Light and dark: designing comfortable transitions

Moving between bright and dark areas changes the eye’s state of adaptation. Abrupt differences can make details harder to recognise immediately. Lighting design should therefore consider routes between rooms as well as each room on its own.

Review entrances in sunshine, overcast weather and darkness. A scheme that works by day may be unnecessarily bright at night or create reflections in a glass door. Time-based or daylight-responsive settings allow these conditions to be treated separately.

The objective is not identical brightness everywhere. It is a coherent transition with visible steps and surroundings free from distracting bright sources. Specialist tunnel requirements should not be transferred directly to ordinary building entrances. Establish the real visual tasks and obtain a professional assessment for critical traffic areas.

What to clarify for your project

• Record daytime and night-time conditions.
• Check steps, doors and obstacles along the transition.
• Use suitable controls to avoid unnecessary brightness jumps.

Remember: Plan transitions as a continuous route rather than isolated rooms.