Teaching Light: Its Importance in
Architectural Education
M A R I E T TA S. MILLET
Professor, Department of Architecture, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
JOEL LOVELAND
Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
ABSTRACT
J U ST A S L I G H T I N G I S I N T E G R A L to architecture, it is
also vital in design education. Therefore lighting courses
have been developed and offered over the last 20 years in
the Department of Architecture at the University of
Washington. This educational program is based upon the
goal of integrating the many concerns of lighting design—
from its conceptual and form-giving aspects to its connec-
tion with energy conservation—into the architectural
design process. Beginning in 1995, we have offered a
Lighting Certificate to graduates of our program who have
completed certain requirements.
INTRODUCTION
The integration of lighting into the architectural design
process is accomplished by stressing the practice of light-
ing design rather than the science of lighting. Courses are
offered at all levels and in all formats of the architecture
curriculum, always connected to the design of the envi-
ronment. It is our belief that truly energy-conserving build-
ings must also be aesthetically pleasing, so that the energy-
conserving aspects of lighting design must be supported by
lighting design experience that starts with the conceptual
design of the building. Daylighting is particularly stressed
as being connected with the form of the building, with
important psychological comfort factors, and with energy
conservation. Students are offered practical experience in
lighting in architecture, such as internships at the Lighting
Design Lab in Seattle or in professional offices.
Our research work can also be characterized as design
research. The most recent research project involved case
studies of state-of-the-art daylighting designs and the inte-
gration of daylighting and electric lighting through the use
of control systems. (Loveland and Millet 1996)
The supporting philosophy for the coursework will be
described and examples of projects shown.
S U P P O R TI N G P H I L OS O P H Y:
L I G H T A N D A R C HI T E CT UR E
Lighting considerations influence the entire design process
and incorporate both conceptual and aesthetic issues as
well as technical issues. The importance of considering
lighting at all stages of the design process is stressed by
presenting lighting as part of a cohesive design approach.
Daylighting is presented as playing multiple roles:
responding to the climate (there is a ”right light”for each
particular place); lowering energy consumption in build-
ings, both for electric lighting and its associated cooling
load; providing appropriate light (both qualitatively and
quantitatively) for the visual tasks, including orientation
and movement; shaping the form of the building to pro-
vide the appropriate qualities of light; and providing a
pleasant visual environment for the occupants. Electric
lighting is also presented in multiple roles: complementing
the daylight (and therefore requiring appropriate controls);
providing light for visual tasks, including orientation and
movement; shaping rooms to provide appropriate focus or
distribution of light; using energy-efficient sources appro-
priately; and providing comfort and visual clarity.
In studying both daylighting and electric lighting, phys-
ical models and full-scale mock-ups are used as tools for
both quantitative analysis and design. Daylighting models
in particular promote the combined understanding of qual-
itative and quantitative information. The models provide
immediate visual feedback on the experiential qualities of
RIGHT LIGHT 4 , 1997 VOLUM E 2, MILLET & LOV ELAN D 169
the room, and thereby inform the entire design process.
Students of architecture normally use physical models, so
this design tool is easily understood and incorporated into
their design process.
C L A S S ES A N D S TU D E NT W O RK
Lighting is included in the subject matter of several cours-
es in the curriculum, and is the main focus of several.
Daylighting is included as approximately one-third of the
subject matter of an introductory support class in
Environmental Control Systems (Arch. 431) focusing on
the thermal and luminous environments in buildings. Here
the student is introduced to the concepts of sustainability,
interaction between the building and its site, and energy
conservation in buildings.
An introductory lighting design course is offered for
both undergraduate and graduate students (Arch. 435).
The intent of this class is to introduce students to the range
of issues necessary to integrate lighting successfully in the
architectural design process. A sequence of assignments is
structured around the use of various design tools, focusing
on physical models and including numerical calculation
techniques. Students first do a ”precedent study,” analyzing
a significant luminous environment through studying its
architect and his/her intent, the climate, the building
design in relation to light, and by modeling a particular
room. The physical model (scale: 1:25) is studied under
sunny conditions with our ”Sun Gun” and under overcast
sky conditions in our ”Artificial Sky”. Sun penetration pat-
Fig. 1. Student model of Brion Chapel, Carlo Scarpa, Architect.
Fig. 2. Model of student design for a Chapel in Mostar.
170 M ILLET & LOVELA ND, VOLU ME 2, RIGHT LIGHT 4 , 1997
terns, shading, and illumination distribution and levels
under the overcast sky are evaluated against the program
statement. For model measurements, a Campbell Scientific
21X datalogger with Licor LI-210SB photometric sensors
is used. Rooms used for this assignment include chapels
and museums/art galleries, thereby posing two very differ-
ent sets of design criteria. (fig. 1) In the next assignment,
each student team designs a lighting scheme (both day-
light and electric) for either a chapel or an exhibition
room, and builds a physical model. This model is analyzed
in the same way as was the precedent study, with the addi-
tion of measurements of the electric lighting model (its
inaccuracies and relation to assessment by calculation
techniques are explained). (fig. 2, fig. 3)
The final assignment is a calculation assignment drawn
from one of the student projects. All students do a day-
lighting calculation using the UW Graphic Daylighting
Design Method (Millet and Bedrick 1980) and two types
of electric lighting calculations, point-by-point and lumen
method, including predicting energy use. The course of
these exercises is intended to form a mini-experience of the
architectural design process, emphasizing lighting. Key
Fig. 3. Model of student design for a proposed Jimi Hendrix
Museum in Seattle.
Fig. 4. Student ”room” model from Color and Light class, showing
use of color and light to make the space appear to expand.Museum
in Seattle.
 Fig. 7. Luminous/thermal map of view in fig. 6.

