John Bullock Lighting Design
Phone:
+44(0)1935 812447
Mobile:
+44(0)7970 025924
Email:
jb@jb-ld.co.uk
16-02-2017
Sounds reasonable, yes? So why all the fuss, then?After years of client conversations that start with: “I’d like you to imagine . . . “ I’ve reached the point where I really need to harden-up on my descriptions of light fittings. I suppose if all you’re specifying is downlights, then there’s not much to talk about . . . not even the design. But once you enter the Realm of the Decorative then we need to be clear on our vocabulary. Careless talk costs clients!
I’ve decided – and feel free to join me in this or not – to use three group terms for light fittings that suspend from the ceiling and the three words are what you see above. Developing the argument a bit further, here is where I’m going:
Chandelier: if it’s a fixture with more than one light source that are defined by a number of supporting branches, then it’s a chandelier – regardless of what its made from or how trad or contemporary the beast may be. And, yes, I'm calling this cluster of light bulbs as a chandelier, since you ask.
Image lifted from Cralux Lighting - whoever you are . . .
Pendant: this is a trickier proposition because pendant also acts as a verb that describes anything hanging down. But I’ve decided that a pendant is really a suspended light fitting from which light is directed, usually downwards; and usually made of metal, though not always. That means that a lot of modern pieces, starting around the time of Poul Henningsen, probably, count as pendants.
Yes: the ultimate modern classic: PH5 from Louis Poulsen
Lanterns: and this one I’m reclaiming from the dustbin of history because its too useful not to have in the lexicon. The real clue here is in that definition. Its about a light source being surrounded by a translucent case that stops the flame from being blown out. In other words, you can’t see the light source – and there’s probably only one in there, but there may be two or three, but the ‘casing’ doesn’t affect the light distribution. This is an Inverse Square Law piece if ever there was one.
The 'Havana' from Foscarini - lovely!
A (very) basic guide to ethical specification
Lighting design: it's a client thing
Calculating obtrusive light: whose job is it?
When there's nothing in the catalogue
When is a chandelier not a pendant? When its a lantern!
When clients learn too much . . .
One of our details is missing
Where will light fittings come from?
The end of the light bulb?
Always something new . . . again
Always something new . . .
Combining old and new
On being in the dark . . .
Riffing The Internet of Things
