Lighting is the most elusive of the elements that combine to make a cohesive design.

The renowned architects of history recognised the need to shape the lighting, not only natural light but the way artificial light affects their structures. Le Corbusier (1887-1965) wrote "Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep".

Le Corbusier often designed his own light fittings, many of which are still on sale today at various outlets throughout the world.

Mies Van der Rohe in the 1950s recognized that light had to work with architecture from the start and became one of the first architects to work alongside an independent architectural lighting design consultant, Richard Kelly. This was at the very beginning of the lighting design profession as we know it today. They collaborated on buildings such as the Seagram building in New York (1958), alongside Philip Johnson working on the interiors. Even today this stands a a strong example of how architects and interior designers shouldn't hesitate to involve a professional lighting designer at the early stages of a design.

Many of the artificial lighting techniques used in his buildings in the 1950’s are still used today: the grouping of lights within channels to create clean ceilings and hide the light source, luminous backlit surfaces, cove lighting and illumination of perimeters to increase the perceived brightness of a space.

Had Le Corbusier and Mies Van Der Rohe lived today theres no doubt they would have embraced LEDs and lighting control systems as essential tools to an architect or designer and it would have been exciting to see the results.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of modern architects who have developed and enhanced the latest lighting technology which often incorporates audio visual elements:

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