licht.wissen No. 06 "Shop Lighting - Attractive and Efficient"

licht.wissen 06
Shop Lighting – Attractive and Efficient
Upmarket specialist store lighting
The overall impression made by architecture, furnishings and lighting significantly shapes the shopping
experience and thus also the buying mood of the shopper. So lighting that is finely tuned to the merchandise
on display plays an extremely important role in retail design.
In the world of retail design, there is a
strengthening trend towards individualism.
That is to say, the focus is not on some
perceived trend in design but on the relevant
brand message. The identifying aspects of
the brand, including corporate identity, need
to be brought to life in the shop and experienced
by the customer. The overall impression
made by architecture, furnishings, merchandise
and lighting significantly shapes
the shopping experience and thus the
buying mood of the shopper. Interior design
needs to be attuned to the range on display.
Select jewellery, designer spectacles, highend
audio equipment and fine leather goods
all require a different ambience. The primary
task is to create an atmosphere that appeals
to all the senses: unique and distinctive. And
lighting is one of the most important and effective
tools for the job.
Materials such as leather and selected fabrics
have demanding lighting requirements.
Very good colour rendering and warm white
light colours with a colour temperature up
to 3,000 K are a must for an environment
designed to stimulate consumption. What
is more, sensitive product surfaces need
to be protected from cracking and fading
due to infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV)
rays, excessive illuminance and over-long
exposure times. For hi tech items such as
mobile phones, TV sets or hi fi equipment,
however, daylight white is more appropriate
for a cooler atmosphere. Additional accent
lighting sets off the texture and suppleness
of leather to good effect and seduces the
shopping into touching the merchandise
or enhances the "cold" aura of metal or the
sparkle of jewels. Thus attuned to the products
on display, lighting helps make shopping
a sensory experience.
But dramaturgical elements also make a
varied contribution: products on shelves, for
example, can be attractively and vigorously
highlighted by gently changing colours.
[59] The overall impression made by
architecture, furnishings, merchandise and
lighting significantly shapes the shopping
experience and thus also the buying mood
of the shopper.
[60] In retail design, the primary focus is
not some perceived uniform design trend
but the particular brand message that
needs to be put across.
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[61] The pay point has a special status in
the design environment of a retail outlet.
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