Beauty in light: the modern luminaire

Launched last month, a new range of recessed LED downlights offers the largest range of lighting design options in the world, Switch Lighting’s Bryce Wells says of the range known as ZELA. “ZELA opens up the possibilities for creativity in terms of lighting design more than has ever been possible ever before. With around 2,500 options, it is a range that offers styles of lighting suitable for any context,” Bryce says.

The ZELA range was developed in New Zealand and is engineered and assembled at Switch Lighting’s Nelson manufacturing facility. 

“ZELA is about optical clarity and beam control in beautiful forms. It is at the forefront of luminaire design, with textured matt finishes in black and white. Minimised both in form and in-ceiling cavity requirements, the entire ZELA range is also available in fire-rated versions, with all luminaires and drivers insulation being coverable.
 

Designing light

Using the significant options in terms of available beam angles, the possibilities to creatively illuminate a space are vast, with the light fitting itself looking no different in the ceiling to a traditional downlight. “You might want to illuminate a small piece of art on the wall, for example. To do that you might use a nine-degree beam angle to light just a small area without any light spilling off the intended subject.”

Using small beam angles allows for the dramatic juxtaposition of light and dark and highlights key design elements in a space easily. 

In contrast, a 90-degree beam angle would be used for general, ambient lighting. “Between these two extremes, you might want to light a coffee or dining table from above, while avoiding light spill outside that table. To do that, you might select a 20-degree beam angle to illuminate only the table rather than the guests around it to create a certain ambience. This is a particularly sought after option for restaurants and hospitality settings where a more moody feel is desired.”

In residential settings, narrower beam angles are particularly useful for situations such as bedside lighting. For reading lights, you may specify two luminaires with a 15-degree beam angle so as to illuminate only one side of the bed without light spilling onto the other side of the bed, allowing for one person to read and the other to sleep in the dark.”

In larger spaces, the options are endless – limited only by the imagination. “One project we did recently was a hotel corridor in which small ‘puddles’ of light were created down a corridor like wayfinding stepping stones rather than lighting the whole area,” Bryce says.

The other area offering vast options within the ZELA range is the light colour or temperature. “To create dark, moody lighting you might use a Sunset Dimming luminaire. This rich, warm light will pick up and amplify natural tones such as copper and brick. It’s akin to living in the light that would come from a fireplace.

“In contrast, a 4,000K luminaire may be selected for a bathroom where very white, clean light is required. This is a cooler, whiter and bluer light in contrast to the rich, warm light of a Sunset Dimming luminaire.

“The ZELA Fire-rated range is BRANZ-appraised and is the widest range of fire-rated recessed downlights available in New Zealand.”

Switch Lighting works closely with clients, lighting designers, architects and designers to assist with the design process.