Lighting Garden Sculpture
Sculpture and other architectural structures give the lighting designer the opportunity to work with materials that, given the right treatment, can produce dramatic and stunning night time effects.
Sculptures typically serve as a vocal point and as such will generally require a greater light level than the other elements in the garden. As always there is the option to light the feature in its entirety or only partially, leaving a degree of mystery associated with the composition.
Sculptures and ornaments can be lit using up lighting and down lighting techniques or a combination of both and using one fitting or multiple fittings.
Before you start:
- Work out whether there will be one main viewing direction or several viewing directions before deciding precisely how to light a sculpture.
- Take care placing fixtures if the feature can be viewed from all directions to avoid potential glare.
- Light the background behind the feature to add visual depth
These sculptures have been illuminated from the lower left side using a single Hunza spike spot adjustable.
By positioning the fixture to encompass the tree in addition to the sculpture itself another dimension is added while the dark side is left to the viewer’s imagination.
From the main viewing position this artwork appears suspended. This is achieved by lighting the piece at 90 degrees from either side and leaving the plinth in relative darkness.
The curvature of the bowl reflects the majority of the light with some spill onto the rim creating some interesting shadows.
Because the feature is sited in the middle of the lawn the Hunza lawn light is used. This fitting can be installed below the cutting height of the mower and with the ability to angle the lamp 20 degrees through one plane the positioning is less critical.
At night a pool or pond becomes a mirror. Any poolside object that is lit becomes reflected in the pool surface and is one of the most effective ways to light a pool that has no fountain or waterfall.
In this image the poolside feature is illuminated from a steep angle immediately in front. The Hunza wall spot is utilised here and is the perfect down-lighting solution where adjustment capability is required. Pay particular attention to the angle of the light, in order to avoid glare on the water surface. A glare guard is an essential accessory in these circumstances.
The distance from the fixing point to the object to be lit is an important consideration. A narrow lamp beam angle may be required.
The obelisk featured here demonstrates the technique of drawing the eye to the focal point of the lighting design by using a higher light level than that of the foreground which in this case is provided by the Hunza Tier light. The obelisk is illuminated from within using the Hunza spike spot adjustable, one of the most versatile fittings in the Hunza range.
This interesting artwork has been lit using 2 ground mounted up-lights of 20w output positioned to either side and to the front.
The Hunza spike spot adjustable with glare guard has been used to ensure the background remains dark, creating a high contrast and drama.
© Lighting Pacific Ltd 2006
