Time to shine

Smart lighting choices can help attract people back into retail, hospitality and other commercial spaces, says Paul Nulty, of Studio N

- Paul Nulty

We see it but can’t touch it. We embrace it but can’t hold it. We experience it but can’t reach it. It’s often difficult to put our finger on why light is such a spectacular medium. On the one hand, light is so simple, but on the other, its complexities are hard to ignore. It affects us in every way and most often without us even realising it.

Light sits at the junction between creativity and technology; psychology and sociology. At its most profound, it can captivate and manipulate, but at its heart, light emotionally connects people with places. So, what is it about this intangible substance that bewitches us? So often we find it being overlooked in architectural design, yet this side-lined tool can elevate any space when crafted by a skilled lighting professional.