Customer Reviews

The Architecture Of Light: A textbook of procedures and practices for the Architect, Interior Designer and Lighting Designer.

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In an industry known for confusing acronyms, undeciferable number sequences and cut sheets, this book acts like a road map for understanding the multi faceted world of lighting design. Delightfully straight forward and easy to read, each of Russell's steps is outlined clearly to help teach a general method for approaching lighting a space depending on your end goals rather then a micro managed process of what goes where in each room. The concepts are balanced with doses of real world insight and finished off with a great breakdown of sample fixtures and their applications. Explaination and illustration of cut sheets, lamp details, lighting maps, sample interiors and exteriors all contribute to the book's clarity. Whether you are an industry professional hoping to brush up on your understanding of current technique or a student trying to get a good general introduction to the field this book is sure to be exactly what your looking for.

This book is so fantastic that I emailed the author directly. Here is what I told him:

I really LOVE your book! (LOVE...LOVE...LOVE IT!) It is just what I wanted and needed for my students. I am planning to use it for my new online lighting class to launch spring 2009. I have found your power points helpful also...thank you so much!

Here is what I didn't tell him:

The Architecture of Light reads like a lighting novel instead of a textbook...I just wanted to keep reading and reading. It is the ONLY lighting textbook I've ever read that didn't put me to sleep! The Architecture of Light is not only interesting and practical; it also easy to read, easy to understand and I could hear Sage's enthusiasm seeping through the pages as I read it.

Sage Russell offers readers a refreshing perspective on how to create with light and his book truly transformed my understanding of this subject. Educators, designers and students alike will find his book to be a valuable & excellent resource on their path to understanding and mastering lighting concepts and techniques.

I loved it...and so will you!

I am building a new LARGE home and wanted to get information to figure out the lighting scheme. This book was actually interesting and enjoyable to read. I have already read dozens of different books to be prepared for the homebuilding process (I will be my own general contractor) and have found this to be one of the most useful with real information and not just buzzwords.

That being said, if the author or publisher is reading this, you MUST do a thorough proofreading before the next printing because there are MANY typos in the book (I would seriously fire whoever was in charge of proofreading!)

I am very happy I bought this book since I really had no background in lighting and this provided a good basis.

Finally, a book has been written that truly expresses the process of lighting design. You will find this text to be refreshingly organic in it's approach to seeing and feeling the lighted environment first. The science of illumination is covered in a very intuitive manner.

Russell's illustrations and examples are easily understood. You feel as though you are attending a private instruction session.
I highly recommend this book. As an architectural lighting designer, I am using this as an inspirational guide with fellow designers and clients.

Well done!

As a teacher of Environmental Control Systems, for architecture students (which includes both Illumination and Acoustics, my main field of interest) I needed a text capable of providing a design approach, coupled broadly to the technical aspects of the discipline. Sage Russell's book clearly accomplishes this masterfully, and has gained a following among the Studio Design professors as well. The materials are stimulating and the writing is entertaining. I can truly recommend it in this context.

Rich with colorful images, this is a five star lighting text that offers a creative logic to lighting design. I have successfully used this book as the introduction to lighting in a pre-architecture and interior design course at the sophomore level. My course used many of the available PowerPoint presentation slides, instructor's notes, and assignments provided by the author. Because of the practical approach taken by the text, I was able to match weekly assignments to each weekly lecture and students built a course portfolio of lighting exercises that will be useful in additional studio work. When technical information is so easily accessible online, I particularly appreciate the author's balanced perspective that honors the aesthetics of architectural lighting and helps students become intrigued with its magic.

As a practicing architect, I find this book to be spot on. I appreciate the author's focus on providing concise explanation of lighting techniques and methods. I also find his suggested design process to be very effective as well as efficient. Finally, as a lighting designer, he offers many valuable tips along the way on how to avoid pitfalls in typical lighting solutions. My lighting designs have improved significantly.

This is a great book that gets right to the idea of actual lighting design. It touches on a few technical aspects, but it does not weigh you down with a lot of information pertinent to making you an electrician. What I love most about this book is that it breaks down the design process into five easy steps. It helps to free you from preconceived notions, and teaches you to look at lighting as DESIGN as opposed to purely functional.

I had the honor of editing a textbook written by a friend of mine. The Architecture of Light, by Sage Russell, is a lighting textbook that focuses primarily on lighting design and not just the physics of light. Because of the excellent presentation of design principles, I have decided to use this text as the book for my lighting design class.

Sage has taken his experience as a lighting educator and developed a unique method of presentation for many of the topics. Specifically, the light mapping technique is a proven method of presenting lighting concepts and one I use on a regular basis.

I would not only recommend this book to students of lighting design, but I think even experienced designers will gain a new perspective of their lighting design process. I urge anyone in the lighting industry to take a look, given the opportunity- you will not be disappointed.

(this review taken from www.licoda.com)

Great resource for understanding the principles of lighting design, great explanation of lighting techniques and methods, and most important easy to read and follow... If you are a student is a great book to have!