architecture tips

As a designer of sorts, mostly high-tech futuristic concepts, I often see flaws in the designs of others. Sometimes I chock it off to laziness or a lack of sense of purpose for the innovator, perhaps they just don't much care, and good enough is well, good enough for them, still for me, it's just not that way. No, I am not the proverbial mentally challenged perfectionist, rather I just don't like to look at a half-assed effort, maybe you agree? Or, maybe you don't and you understand that the designer, engineer, or innovator is just doing his or her job and they aren't really paid to think beyond that.

Well, they should, and when they don't, yes, you guessed it, we all have to live with the results, and I ask; where is the fairness to the user in that level of mediocrity? One pet peeve of mine, perhaps something which bothers me most is to look at a brand-new home which hasn't taken into consideration the fact that there will be future television technology coming along in subsequent generations of the virtual-reality high-definition living room. Just look at any current home, and realize the lighting is all wrong for a large flat panel screen of 50 or more inches.

Next consider how often this technology changes. Five years ago, there were very few flat panel screens of that size, and then came the LCD, and then the LED screens, and next will be the super high definition screens, they are showing up on the shelves right now. Right after that, after everyone has purchased one of those items in various sizes for their living room and all the rooms in their house, then next we will see the holographic projection televisions. Indeed, some of these systems will be surround-a-view systems where all the walls and the ceiling will become part of the experience.

Does that mean we should give a break to designers in the present period? After all, how will they know what the future might bring in the way of technology, and how might they know how to effectively light the room? Well, they can't know if we don't tell them, hence the reason for this particular article number 28,860 but I digress.

You see, what I am explaining, well, that is the future which is coming forth and it will be here in 5 to 10 years, you can bet on it. So, shouldn't we start thinking about that today, and expect our designers and interior architects to consider all of this?

Too many mistakes have been made in the past, obvious mistakes, as we watch these technologies come forward. It seems a shame to go into a brand-new home and see that the lighting is incorrect, or the layout with all the sockets, ceiling fans, and lights are all wrong for those who will spend countless hours in their living room watching multimedia and movies on their large flat-panel TV. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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Lighting is a big deal. When you look for a new apartment or house, you always consider natural light. At an art exhibit, the way the light hits a sculpture or painting is nearly as important as the artwork itself. Lighting affects how we feel about things, not just emotionally or aesthetically, but physically. Simply put, we need light to see and avoid eye strain which can lead to permanently impaired vision. Yet with all the importance we seem to place on lighting in our everyday lives, whether in the home, at a basketball game, or taking in some beautiful pieces at a gallery, lighting in the work environment somehow doesn't rate.

With tons of computer monitors, overhead fluorescent lights, and some natural light thrown in, most offices are a recipe for eye strain and fatigue. You know that feeling you get after staring at a computer for a huge chunk of your work day? Suddenly everything seems out of focus and there's a dull ache behind your yes? That means the lighting in your office is deficient, and your eyes (and your business) are suffering for it. With vision-impaired employees, productivity is sure to suffer. Plus, fluorescent glare is not exactly an enticement for your clients either.

So how do you make the switch? Just a few simple lighting tips can really do the trick for your business. Here's an easy one to start off-angle all office monitors so that they are situated at a right angle from the closest windows. This will help eliminate computer glare and lessen employee eye strain. Installing adjustable blinds may seem like a no-brainer, but finding the right allowance of natural light into the office will also hugely reduce computer glare.

Here's another simple tip that surprisingly few offices implement-install dimmers. Give your staff the control to decide what type of lighting they need for their specific tasks. Obviously some jobs need a lot of precision and more light, while others are very computer-based and can stand a little dimming. Your employees will certainly appreciate this personal touch, and their greater productivity will be the proof.

Perhaps your office is due for a bit of an update, or maybe your business is relocating to a new space. If this is the case, consider installing uplighting in key areas of the office. Uplighting is a technique of projecting light upwards toward the ceiling where it can be more easily dispersed throughout the space. Imagine creating an automatic glow that warms up the office every time you flip the light switch. It's a huge improvement over fluorescent glare. To enhance this technique paint your walls with a matte-finish. As opposed to glossy paints which reflect light and create glare, matte-finish absorbs the light and contributes to that warm, glowing environment that can really energize your employees.

If you want to go all out and fix the glare issue from the source, you can install electronic ballasts into your overhead fluorescent lighting. Ballasts will better regulate the lighting output which will eliminate the glare and prevent any sort of flickering or humming that often results from old lighting. The output regulation from the ballasts will also make your office more sustainable and your electric bill significantly smaller. With three positive outcomes, I guess you could call electronic ballasts a win-win-win!

Although it may be easy to overlook as an unnecessary expense, ensuring that the lighting in your workplace is enhancing the work environment instead of impeding it is crucial. These minor adjustments can make a major long-term difference, like happier employees and greater overall productivity, which means-you got it-greater profits! Besides, isn't it time to get your office out of the lighting dark ages?

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