Things I noticed at the Artemide:
- A flat lamp with a precise shadow casted over the shade. The shade also helped block direct light at viewers.
- Diffusion of light. I liked the light panels that they showed us. The lighting was soft and something I wish I considered in one of my previous design projects (Objects and Spaces).
- Lighting in the Microsoft building in Milan. Thin rods of light run parallel to the building’s overall shape, which helped highlight the structure. I walked past it the other day but I think the lights were off.
- “Alphabet of Light”. It’s like a cleaner version of fluorescent lighting. The contrast of the sleekness of the alphabet underneath the arcade of the University of Milan was stunning. I also like the idea of using light to create shapes in the other parts of the collection.
- Creating outdoor lighting that is non-invasive, doesn’t stand out or cause light pollution in the surrounding area.
- The tests that the lights have to go through in order to be safe enough for packaging and selling to customers. Overall, I think I learned that lighting design requires a lot of thought into the product itself and how it will be used. For example, thermal testing for plastics to see if the product can withstand heat from the light, or creating a precise design to reduce light pollution were both aspects I took away from Artemide that highlight how in-depth light design goes.