|
Designers Tim Saunders and Rupert Rainsford Mann of Rainsford
Saunders Design (RSD) teamed up in 2001 with the objective of specializing in
the naval architecture, exterior styling and interior design of yachts in the
16- to 170-meter range. Prior to the launch of RSD, Saunders worked with some of
the world’s finest superyacht designers such as Andrew Winch, Espen Øino,
Frank Mulder, Felix Buytendijk and Pieter Beeldsnijder. After four years of
intensive work, the RSD team is soon to begin overseeing construction of a
170-meter behemoth, potentially the largest superyacht on the planet. The LED
revolution in lighting would seem a perfect match for such an undertaking. LEDs
(light-emitting diodes) are not only more affordable, but they also cast a
richer quality light, according to Saunders. And the technological advantages of
LEDs are huge.
"Captains frequently complain that first thing every morning
they have to send their crews around the entire boat to see if there are any
burned-out halogen bulbs," says Saunders. "LEDs can last 40,000 hours, and they
use a fraction of the energy. The biggest advantage, however, is that the LEDs
are completely programmable, unlike the gas-filled bulbs of the past. Hooked up
to a PC, they can be set to emit literally millions of colors."
Through automation, this master can change from white to whatever without
opening a single can of paint. Photographs by Matteo Piazza. (Click images to enlarge)
Having recently returned from Philips Advanced Lighting labs in
Holland, Saunders also witnessed how, by directing the LEDs, a multiplicity of
textures can be achieved, thereby allowing the creation of almost any ambiance.
"From suede to bamboo, everything can be highlighted or placed in shadow. There’s no spill off. LEDs are very directional, almost like laser beams.
LED lighting can also be hidden in slots so you can’t tell where the lighting is
coming from—six inches away or six feet—even when you hold your finger against
the wall. It’s almost ethereal," says Saunders.
Putting this directional and programmable attribute of LEDs
into practice, one can see that talented designers like Saunders are going to
immediately find a way to open up spaces. Through lighting they’re going to make
rooms truly multipurpose. Instead of a business conference room and a dining
room, they’re now going to design just one room but with very different lighting
schemes. Press "1" on your remote for high-contrast, task-oriented business, and
then press "2" for candlelit dining enhanced by backlit silks. By automating or
using a remote, one can say: "By eight o’clock in the evening I want blue to
fade in by ten percent. By 8:30 I want it to increase thirty percent and at
midnight 100 percent."
A cantilevered glass staircase designed by RSD, which Saunders
describes as a series of rectangles coming out of the wall, is another example
of saving space. As clear glass, it’s almost invisible, allowing both natural
and artificial light to enter from above, making the room look bigger and less
cluttered. When you step on the preceding step a pressure sensor activates an
LCD laminated-in filter, also known as a privy light, and electrically makes the
glass opaque, momentarily reducing light fall and thereby offering reassurance
that you’re not walking on air.
LED technology offers limitless possibilities such as these, but, warns
Saunders, "clients only want a few tailor-made options that are personalized to
the individual. We usually need to limit lighting schemes to just three or four.
Otherwise, you spend your whole life playing with the controls and you get bored
by the whole thing." And bored with lighting is not the mood you want to ever be
in.
|
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Email This
Printer Friendly Version
Reprints & Permissions
Most Popular Searches