HOW CHANGES IN PERCEPTION WILL LEAD TO A NEW LIGHTING DESIGN

The use of modern digital technologies and social media has got users used to finding information and giving answers quickly. Attention shifts quickly from one content to another, which does not help in stopping, reflecting, or lingering on one’s impressions and emotions.

The experience of museums is clearly influenced by this attitude, which leads to engaging with artifacts and works of art in a passive manner. For this reason, museum and exhibitions design cannot be limited to displaying a sequence of objects illustrated only by labels, but must offer an engaging sensory experience.

Through the use of modern technologies, we can think of lighting that also considers the visitor’s physical and psychological needs.

The opportunity of creating a dynamic light, based on biometric data collection, provides those technical tools that allow people to adjust the light to improve their experience of an exhibition. I believe it is important to delve into the topic of the human eye aging, especially considering the progressive increase in the average age in our society and of those who visit the museum (Figure 4).

The main effects to evaluate are:

• A pupil size reduction and consequently a retinal illuminance variation (Figure 5);
• A drop in contrast sensitivity (Figure 6);
• A lens yellowing and therefore an alteration in colour perception;
• An increase in sensitivity to glare, especially disability glare with the onset of veiling luminances;
• A decrease in speed of perception and an increase in adaptation time. Consider, for example, the frequent transition from photopic vision (highly lit works, outdoor spaces) to scotopic vision (works with lowilluminances, rooms in dim light).

It is clear how variations in intensity, spectrum and contrast improve perception in individuals with visua dysfunctions. Moreover, these adjustments, especially the temporary increase in lighting based on visitors’ physical needs, support the preservation of artworks, as they can be displayed for longer periods under low light levels or different light spectrums.

Possible scenarios for overcoming perceptive and visual barriers

The opportunity of creating a dynamic light, based on biometric data collection, provides those technical tools that allow people to adjust the light (spectrum, intensity, contrast) to improve their experience of an exhibition making them feel comfortable and thus enhancing their appreciation of the artwork (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, color perception, adaptation, sensitivity to glare, attention span). These variations could be adjusted through a “connected lighting” system. Sensors linked to lighting fixtures, equipped with an RTLS system (figure 9) and applications installed on visitor’s portable devices (RFID bracelets, badges, phones, audio guides) or Wi-Fi devices places near the artworks (Figure 7), could communicate with each other to modify the characteristics of the light sources and potentially their position. Audio guides based on web apps, activated by biometric sensors or univocal codes (Figure 8), can create custom-designed itineraries based on the age or specific needs of visitors.

The information sent and collected by these devices could also be made available to museums (Figure 10) to analyze visitor behavior and to plan or modify existing or future exhibitions.

Case Studies

To better understand how new technologies can improve the visitor’s experience, neurosciences can help us.

Perception is not the passive recording of sensory stimulations but is conditioned by emotions and feelings generated by them.

Neuroscience tells us about empathy, sharing, reciprocity, creativity, mental experiences that also come into play in our work. When we offer the interpretation of a work or an environment based on our past, we somehow recreate the work and the environment, illuminating and coloring them with our mood.

I take three of my lighting projects as an example.

The Shoah Memorial of Milan. A permanent installation

The Memorial is located on the downstairs floor of the current Milan train station. One of the most impressed locations in visitor’s memory is the “unknown destination platform», where the livestock cars used for deportations are kept (Figure 10). A common feeling is the oppression felt when hearing the noise and rumble of current trains passing on the upper floor. It was noticed that in this instance the visitors lingered longer in front of the displayed wagons.

The new project is therefore centered on the impact of the environments on the visitors’ experiences, to create an immersive sensory experience by integrating space, light and noise.

The light illuminating the cars varies in intensity and colour temperature in response to the variations of the train passing overhead. This is enabled thanks to the connection of sound, vibration and brightness sensors managed through a DMX system, in turn interfaced with a DALI system which regulates the whole Memorial lighting. In anticipation of a future system upgrade, a series of devices have been provided that allow the lighting level to be constantly monitored and adjusted, guaranteeing the visitors’ safety (visually impaired or in the event of an emergency).

Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan. A permanent installation

Lightweight custom-made chandeliers, specifically designed for this space, are one of the main features of the Poldi Pezzoli Museum. These chandeliers (Figure 11), whose “lighting heads” with different type of LEDs are independent from each other, are suitable for a connected lighting system design and they could even function as system hubs for the museum management applications (climate, flow of people, security).

IoT sensors are distributed in every space (Figure 12) and, by communicating with audio guides or PWA applications, allow the lighting to be precisely adjusted. A greater spread of ceiling sensors, in addition to covering a larger area and overcoming obstacles below, would expand the range of connections between devices and, in an RTLS system, would allow for more accurate detection of visitor’s presence, enabling the adjustment of lighting even on individual works of art. The possibility of having more short-range interconnected devices (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Li-Fi) would also enable a greater exchange of data in a timely manner. The Data collected by the sensors could then be sent to central servers, allowing the museum’s condition to be monitored and enabling remote intervention in case of anomalies.

“Romanticism” at the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan. A temporary exhibition

I focus especially on the lighting of a statue (Figure 13) because it summarizes my interpretation of Romanticism which places the individual at the center with his agitations and his yearning for freedom. The statue, positioned in a dark room, was illuminated with a strong light, as if the explosion of a bomb had broken the darkness, projecting a dark shadow on the back wall.

The statue, carved in a bright and smooth marble, depicts an unblemished and shadowless small hero. I wanted instead to provide a dramatically truer image. Through new devices an even richer interpretation can be given by describing the two souls of Romanticism. Several sensors, in fact, by detecting visitors’ movement, can transmit information to the audio guide which in turn triggers a dynamic lighting sequence synchronized with the audio.

As the visit progressed, in sync with the audio guide, the light would progressively change, immersing the viewer in a dark, mysterious atmosphere, which would culminate with the shadow outlined against the background.

Conclusion

Purposes and needs of people who visit a museum are very different. The lighting offered should take these differences into account by planning various modes of usage that the visitor can draw on. Museum lighting cannot overlook meticulous and thorough initial design that considers broader factors beyond the simple neutral lighting of the artwork.

The lighting system thus becomes a dynamic, living entity, with a “digital self” that evolves and can be enhanced over time based on the results provided by Big Data collected from visitor experiences.

Museum environments and exhibits, dynamically illuminated, thus transform into sensory spaces that facilitate the reading and perception of the artwork. This also translates into improved energy efficiency, optimized visitor well-being, and better preservation of the displayed works.
The purpose of lighting in a museum space or exhibition, in line with the new definition of «museum» by ICOM, is to provide a dialogue and interaction between the artworks and the visitor’s responses.

The use of tools that interact and communicate with each other finally enables the adaptation of the enjoyment of artworks and spaces even for people with psycho-physical difficulties.