An Explanation of Design Principles of Illumination Systems in Historical Places

MA, Conservation and Restoration, Art University of Isfahan Despite the more than half-a-century long history of scientific conservation and restoration of monuments in Iran, the lighting and illumination of monuments is still missing from the discipline’s curriculum, with few instances of appropriate lighting in historical spaces, and the ones with lighting design using inconsistent, arbitrary methods designed at best by electrical engineers without due care to the value of historical spaces, and with mere provision of light as the only aim. A familiarity with lighting design and mastering the pros and cons of lighting equipment and the right choice in keeping with the historical heritage is of utmost importance. In order to achieve necessary results, a principled approach towards lighting design should be seen as crucial. The question here is one of the principles behind the design and implementation of lighting in historical monuments. The present research adopts a prescriptive approach, using a descriptive-analytic method based on library studies and observations, and based on optics and the structural and spatial characteristics of traditional Iranian architecture. The findings suggest that to achieve appropriate lighting in historic spaces, four stages of study, design, implementation and maintenance need to be considered, each with its own particularities.