Landscape lighting

Landscape lighting makes outdoor spaces usable, safe and attractive after dark. Its job is to make paths and steps readable, help people find entrances, and bring trees, walls and water features into view at night. The interior logic of ambient, task and accent light applies outdoors too.

Techniques and good practice

Uplighting from the base of a tree brings out the texture of trunk and canopy; downlighting from above gives a soft, moonlight-like effect. Grazing light along a wall shows off stone texture, while low bollards and step lights mark the walking route. Fittings are concealed and light is aimed only where it is needed to avoid glare. Light spilling into the sky wastes energy and adds to light pollution, so downward-facing fittings and warmer colour temperatures are kinder to wildlife and neighbours. Outdoor fittings must be water and dust resistant, and cables and drivers should stay accessible for maintenance.

Landscape light in night renders

In night visualization, landscape lighting is half the scene. Garden lights coming on at blue hour, together with facade lighting and lit windows, give a project a warm and inviting character. We describe how we build these scenes in night exterior rendering.