Éclairage

Éclairage, or lighting, refers to the provision of light to enable vision and perception, as well as to shape atmosphere, safety, and energy use in buildings, streets, and objects. It encompasses natural light and artificial sources, and spans planning, design, engineering, and everyday use.

The history of éclairage traces a progression from candles and oil lamps to gas lighting in urban areas, followed by the widespread adoption of electric illumination in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In contemporary practice, lighting design emphasizes energy efficiency, controllability, and improved color quality, with increasing attention to human-centric and health-related aspects.

Technologies and concepts in lighting include incandescent, fluorescent, high-intensity discharge, LED, and OLED sources. Key metrics are illuminance (measured in lux), luminance, color temperature, and color rendering index. Design also considers distribution of light, glare control, and the ability to adapt lighting to different tasks and times of day. Trends include directional or tunable lighting, smart controls, and integration with sensors to reduce energy consumption.

Design and standards emphasize function, safety, and aesthetics, as well as environmental impact. Lighting plans aim to balance visibility with comfort, minimize glare, and reduce energy use. Standards and guidelines address performance, safety, and, increasingly, environmental considerations such as light pollution and sustainability.

Applications of éclairage span architecture, urban planning, offices, hospitality, retail, and outdoor public spaces, as well as specialized fields like photography, film, and stage production, where lighting design is used to shape mood, texture, and visibility.