The efficiency, durability and low costs make LED’s the logical choice of lighting in public buildings and institutions such as schools, hospitals, offices, retailers etc.

Places such as these obviously use a substantial amount of lighting, and so a cheaper and more efficient form of lighting such as LED’s would seem an ideal solution.

Another advantage of LED’s in public structures is the greater level of creative implementation they provide.

In New York last year as part of a two-part exhibition on the historical and contemporary significance of factory-produced architecture, a series of five full-scale houses were produced one of which utilised LED lighting. Named the Cellophane House, it illustrated the possible implementation of such lighting in future residential architecture. They can also be used with outdoor advertising to great effect and make public places look more attractive and give advertising a greater effect.

The house also demonstrated the potential design and aesthetic possibilities that LED lighting could allow in buildings. Whereas conventional wiring and electrical systems needed to be hidden behind dry walls, the compact and heat free emissions of LED wall lights allow them to be concealed easily within a structure with transparent walls etc.

In London, the Moorfield Eye Hospital has used LED light technology to transform the buildings facade.  The building has an outer glass curtain wall, with aluminium panels which reflect changing colour lights.  The complete structure looks almost like a shoal of fish swimming past the building.

This technology could well be implemented into many structures, really opening up the possible interplay of light and structure in future architectural projects.