I stumbled across a great article today that traces the history of backlit panels. In the article “Techniques 7: The Backlit Panel”, Lauren Vanderkar and Doug James outline the evolution of backlit panels for architectural applications from office lighting to tequila bars.
With particular focus on site-specific conditions that create a need for these backlit wall or ceiling lighting techniques, the article is a balance of artistic thought and technical information. While I can’t quite do justice to Lauren’s analysis in words, here’s a bit of a visual representation of this evolution:
It's interesting to note that as architectural materials and construction techniques continue to evolve, so do the lighting techniques that complement them. There is a distinct relationship between the scale of material and the scale of light; with modern architecture's tendency towards larger scale and clean lines, lighting techniques must follow suit.
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