QUALITALY 138

Januar y/Februar y 2024 XII MAGAZINE we see all the secrets to correctly designing the lighting in a public venue. “The first thing that has to be considered,” says Sarah Elise, “is that lighting cannot be set at random. It has to be designed with both functional and aesthetic requirements in mind. When you are opening a new venue, the lighting has to be designed hand in hand with the décor, to avoid mistakes”. IN THE KITCHEN, FUNCTIONALITY IS THE PRIORITY “The lighting in professional kitchens,” says the expert, “must follow precise precautions that are dictated by official guidelines. Operators handle sharp objects, and the light must allow them to work safely. For example, guidelines dictate that there must be at least 500 lux on the work surface, avoiding sharp contrasts between light and shadow”. It is therefore advisable to consider a diffuse wall or ceiling light, flanked by under-cabinet devices. These lights should always be positioned in front of the operator, never behind him, to avoid potentially dangerous shadows. “The environment of a kitchen is particular,” Sartore continues, “because it’s full of steam, and also requires care from a cleaning point of view, for food safety reasons. This is why it’s advisable that the lighting devices installed have a protection index (IP) of at least 44. A lamp with this index, which must be declared by the manufacturer, can be cleaned with a wet cloth, although it can’t be drenched with water. In the guidelines there are no indications on colour rendering, although I personally think that having a good colour rendering is essential for cooks’ work. I would stay with a bright light, with a colour temperature of no less than 3,000-4,000 K, which is as close as possible to natural light’. There is also no indication on the type of bulbs to be used, although the designer recommends LEDs, both for energy saving reasons and because this type of lamp can be used in programmable luminaires. IN THE DINING ROOM, ATMOSPHERE IS EVERYTHING If in the kitchen it is the technical aspects that guide lighting choices, in the dining room there is the need to design it in a manner consistent with the mood of the room and the placement of the furniture. “It’s fundamental,” she emphasises, “a discussion between the owner, who tells what kind of ambience he wants to create, the architect who chooses the interiors and the lighting designer who designs the lighting according to their needs. There are no guidelines to follow here, there’s no right or wrong’. However, some useful hints can be given, e.g. choose lights that enhance the colour rendition of the dishes, avoid tables being completely in the shade, opt for flexible Sarah Elise Sartore , di Luce di Aranel a Missaglia (Lc), progettista illuminotecnica