Fig. 5. Student ”room”

model, expansion of
space.

Fig. 8. Station point for "light rose": view toward the Great Hall
from the Ramped Galler y, Museum of Anthropology.analyzed.

Fig. 6. Luminous/thermal mapping: photograph of view that was

analyzed.

concepts and useful design tools are introduced to evaluate

the qualitative and quantitative factors in lighting design. A
good lighting design must achieve the qualitative goals. To
do that, it must be technically correct.
A class in Color and Light is also offered (Arch. 434)
based primarily on three-dimensional visual model studies.
Structured exercises using simply-illuminated ”room” and
”box” models give the students practice in seeing color and
its effects relative to form, light and other colors. Two
examples of ”room” models where the intention was to
Fig. 9. ”Light rose” for station point with view shown in fig. 8.from
make the space appear to expand are shown in figures 4
the Ramped Gallery, Museum of Anthropology.analyzed.
and 5.
Graduate lighting seminars are offered on varying top-
ics, usually concentrating on some aspect of daylighting. In
an early seminar offered by Loveland and Millet, the stu- A graduate seminar taught in 1996 explored the rela-
dent team undertook an analysis of the variations of light- tionships between lighting and the thermal environment in
ing distributions for given shading configurations. (Millet the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British
Lakin Moore 1981) In the Northwest corner of the United Columbia. (Millet and Erwine 1997, Millet et al. 1997 [Web
States, the relationship between providing shading during site]) A significant outcome of this study is the develop-
clear hot summers and providing adequate daylight on ment of innovative ways to analyze and report on the envi-
overcast winter days is particularly important. A significant ronment as experienced by visitors to the museum. One
part of the study compared daylight distribution patterns method, luminous/thermal mapping, compares a qualita-
and levels between sunny and overcast sky conditions for tive image of the scene (i.e. a slide or photograph) with a
shading devices with differing geometries but similar ther- line drawing of the scene overlaid with the radiant tem-
mal performance. perature (degrees Fahrenheit) and luminance (foot

RIGHT LIGHT 4, 1997 VOLU ME 2, M ILLET & LOVELA ND 171

Fig. 10. Site model by
Dan Wickline for
Visitor's Center for
Fig. 11. View of daylighting model by Doug Brookbank, for Grays
Grays Harbor National
Harbor National Wildlife Refuge.
Wildlife Refuge in
Washington state.

Fig. 14. Lighting fixture, Iole Alessandrini.

Fig. 12. Mixed-media lighting fixture, from 1993

University of Oregon class taught by Millet.

Fig. 13. Lighting fixture, Dace Campbell.

