Clare Sausen Featured photo courtesy of Jayna McClaran in CRTKL’s Seattle office
This year, Daylight Hour fell on Monday, June 22nd from 12-1 pm local time. The #DaylightHour pledge is simple: turn off non-essential lighting for one hour.
“Change is at the heart of daylighting,” begins Kyle McGahan, leader of the Lighting Design Studio in CallisonRTKL’s New York City office. “Architectural design, like the human body, has the capacity for adaptation, and Daylight Hour reminds us of the need to adapt in times of change. The built environment must anticipate and shift towards the dynamic and diverse qualities that the natural environment bestows upon us. Lighting Design is integral to this thinking as it considers the built environment as a canvas for light illuminating the contours of physical space.”
Though it’s a small demonstration, the reminder to be mindful of the energy we often take for granted can have a big sustainable impact, says Yarden Harari, Associate in CRTKL’s Seattle Office and part of the global sustainability PDD (Performance-Driven Design) team. “Daylight Hour is a simple opportunity to raise awareness about the energy sources we might take for granted and appreciate those that are abundant. By celebrating natural light, it is also a healthy reminder that sometimes the best way to enjoy a space (or outdoors) can actually have the least environmental impact. Design’s power to influence experience and efficiency is wholly intertwined.
Especially while we’re all in separate places, Daylight Hour is a small demonstration to practice what we preach and connect the dots on our individual efforts to make a collective impact.”
Many people (and pets) throughout CallisonRTKL’s global firm participated—check out their pictures below!
