Lighting for Sacred Spaces

Church lighting – effective, appropriate and functional

Church rooms, no matter what religion, have a special meaning for many people. This should also be reflected in the perception of the room and the entire building. Although the goals of spatial staging are also prepared and implemented structurally, the full effect is only achieved in combination with effective and efficient church lighting.

Light in the house of worship – tasks and functions

For holistically effective lighting, the lighting technology used must fulfill several tasks around the church building. Even if different denominations or even religions have different weightings and accentuations due to divergent attitudes to certain facts, the core tasks of church lighting are the same inside and outside:

— Presentation of the church building from a distance
— Guiding visitors to and into the building
— Creation of an appropriate atmosphere
— Focusing attention on specific relevant objects, such as the altar in Christian churches
— Supporting the worship service by directing mood and attention
— Ensuring a safe environment for those present in the house of worship

Light in the house of worship – tasks and functions

Presentation of the church building from a distance
Guiding visitors to and into the building
Creation of an appropriate atmosphere
Focusing attention on specific relevant objects, such as the altar in Christian churches
Supporting the worship service by directing mood and attention
Ensuring a safe environment for those present in the house of worship

Creating mood

In contrast to exhibition halls and other spaces that require sophisticated lighting, the task of church lighting is set up completely differently. Because where objective criteria usually define light intensity and lighting mood, an emotional goal is strongly in the foreground in the church. Themes such as humility, hope and faith play an important role in the content of all religions and should therefore be felt as soon as one enters the building. These effects cannot be created by light alone, but in the interplay of architecture and light, these emotional feelings can be very well controlled or at least intensified. Especially in Christianity, the theme plays a major role, whether in the halo or the light as a symbol of the divine. In this way, church lighting always sets symbolic signs that reinforce the fusion of erected building, experienced space and perceived spirituality.

Setting accents and drawing attention

Every church and other building for worship has its own objects or areas with a special meaning. Typical of Christian churches, for example, are the central altar as well as the choir. Catholic churches also often have side altars or images of saints. All of these emotionally and meaning-laden zones can be brought even more into focus for visitors through targeted lighting, and can also be set off well from the rest of the building.

Enabling safe use

Buildings and rooms for worship occupy a special position in public building law. For example, they are explicitly excluded from the regulations governing places of assembly in the German states. As a result, there are no stipulated legal requirements for safety and emergency lighting. Nevertheless, light is of course necessary so that people can find their way around in an emergency. Church services are attended by many people at the same time, plus the large room dimensions make orientation difficult in an emergency. Therefore, even without a legal basis, church lighting should always take into account and address aspects of safety lighting.

Hoffmeister lighting technology – up to the diverse tasks of church lighting

At Hoffmeister, we develop universally applicable lighting technology – optimally matched and compatible. Thus, we offer the possibility to realize a concept with LED technology for church lighting as well, which optimally covers the needs of the building and its users. Different tasks can be covered by different types of luminaires, each tailor-made, and combined in interaction to create a coherent overall picture.

Outdoor lighting – the right setting for worship

Multi.flood and led.modular are our luminaire series for exterior church lighting. Point or linear spotlights offer the possibility of illuminating the nave, choir or portal as well as spotlighting the bell tower, clock or special paintings or figures. Light angles of 5 to 45 degrees with a luminous flux of up to 9450 lumens for line lighting and 6 to 64 degrees with up to 16825 lumens for our multi.flood floodlights offer all the freedom that an individual lighting concept for the exterior of a church requires. Two light colors with 3000 and 4000 Kelvin also enable both discreet light areas and warmer, more inviting lighting. Secured to at least protection class IP68, the luminaires can be positioned freely outdoors without protection. Moisture and water as well as dust and dirt are safely kept out for reliable use.

Line lighting and spotlights – wallwashers for atmospheric decentralized lighting

led.modular also offers the same advantages for church lighting indoors as outdoors. But also our spotlights li.co, gi.no or lo.nely allow the effective illumination of walls and ceilings. Indirect lighting of the church interior avoids glare and does not distract visitors’ attention from the service. In general, the indirect provision of light via illuminated building components is perceived as harmonious. In addition, it makes the nave of the church bright and inviting. Secured with at least protection class IP20, all our spotlights are suitable for normal indoor use. Adaptive light colors and versatile additions of lenses and shutters also allow almost free light modulation according to prevailing needs.

Spots – setting targeted accents

Our spots can also be used for pinpoint staging of paintings, illustrations, statues or the pulpit. Here in particular, apertures and lenses play a special role in aligning and dimensioning the light circle exactly as required by the individual lighting situation.

Recessed luminaires and pendant luminaires – functional illumination of areas and paths

Below galleries, in the nave or in other areas where indirect lighting does not achieve the desired effect, Hoffmeister recessed spotlights and pendant luminaires come into their own. Either flush-mounted in the suspended ceiling or freely suspended, DL50-DL100 and car.a offer versatile lighting solutions. Light angles from 5 to 40 degrees for the pendant luminaires at up to 1050 lumens for DL50 and up to 1600 lumens for DL100 offer performance to suit all room sizes and layouts.

Security lighting – also an issue for church lighting

Although we at Hoffmeister do not offer our customers our own product series for the implementation of emergency lighting, our luminaires are compatible with common systems and can therefore be used in many cases for specific emergency lighting tasks. This keeps the technical effort manageable and also minimizes the visibility of safety equipment. This benefits both the operator in the form of lower costs and the visitors in the form of a harmonious room design.