One thing that has caught my attention lately is memories and past experiences. When we think back on the most powerful moments in our lives, we rarely recall them as a checklist of facts. What we do remember is the feeling, the warmth on our skin when the sun sets or rises, the sound and movement of a certain object, the laughs, the cries, the atmosphere of a room, and so on. Experiences imprint themselves on us through emotion, and light is often the invisible thread that binds those memories together.
Immersive lighting takes that idea one step further. It transforms spaces into experiences, turning an environment into something unforgettable. It doesn’t just illuminate; it shapes how we remember.
As a lighting designer, I would continue to emphasise that lighting isn’t about chasing numbers on a lux chart. Of course, standards have their place. They ensure safety, functionality, and consistency. But when it comes to creating experiences, numbers can only take us so far. What stays with people is never the precise brightness of a space, but the way the light made them feel within it.
Carl Nielsen Museet, 2023, area 2- Exploration
That’s exactly why I believe attention to detail becomes so important. The soft glow tucked under a vanity, the way light grazes and bounces off a textured wall revealing shadows, the rhythm of a dimming scene. These small but crucial touches are what transform an environment from something seen to something felt. They are the details that dissolve into memory, often without us even realising it.
The simplest example I can think of is the movie theatre. The moment the lights dim, we are no longer in a room filled with strangers but are drawn into another world. Or even a restaurant, the warmth of certain color tones or ripples of light makes us want to linger over conversations, while the harshness of a cold white glare intentionally drives us out of fast-food restaurants. Even in our own homes, the difference between winding down under the coziness of a lamp or the glare of a downlight can completely shift the atmosphere.
Carl Nielsen Museet, 2023, area 1- Calibration
Immersive lighting is at its most powerful when it adapts, when it moves with us. Spaces that subtly shift in tone and rhythm almost feel alive, as though they are breathing with us. And when light begins to integrate with other senses like sound, movement, or even scent, it stops being an afterthought and starts becoming a story in itself.
At the end of the day, no one remembers a space for technical perfection; they remember how it made them feel, the quiet reverence of light as it washes over a space, the moment of intimacy a soft glow can create, the thrill of being swept into an atmosphere that feels alive. These are the experiences that linger, the memories that stay long after we leave. As technology and creativity continue to expand what lighting can do, we as designers have a rare and open opportunity to craft environments that don’t just meet standards but leave lasting impressions, spaces that aren’t just seen but felt. Because, at the end of the day, there really is far more to light than meets the eye.
