Lighting has become an essential part of modern infrastructure development. With the sector expanding rapidly, its applications have grown beyond basic illumination to include signage, branding, architectural highlights, and immersive lighting for both interiors and landscapes. Today, lighting not only serves a functional purpose but also defines the identity and character of a space. It acts as a visual language that conveys the essence of a structure.
This growing awareness has increased the demand for lighting as a design tool. Across history, lighting has played a role in shaping built environments, and now more than ever, it is being used to enhance user experiences. From Ancient to Modern structures, light is being integrated to create an experience for users. Civic authorities are also using lighting to showcase heritage structures, helping to preserve cultural identity and create memorable nightscapes in cities. Lighting is undergoing a transformation—it is now symbolic, psychological, and experiential. As its role expands, it is critical to adopt well-planned strategies, including expert guidance, advanced lighting optics, and smart technologies, to meet the evolving needs of modern infrastructure.
India’s Lighting Landscape
India is experiencing strong infrastructure growth, supported by interconnected economic activities. The pace of lighting adoption is encouraging, but meaningful and thoughtful integration is still lacking. While there is growing recognition of light as a branding tool, there is also a need to focus on sustainable and efficient solutions. Given the scale of projected infrastructure growth in India, environmentally responsible lighting remains essential. As a lighting consultant, I propose the following key considerations to ensure effective lighting practices:
User-Centric Lighting
Lighting should be based on the functional needs of users. Important factors include visual comfort, appropriate contrast, accurate color rendering, and suitable light distribution.A layered approach to lighting—rather than uniform brightness—enhances visual focus and user comfort.
Safety and Security
While lighting enhances the experience of a space, its most critical role is to ensure safety. This can be achieved through shadow-free lighting, reduced glare, flicker-free environments, and balanced contrast ratios. Good visibility not only improves safety but also gives users a sense of control over their surroundings.
Technological Integration
Adaptive and smart lighting solutions are essential today. Incorporating lighting controls and IoT systems leads to long-term energy savings and improved operational management, especially in large-scale projects. Sensors and timers help optimize energy use and support automated lighting scenes.
Environmental Responsibility
As lighting is used more for visual impact—such as on façades or landscapes—it can contribute to skyglow and environmental degradation. This also affects nocturnal wildlife and limits our view of the night sky. These issues can be mitigated through the use of efficient optics, cut-off angles, and zero uplight fixtures, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.
Aesthetic Integration
Lighting should enhance the architectural character of a structure. Accent lighting offers better control and helps create a visual hierarchy that aligns with the design language. Scene-based control also minimizes over-lighting and environmental impact. Aesthetic choices must also consider the surrounding environment to maintain visual harmony.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
The rapid use of lighting has led to several poor practices: over-illumination, improper fixtures without cut-off angles, inconsistent lighting, unshielded glare, incompatible low-quality fixtures, and poor integration with control systems. These mistakes not only reduce visual quality but also lead to sustainability issues and premature equipment failure.
Therefore, it is essential to use a well-defined checklist and adopt a tailored approach rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. Lighting strategies should be shaped by the function and character of each space. As consultants, we design lighting experiences based on specific needs, ensuring that both functionality and aesthetics are addressed effectively.
With lighting playing an increasingly important role in shaping infrastructure, its planning and implementation must be led by experienced professionals. Only then can we achieve the goal of delivering the right lighting.
Sivasankar is a lighting consultant at Space Lumens with a Master’s in Architectural Lighting from the University of Wismar, Germany. He specializes in heritage lighting and holds a Certified European Lighting Expert qualification, backed by 10 years of experience across various lighting design projects.
