Zumtobel works colosely with the designers of Ben van Berkel at UNStudio to develop modular lighting tools. (All Photos Courtesy of Zumtobel)

Modern LED outdoor lighting today takes into account all visual levels in an urban space and is not just limited to a norm-standard level of illuminance to light up those elements of the nocturnal cityscape in focus. Rather, this is about placing emphasis on the needs of people in living spaces at night. It's therefore worth brightening up urban spaces with spherical light components to create centres for human communication, creating visual points of attraction, and improving three-dimensional awareness. Moreover, special architectural features should be highlighted and complex space structures brought to life. This increases recognition value for a region and creates reliable guidance and orientation, even at night. In this way, security and wellbeing are significantly improved by lighting quality – always without wasting resources or increasing light pollution. 

Zumtobel uses two different types of luminaires: perfected for illuminating façades or highlighting architectural details.

The starting point for such lighting design is always the natural nocturnal situation, the darkness from which the lighting designers design the optimal lighting solution step by step – with only as much light as is necessary. NIGHTSIGHT from Zumtobel as a lighting instrument is predestined to overcome these new challenges For the development of the modular lighting tool, Zumtobel working closely with the designers of Ben van Berkel at UNStudio. The aim here was to create a unique lighting environment, with the help of an adaptive lighting system, which increases social value by taking into consideration human activity and needs in the different phases of the night, and at the same time maintaining the balance between artificial light and darkness. 

The experts succeeded in designing a uniform modular product family with a unique look for various applications in urban lighting.

With NIGHTSIGHT, the experts succeeded in designing a uniform modular product family with a unique look for various applications in urban lighting. The new application encompasses four different formats in a clear, continuous design with a comprehensive portfolio of looks and installation options. In order to both illuminate vertical and horizontal surfaces homogeneously and to set targeted accents, Zumtobel uses two different types of luminaires: perfected for illuminating façades or highlighting architectural details, the projector luminaire with its "darkBeam" look, with LED light points arranged in a special sunken honeycomb structure with their projection lenses meaning side-on glare from the light source is minimised, as are glare effects. Attention is drawn to highlighted objects whilst remaining in the background. 

The Area luminaire with a "softGlow" look, on the other hand, improves the lighting of spaces and paths above all. Targeted lighting angles ensure ideal visual comfort by reducing the brightness contrast between the LED light points and the environment. The additional vertical lighting component ultimately offers visual guidances and makes it easier for the eye to adjust the brightness level when entering the illuminated area, thereby reducing sensitivity to glare. 

With NIGHTSIGHT, Zumtobel offers lighting designers not just a lighting instrument with a convincing lighting effect and consistent design however, as the outdoor lighting system also makes a mark with its simple installation and maintenance. Installation is particularly easy thanks to the Plug&Play connection. The light heads of the individual LED modules can also be easily adjusted to almost any angle. Moreover, various colour temperatures are also available: options with 3000 K and 4000 K place both the historical old town and a modern skyline in the right light. 
Thanks to the targeted use of light and shadow, bright and dark tones, as well as differing light levels, NIGHTSIGHT manages to improve perception of a nocturnal cityscape, highlights special architectural features , creates recognition value, and models spaces – always in harmony with the environment. In this way, both visual comfort and quality of life in an urban outdoor space are improved, whilst the energy consumption of a lighting solution is reduced at the same time. 

NIGHTSIGHT will be available from Autumn 2016.