(Balancing Light and Shadow: A Smarter Path to Preserving Darkness)
Darkness as a Design Element
Darkness is not simply the absence of light. The contrast between light and shadow is fundamental to lighting design. In this context, darkness becomes a medium in its own right—the backdrop that makes illumination visible and purposeful.
Carefully curated shadows bring contrast, reveal textures, and guide attention. As highlighted in the Preserving Darkness webinar,
“Curated and controlled darkness is luxurious, relaxing, and is the canvas on which we create art with light.”
For a lighting designer, darkness is as essential as colour is to a painter.
Rethinking Safety and Comfort
There is a common belief that dark spaces feel unsafe, while brightly lit spaces create a sense of security. Recent studies, however, challenge this assumption. Overly lit environments can feel uncomfortable or even oppressive, while the thoughtful use of shadow and contrast within a well-designed environment often creates spaces that feel calmer, more balanced, and emotionally richer.
Too much light—particularly glare or harsh brightness—creates stress, disrupts circadian rhythms, and drains energy. Darkness, on the other hand, allows the eyes to rest and the mind to relax.
Why We Need Darkness
Preserving darkness goes beyond human psychology; it has profound ecological importance as well. Responsible lighting design minimises light pollution, helping to protect wildlife and preserve natural night skies. For humans, it supports sleep quality, mental health, and our natural biological rhythms.
At its core, respecting darkness means respecting balance—between visibility and subtlety, comfort and stimulation.
The Designer’s Canvas
Lighting design cannot exist without contrast. Darkness and shadow allow designers to shape spaces intentionally—creating intrigue, highlighting details, and giving form to architecture. They introduce rhythm and hierarchy, making illuminated areas feel meaningful and beautiful.
Over-illumination, by contrast, flattens a space. Without shadows, there is no drama, depth, or artistry.
The Balance We Must Strike
Preserving darkness is not about turning lights off—it is about using light thoughtfully, only where and when it is needed. Done well, it can:
Darkness is not the enemy of light—it is its partner. By respecting darkness, shadow, and the contrast they create, lighting design can produce safer, healthier, and more inspiring environments. True innovation lies not in flooding spaces with brightness, but in finding balance—using darkness where darkness is needed.
Want to learn more?
Watch the Preserving Darkness webinar to explore how lighting design can embrace darkness and redefine the way we experience space.
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2022, we had sales of EUR 7.5 billion, approximately 35,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We achieved carbon neutrality in our operations in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for six consecutive years and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
