By: N Jayalakshmi
Last updated : February 24, 2023 4:10 pm
Here is the next one in the ‘Spotlight’ series presented by Retail4Growth in association with lighting solutions company Gardler, which has Satish Sharma, Co-founder & Principal Architect, Studio AIRD, sharing his views on some important aspects of retail lighting.
Indeed, architects and store designers, who in a way are the bridge between consumers and retail experience, are unanimous in their view on the importance of lighting in-store design. They all come with diverse insights with regard to the dynamics of store lighting, based on their observations and experience with retail clients.
Satish Sharma shares his take on the following aspects of store lighting:
Discernible trends in the market
Lighting design plays a very important role in organised retail. With the advent of LED lights, the unorganised sector is also willing to take suggestions from lighting design experts as it helps them reduce their Opex and deliver a better ambience in their stores.
Most common myths and misconceptions when it comes to retail lighting
Generally, retailers believe generic flat light is good and are not giving more attention to product specific lighting with the right colour temperature and CRI.
Critical parameters while deciding on the quality of lighting
1. Light beam angle
2. Height of the light source from the product.
3. Size and texture of the products/surfaces to be highlighted.
4. Color temperature and CRI according to the displayed product.
5. Different light options at Fitting rooms for checking outfits in different light temperatures ( daylight/evening/night)
Common challenges in arriving at the right lighting for a store
Role of the right lighting partner
The right lighting partner understands the specific requirements of a light type for different format stores and doesn't need hand holding. They have software/tools to calculate Lux levels and generate lux rendering plans and suggest efficient/appropriate light planning for the store, which saves both time and cost (capex/opex).
Checklist for evaluating and finding the right lighting vendor/partner
A case study
When we were creating a new concept for the Diamond Jewellery Experience Centre for Candere, a Kalyan Jewellers Company, we felt that the lighting design was a crucial part of the concept development, as the products which we had to highlight were tiny and we wanted to emphasise their cut, design and craftsmanship through precise lighting design.