Week 6: Irvine Spectrum Themed Lights: Faaizah

Overall Mood: After doing a walk around Irvine Spectrum today, I took notice of the strong Arabic market influence in both the lighting and in the architecture. Overhead the rows of shops there were canvas canopies that had strings of lights attached to them. I noticed that almost every usage of light had an amber tinge to it. This added an element of warmness in an otherwise open design. Near major archways throughout the spectrum there were hanging lanterns that had geometric cuts along the panels which are largely influenced by Arabic art styles. The sconces along the orange walls added to the warm atmosphere by its yellowish light. I feel that the choice in using dimmer lights aided in creating a more welcoming and warm atmosphere that made it easy to forget that it was in the low 60's outside. As opposed to indoor malls where there is heavy use of down fluorescent lighting, the lights from the different angles were all easy on the eyes which made me want to stay longer in the environment.

Skinfoods: I felt that this store did a good job in contributing to the warm, amber atmosphere. Near the front window there was a chandelier that gave off a warm candlelight which matched the color of the lights from the two outside sconces. Because the store matched the ambiance of the outside design, it felt cohesive and inviting.

Champs: The lighting design for this store felt very jarring and misplaced to me as I walked by it. From the outside, I could see the strong use of downward white light. This contrasted with the warmness of the Skinfoods store right next to it. I felt that I could not look at the store for that long without wanting to return to something that would be easier on my eyes.