Are we so sure today that we can do without halogen lamps? A battle against windmills.
Are we really saving energy or are we faced with the umpteenth economic choice dictated by profit to the advantage of multinational lamp manufacturers? And how much should we pay at the expense of light quality? Do we have all the data we need to make a reliable and complete assessment?
To begin with, for a correct vision of reality, light must respect the mechanisms of the complicated and effective visual tool we use— our eye. It is composed of elements that can adapt to changing light conditions in an environment; it has different sensitivities according to the intensity and frequency of the electromagnetic wave that strikes it and, above all, it only perceives the quality of light by comparison.
When we no longer have the possibility of seeing the sources in comparison, how can we establish an evaluation parameter and choose according to our preferences? Instead of mere profit dictating choices and regulating the market, we have to start thinking again, not only about the quantity of light but, first and foremost, its quality.
The notions of lighting technology deal with certain quantitative aspects of the lighting phenomenon, leaving fundamental issues such as reflections, light quality, and texture unresolved. By focusing resources essentially on the calculation of illuminance, candlepower distribution, and energy absorption, less attention is paid to difficult-to-measure parameters, such as perceptive observer sensitivity and the resulting state of mind.
Let’s dispel the myth of energy savings associated with changing a light bulb. Our mission is to safeguard the historical and cultural heritage and preserve the identity of designer lamps, such as the Arco by the Castiglioni brothers, where the protagonist is the light source.
Photo courtesy:
1962 – “Arco” floor lamp produced for Flos – Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni – Comparison of sources – Daniele Mazzocchi
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