Wall
Wall lighting can fulfil a number of tasks. Firstly, it can be aimed at fulfilling vertical visual tasks on the walls, whether this be informative material such as notice boards, presentational objects such as paintings or merchandise, architectonic structures or the surface of the wall itself. Wall lighting can, however, also be aimed solely at presenting the wall in its capacity as the surface delineating the room; finally, wall illumination can be a means of indirect general lighting for a room.
Wall, 3m
Observation

Wall lighting can be performed using point-form or linear luminaires.
Wallwasher spotlights offer flexible adjustment for different wall heights. Wallwashers are characterised by the even progression of brightness along the wall.
Lens wallwashers have special lens reflector systems. Washlights project the light evenly onto the wall surface, while maintaining the downlight effect on the room.
Linear light sources for wallwashing with fluorescent lamps provide a perfectly even brightening of the wall.
Using a Softec lens, an extremely even illumination of the whole wall can be achieved, even in the higher area right up to the ceiling. The perimeter illumination out of a haunch is positioned directly on the wall.
It produces a grazing light effect and emphasises the surface texture.
The evenness of the wallwashing is only secondary here.
Conclusion

Vertical illumination emphasises the wall faces in terms of their physical makeup.
The room is made to look bigger by brightening its walls and ceiling etc.
Point light sources make the wall surface much more vivid, whereas with linear luminaires a higher uniformity is achieved.
Lighting criteria for walls:
- uniformity of the lighting
- the choice of lamp determines the light colour and colour rendition
Arrangement
The offset from the wall should be at least one third of the room height.
Alternatively, the offset from the wall is where a 20 degree line projected from the base of the wall intersects the ceiling.
An optimum evenness is obtained when the luminaire spacing is the same as the offset from the wall.
Wallwashers only develop their optimal evenness as of a minimum number of three luminaires.
The position of a wallwasher in a room corner should lie on the 45° line
Applications
Washlighting illumination for vertical surfaces of:
- museums
- exhibitions
- trade-fair stands
- sales and representational areas
Preferred luminaire groups
- wallwashers
- washlights
- lens wallwashers
- double washlights
- perimeter luminaires
British Museum, London
Crescent House, Wiltshire
Mediathek, Sendai
Weimar College of Music
Wall, 5m
Observation

In high rooms the luminaires are beyond the direct field of vision.
As the room height increases the brightness of the wall decreases, if the lighting remains constant. Wallwashers are characterised by the even progression of brightness along the wall.
Lens wallwashers have special lens reflector systems. Linear light sources for wallwashing with fluorescent lamps provides a perfectly uniform brightening of the room.
Using a Softec lens, an extremely even illumination of the whole wall can be achieved even in the higher area right up to the ceiling. The perimeter illumination out of a haunch is positioned directly on the wall.
It produces a grazing light effect and emphasises the surface texture.
The evenness of the wallwashing is secondary.
Vertical illumination emphasises the walls - or other room limits - in terms of their physical makeup.
The room is made to look bigger by brightening the wall faces.
Point-form light sources make the wall surface much more vivid while with linear luminaires a higher uniformity is achieved.
As the room height increases the distance of the luminaire to the wall must be increased.
The reduction of the mean illuminance in higher rooms can be compensated for by having a higher lamp power and by increasing the number of luminaires. Wallwashing only produces an even brightness on matt surfaces.
Lighting criteria for high walls
- uniformity of the lighting
- the choice of lamp determines the light colour and colour rendition
Wall 5m Position
Arrangement
Whereas for normal room heights the luminaire spacing is the same as the offset from the wall, in higher rooms it must be reduced to compensate for the otherwise sinking illuminance.
The offset from the wall is where a 20 degree line projected from the base of the wall intersects the ceiling.
The position of a wallwasher at the end of the wall should lie on the 45 degree line.
Applications
Washlighting illumination for vertical surfaces in:
- museums
- exhibitions
- trade-fair stands
- sales and representational areas
Preferred luminaire groups
- wallwasher
- washlights
- lens wallwashers
- perimeter luminaires
Heart of Jesus Church, Munich
Bank of China, Beijing
BMW factory, Leipzig
Martin-Gropius building, Berlin
Wall with texture
Observation

Point-form wallwashers make surface textures clearly visible. When using linear light sources the wall face appears even and the surface texture is only emphasised to a limited extent. When using perimeter luminaires mounted directly on the wall, there is no evenness and great vividness is created.
Linear light sources at a short offset from the wall most vividly enhance the surface texture. Conversely, point-form light sources at a short offset from the wall produce their own light pattern that, admittedly, does accentuate the texture, but does not permit an even wallwashing. Grazing light on walls can accentuate any surface irregularities.
Applications
The smaller the offset from the wall, the clearer the surface texture is enhanced. When using grazing light, the evenness of the wall illumination is greatly reduced.
Preferred luminaire groups
- wallwashers
- washlights
- lens wallwashers
- perimeter luminaires
Burj Al Arab, Dubai
Conrad International Hotel, Singapore
ABN AMRO, Sydney
Heart of Jesus Church, Munich
Products on this guide topic

Logotec
Introduction
Product overview

TFL Wallwasher
Introduction
Product overview

Parscan
Introduction
Product overview

TFL Wallwasher
Introduction
Product overview

Light Board
Introduction
Product overview

Quintessence square
Introduction
Product overview

Quintessence round
Introduction
Product overview
Projects on this guide topic
Max Ernst MuseumBrühl
Palace of International ForumsTashkent (Uzbekistan)
Matisse exhibition in the K20 galleryDüsseldorf
Uniqlo flagship store SoHoNew York
Terminus galleryMünchen
Yoko YapGötheburg
Legoland GermanyGünzburg
Neues Museum, BerlinBerlin
The UffiziFirenze
The Rug Company ShowroomStockholm
Börlind Store & City SpaMailand
Private residence near DüsseldorfDüsseldorf
Kvadrat ShowroomStockholm
Company Fashion shopAntwerpen
Christie's auction houseNew York
Brunner Communication CentreRheinau-Freistett
Leica brand worldSolms
Dreipunkt furniture showroomStuttgart
Surfection Surf StoreManly Beach, Sydney












Museo Superior de Bellas Artes Palacio Ferreyra
Carpe Diem Retirement Park
Headquarters of the Bank of China
British Museum, Elizabeth II. Court
K21 Art Gallery (Former Parliament Building)
Nasjonalmuseet for kunst, arkitektur og design (Museum of Architecture)
Nordic Light Hotel
Domus international furniture
Expo Shanghai 2010 - German Pavilion
Leonardo Glass Cube
Starbucks at the Altmarkt
Camper Store, Kurfürstendamm
Kunstmuseum Stuttgart (Stuttgart Art Museum)
Henry Poole, bespoke tailor
2010 Relighting of the Tokyo International Forum
Sheikh-Zayed-bin-Sultan-Al-Nahyan Mosque
Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York's HQ
BMW Plant Leipzig, Central Area
LPP Reserved boutique Chain store
Tokyo International Forum
ING Bank
Ara Pacis






