The entrance to a building is the first impression that guests, residents, and passersby have of a space. This element not only plays a key role in ensuring the security and efficiency of the space, but also gives it a unique identity and beauty. Lighting, as a fundamental element in design and architecture, plays a vital role in creating a pleasant and safe space at the entrance to buildings. In this comprehensive guide from EDC, we will examine the various dimensions of building entrance lighting and, by providing principles, techniques, standards, important points, and creative ideas, we will help you create a beautiful, functional, and impressive space.

Why is building entrance lighting important?

Proper lighting at building entrances brings numerous benefits, including the following:

Increases security: Adequate lighting eliminates dark and hidden spots and significantly improves people’s visibility when entering and exiting the building. This helps to increase security and reduce potential hazards, especially at night.
Appeal and beauty: Principled and creative lighting can transform a building’s entrance into a focal point and give it a beautiful look. Using lighting techniques such as layered lighting, accent lighting, and ambient lighting can help highlight architectural elements and create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Efficiency and performance: Proper lighting facilitates traffic and passage through the building’s entrance. This is especially important in residential, office, and commercial buildings that have high traffic.
Identity and personality: Lighting can give a building’s entrance a unique identity and personality and harmonize it with the use and type of building. For example, the lighting at the entrance of a residential building should evoke a warm and intimate atmosphere, while the lighting at the entrance of an office building should convey a sense of professionalism and modernity.
How much light is needed to illuminate the entrance of buildings?

The amount of light needed for building entrance lighting depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the space, type of use, ambient lighting levels, and personal taste.
In general, this rule of thumb can be used for lighting building entrances:

For small spaces: 20 to 30 lumens per square foot
For large spaces: 30 to 40 lumens per square foot

Of course, this is just a general guide and more light may be needed in certain circumstances. For example, if the building entrance is located in a dark area, more light should be used to provide adequate lighting and security.

Principles, techniques, and methods of lighting building entrances

Building entrance lighting includes various techniques and methods, each of which can, in turn, give the space a special and unique effect. Here are some of these techniques:

Layered lighting: This method uses multiple layers of light with different intensities and colors to create depth and dimension in a space. For example, you can use an indoor wall light for general lighting, a pendant light for focused lighting, and an under-stair light for path lighting.

Accent lighting: This method uses light to highlight specific architectural or decorative elements at the entrance of a building. For example, you can use a spotlight or track light to illuminate a sculpture, or a wall light to illuminate a door frame.

Ambient lighting: This method uses light to create a bright, uniform atmosphere throughout the space. For example, you can use ceiling lights, wall lights, or panels for ambient lighting.

Generally, white or soft yellow light is used for lighting the entrance of buildings. White light creates a bright, modern space, while soft yellow light evokes a warm, intimate atmosphere.

Building entrance lighting must comply with national and international standards and regulations. These standards determine things like luminance, glare, color temperature, and color rendering index (CRI).

Building entrance and exit lighting

Below are some tips on lighting the entrance and exit of buildings:

Entrance lighting should be such that people can easily find their way and enter the building. Use wall lights, pendant lights, and under-stair lights.
Exit lighting should be such that people can easily find their way and exit the building. For this purpose, wall lights, pillar lights, and recessed lights can be used.
Northern entrances that do not receive direct sunlight need more light to provide sufficient illumination. Southern entrances that receive direct sunlight need less light. However, it is necessary to consider the necessary measures for night lighting.
Lighting different parts of the building entrance

The lights used in different parts of the building, as well as the principles and methods of lighting, are different. Some recommendations for lighting facades, lobbies, etc. are as follows.

Lighting of various parts of building entrances at a glance:

Building Facade Lighting

Facade lighting can help make a building’s facade more beautiful and impressive. The following lights can be used for this purpose:

Wall washers
Linear lights
Projectors and spotlights
Building lobby lighting

The lobby is the first space that people encounter after entering the building. Therefore, the lighting of the lobby should be such that it creates a warm and intimate atmosphere.

Considering costs, economical lighting of the building

For lighting the entrance and other parts of the building, various tricks can be used to make it more beautiful and reduce costs. For example, energy-saving LED lamps, wall and ceiling lights with motion sensors are suitable and make the best use of natural sunlight.

Common mistakes in lighting buildings

Some common mistakes in lighting buildings include:

Using too much or too little light
Not paying attention to the color temperature of the light
Using inappropriate and poor-quality lights
Light glare
Not using natural sunlight
Concluding remarks

Building entrance lighting is a delicate and practical art that can give a beautiful and impressive appearance to the building and play an important role in ensuring its security. By observing the principles, techniques and standards of lighting and using mental creativity, the entrance of buildings, facades and also the lobby of the building can be transformed into a beautiful and safe space.
EDC Company offers its brand customers free lighting design and calculation services. These services include analyzing the lighting needs of the space, determining the number and type of lights required and providing optimal suggestions for the use of lighting. EDC’s expert team, using technical knowledge and advanced tools, helps you choose the best lighting products for lighting the entrance of the building.