The design has to take requirements of space and luminaire into demand without sacrificing the vision it has for the luminaire as a whole. The surface finish largely depends on the materials used. The designer has to understand the material and its properties in order to fully use its potential. The extruded aluminium gives only a few options of finishing. Whether glossy or matt, it largely remains metallic-looking, a welcome feature in both living and industrial spaces, especially those preferring minimalism and function.
The design decisions affect each and every component of the luminaire. The details are as important as the first impression the luminaire imparts. The designer has to be both technically skilled and artistically inclined to be able to blend both aspects of the design together. A close cooperation and communication with technicians is necessary, and so is the contact with the research team that provides new ideas for the future. “The result must be teamwork rather than the compromise,” OMS Product Designer Ján Štofko OMS says.
Although a common person may not see it directly, details are an important part of the functioning of the luminaire. Industrial lighting solutions for example can incorporate light level sensors which allow adjusting for the changing lighting situation during the daytime. This solution optimizes both the lighting and the energy costs. The known fact is that LED arrays demand a control circuit board and ventilation or cooling. The design has to take these requirements into demand without sacrificing the vision it has for the luminaire as a whole.
The surface finish largely depends on the materials used. The designer has to understand the material and its properties in order to fully use its potential. The extruded aluminium gives only a few options of finishing. Whether glossy or matt, it largely remains metallic-looking, a welcome feature in both living and industrial spaces, especially those preferring minimalism and function.
The plastics on the other hand provide a variety of colours to choose from in many different finishes. They can be either glossy or matt, opaque or translucent, smooth, dented or otherwise shaped as the design and the purpose demands. All these finishes affect the properties of the luminaire differently – the diffused light from the translucent plastic can take on the colour of the material and add to the atmosphere of the room.
Opaque, clearly shaped luminaire on the other hand can provide directional light where necessary, such as lighting a work surface. Gloss or metallic finish accentuates the reflections from other sources and surfaces in the room.