lights at a low level, the path itself is illuminated with out needlessly lighting an entire space. In some cases it may not be possible to use any other form of lighting, a ceiling isn’t present or the space is too narrow. Recessed wall lights can be a convenient solution.
Take Ben Kavanagh Reserve for example. The steps and planters have LEGEND recessed wall lights for low level lighting. They enable spectators to find their seats and navigate the area. The only possible alternative would be to pole mount fittings and light down onto the seats, but then this would disturb their view of the field. Having the low level recessed wall lights provides safe movement without disturbing the view of the sports field.
The National War Memorial in New Delhi India makes creative use of RADO recessed wall lights. The slim fittings are recessed in the steps leading up to the memorial. Illuminating only the steps and not disturbing the surrounding memorial or view from the hill.
Surface mounted wall lights can also be vulnerable to damage, be it intentional or accidental. Surface mounted objects can be easily knocked by vehicles, bikes or pedestrians. Where as recessed wall lights are better protected by the surrounding surface.
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