This is without doubt one of the most vivacious lighting fixtures we have featured in the past. The Luminarium, designed by Stefano Pertegato of Milano, Italy, is inspired by the recent studies about the biologic effects of lighting, especially with respect to modern living environments. The Luminarium does a 12 hour lighting cycle, in which an indirect emission (reflected by the ceiling and taken by mixing three different T2 fluorescent lamps) changes color temperature throughout the day. The soothing morning light (3000°K) gradually gets cold until it gets to 6000°K in the afternoon. It later turns warm again to highlight the natural sunset. With the changing color temperature, the dynamic LED spotlight illustrates a slight movement in the environment and a light halo depicts the hardly noticeable changes in the surroundings.
The gears on the Luminarium lighting fixture control the motion of the stepper motor. These gears also bring to the mind the intricacy of early clockworks and the dynamic beauty of kinetic art. The project explores the effect of intense exposure to artificial lighting on our biological clock. Daylight cycles control the melatonin’s (natural sleep-inducing agent) secretion in the blood stream, and its levels are normally high during the night and low during the daylight hours. Well-timed daylight exposure can help control melatonin produced naturally by our body.