Lamberts) of selected surfaces (fig. 6, fig. 7) The top num-
ber in each pair is radiant temperature in degrees
Fahrenheit; the bottom number is luminance in
footLamberts. Another representational technique that
was developed is the ”light rose.”Used to convey the lumi-
nous experience of one's path through the Museum, it is a
graph representing the level of illumination received on 4
vertical surfaces (facing ahead, behind, to the left and to
the right) at eye level at selected station points along the
path through the Museum. One such station point and its
”light rose”are shown in figures 8 & 9.
Students are also introduced to the role of daylight in
shaping space in both undergraduate and graduate design
studios. A representative sample of recent design programs
have included a visitor's center at a national park, a school,
and a museum. In all these projects, there is an emphasis
on designing in response to the local climate conditions for
reasons relating both to energy efficiency and to architec-
tural expression. In the visitor center the connection
between inside and outside is often to be maximized,

172 MILLET & LOVELAND, VOLUME 2, RI GHT LIGHT 4, 1997

whereas in museum environments it must be carefully con-
trolled. Site models and large-scale daylighting models
(1:25) are used as design tools to investigate the effects of
design decisions, including the viability of the daylighting
design. (fig. 10, fig. 11)
A graduate design studio on lighting fixture design
emphasizes the connection between the conceptual design
idea and the realization of that idea through the construc-
tion of an electric lighting fixture. Technical aspects of
electric lighting are explored during the course of the stu-
dio. The energy efficiency of light sources is discussed, and
photometric testing and the construction of candela distri-
bution curves are demonstrated and then done by the stu-
dents.
Comparisons of the quantity of light and the perception
of light are made through the quick construction and test-
ing of ”paper”or ”mixed media”mock-ups. (fig. 12) The
interaction between the distribution of light from a fixture
and the rendering of a room in light is thus demonstrated.
Completed fixtures are presented with both technical data
(photometric testing results) and perceptual representa-
tions (sketches or photographs of the fixture in its setting).
(fig. 13, fig. 14)
C A S C AD I A L I GH T I N G A L LI A N C E
The Cascadia Alliance Lighting Program is a collaborative
effort by the schools of architecture in the Cascadia
Region—British Columbia (University of British Columbia),
Oregon (University of Oregon), and Washington
(University of Washington)—to enrich the architectural
lighting education at all three schools. The goal of this pro-
gram is to improve the practice of lighting design by
improving lighting education with the creation of a com-
mon curriculum, the exchange of students and faculty, and
the expansion of research and practice activities through
the sharing of resources.
As part of the program, the Certificate in Architectural
Lighting is designed to be completed along with the pro-
fessional degree program in architecture. It is a 30 credit
program comprising courses from all three Cascadia
Alliance universities, and can also be completed at each
individual school. The Certificate curriculum consists of
three components: core courses; context courses, includ-
ing an optional internship and summer program; and
research and design work.
C O N C L U S I O N / S U M M A RY
The lighting program at the University of Washington is
based on providing the student experience in observing
and manipulating light in different architectural contexts in
order to develop solid skills for incorporating light into the
design process. The development of these skills is impor-
tant both for shaping the experience of the building and for
saving energy.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work has been supported by several grants during the
years, including Instructional Development Grants from
the University of Washington; a Lighting Education Grant
from the Nuckolls Fund for formation of the Cascadia
Lighting Alliance; and most recently a grant from the Vital
Signs Curriculum Development Program at the University
of California at Berkeley for the case study of the Museum
of Anthropology. ●
REFERENCES
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of the Sky — Mirror Box Artificial Sky Design.” Proceedings
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Loveland, Joel and M. Millet. 1991. ”Public Daylighting
Education - Seattle's Lighting Design Lab.” Proceedings of
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Loveland, Joel and M. Millet. 1996. ”Lighting and
Energy at the Edge: Design Technology out of the
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in studio?” Journal of Architectural Education, Vol XXXIV
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Millet, M. S. and J.R. Bedrick. 1980. ”Predicting
Daylight Distribution in Proposed Interior Designs”.
Lighting Design and Application, 10:3 (March 1980)., pp.
23-30.
Millet, M., J. Lakin and J. Moore. 1981. ”Rainy Day
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Work-up: The Museum of Anthropology, University of
British Columbia, Vancouver.” Proceedings of the American
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RIGHT LIGHT 4, 1997 VOLU ME 2, M ILLET & LOVELA ND 173