Modern architectural design is rooted in a deep and holistic understanding of sustainability. It goes beyond minimizing environmental impact but alsoconsiders how our built environment affects human experience and ensuring spaces are functional, accessible, and enjoyable for as many people as possible. Daylighting is fundamental to delivering on these aspects. As we have explored in previous Knowledge Articles, ensuring adequate access to natural daylight has a profound impact on human health and wellbeing, and it plays a vital role in reducing reliance on electric powered lighting.
In this article, we will delve into some key emerging trends in architecture, exploring how strategic daylighting design can support best practices and help create contemporary spaces that work for both people and the planet.
‘Sustainable design’ is no longer a trend in architecture, but a fundamental part of the practice." as the American Institute of Architects (AIA) states.
Buildings represent a huge investment, not only of time, effort and dollars but also carbon emissions generated during the manufacture of its materials and construction processes. To ensure this input is not wasted, there is an increasing trend for building owners and designers to prioritize the reuse of existing buildings, rather than demolish and rebuild — adapting them to meet the needs of modern building users both now and in the future.
A real-life example of this is Click Rain and Lemonly’s new headquarters set in an old and neglected spark plug factory. The manufacturing floor provided the perfect open-plan space to create an ideal collaborative layout for the creative and digital agencies, with modular structures added to create private meeting rooms and facilities.
To bring more daylighting into the deep footprint, architects at CO-OP Architecture exposed the building’s original sawtooth roof structure and restored its industrial character, while integrating modern daylighting solutions in the form of the Kingspan GridSpan™ system into the vertical slopes.
There is also a clear opportunity when creating new buildings to design with flexibility and high-performance standards in mind to ensure a building can be continually optimized to remain useful throughout its lifetime, maximizing its commercial potential and offering longer-term return on investment. Daylighting solutions such as tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) can be easily adjusted to direct daylighting to different areas, allowing for future interior design layout flexibility. Fixtures can also be swapped out, and new effect lenses or lighting controls can be added or removed to adapt to evolving needs.
Strategies for Wellbeing
As US Visual Artist, Frank Chimero, put it: “people ignore design that ignores people.” To be successful, buildings must be developed with the end users’ needs, wants, and potential barriers in mind.
A key trend within human centered design is biophilia which recognizes that humans as a species have developed to respond to natural processes and therefore should incorporate these elements into our modern built environments. The concept is often characterized by the presence of natural materials, shapes, processes and forms. This includes designing indoor daylighting strategies that mimic natural outdoor lighting patterns and cycles. This helps to reinforce occupiers' circadian rhythms – biological processes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle— helping to improve energy regulation and enhance mood. It can also help to support plant life brought in by biophilic designers to improve air quality, enhance aesthetics and further contribute to the sense of positivity and wellbeing felt within the space.
A project that showcases the best of biophilic design is The Jewel, Changi International Airport in Singapore. Designed by globally renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the Jewel is inspired by Singapore’s vision of being a “city within a garden.” The complex harmoniously connects to the surrounding airport buildings with retail and leisure opportunities, whilst simultaneously presenting itself as a lush indoor garden, with full-size trees, plants, ponds, and walking trails. This mix of nature and commerce is housed under a distinctive glass and steel torusshaped roof system, which opens at the center to allow for the iconic 130 ft rainwater cascade. As well as being a visual spectacle—particularly when illuminated at night — the indoor waterfall helps to provide both cooling and airflow within the garden environment.
The project team collaborated closely to find the best natural ventilation solution, settling on a specification of 105 bespoke-sized glass windows. Each unit opens automatically, helping to provide daylight and regulate internal temperatures for both occupiers and the plant life within. The product’s combination of natural ventilation and daylighting functions also contributed towards the project’s achievement of Singapore’s Green Mark Platinum status.
Utilizing Light as a Tool
Architectural tastes and trends are constantly changing, but light has always been a fundamental design tool used to enhance building forms, aid wayfinding and create a sense of place.
This is exemplified at Kuwait International Airport's Terminal 2. Designed by Foster and Partners, the design draws on the contrast between traditional stone architecture and the free, flowing nature of Kuwait’s traditional dhow sailing boats. It welcomes passengers into a flat, open trefoil terminal area illuminated with golden, natural daylight delivered via over 7,000 rooflights arranged in geometric clusters that align with the curved roof structure. To realize Foster’s vision for tubes which deliver beams of soft golden light into the depths of the building, our design team created an entirely new skylight product that comprises a glazed top, golden metal cladding on the inside and opening flaps to allow for smoke exhaust in the event of fire.
Daylight design can also play a key role in realizing contextual sensitivity, ensuring the building design respects and relates to the surrounding environment, culture, and history. This can be as simple as allowing views of significant landmarks, and as complex as creating bespoke solutions inspired by the location.
This idea was central to Tucker Sadler Architects’ design for the San Diego Symphony’s first and only permanent outdoor performance center — The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. It was important to the project designers that concert goers felt the influence of the park’s natural surroundings. They photographed the trees that needed to be removed from the site and— in collaboration with Kingspan Light + Air— transformed those photos into large graphics that were printed onto the ticket booth and concessions buildings’ translucent exteriors. During the day, the trees appear like shadows, and at night, light from inside shines through the translucent panels to make it look as though there is moonlight gleaming through the trees.
As our understanding of the role daylighting plays in successful buildings grows, manufacturers can also contribute their knowledge and expertise to the design process.
Kingspan has a long history of supporting designers in creating bespoke daylighting strategies. Our wide portfolio of solutions and daylighting experts across the globe allows us to find the right system to meet specific design goals.