Create Memorable Destinations With Facade Lighting

Facade Lighting Techniques

• Wall Washing: A technique where light is evenly distributed across the building’s surface, creating a smooth and uniform illumination (typically without emphasis on texture).
• Grazing: This technique emphasizes surface texture by placing lights close to the building’s surface, creating shadows and highlights that enhance material textures like stone or brick.
• Silhouette Lighting: This effect is achieved by placing lights behind architectural elements (e.g., columns or statues) to create striking shadows or outlines that stand out against the illuminated background.
• Spotlighting: Spotlights focus on specific architectural features, such as a statue, decorative element, or entrance.
• Backlighting: Lights are placed behind objects or surfaces to create a dramatic contrast and highlight the contours or shapes of the building’s design.
• Color Changing: Using programmable color-changing LEDs, this dynamic lighting allows the facade to change colors or patterns, often used for events or holidays.

Fixtures Used in Facade Lighting

Floodlights are typically wide-beam lights that cast large amounts of light across a building’s surface, making it highly visible. Wall-washing and wall-grazing are two applications that floodlights, like the family of HPNLS light fixtures, can create for facades. Other linear fixtures like the SBL-MIX are ideal for large-scale light washing of facades.

Grazing linear lights are installed close to the facade to emphasize texture and material by casting light across the surface at a shallow angle. A long exterior wall with outdoor linear lights, like the Tri-Light HV, at the base would create a memorable landmark for passing vehicles and pedestrians.