ModLumIllumination project aided design tool

Résumé 0

Illumination phenomena simulation is important for architectural project design andcommunication: simulation tools must assist efficiently the designer; results have to bereliable and realistic for the decision-makers. Indeed, it is very difficult, for a nonspecialistto imagine the result of an illumination from the light designer plans.Experience shows that the success of a photo-realistic simulation relies essentially on thechoice of the light source characteristics and their correct positioning in the scene. Thispaper first presents the specificities of illumination projects (very large geometrical databases enlightened by a large amount of light sources) and the difficulties of their set-up.Light arrangement requires tricky compositions, judicious choices and accurate studies.Currently there is no specific modeller for the handling of light sources as they areconsidered in radiosity software. Then we present the interactive tool we havedeveloped, named ModLum, in order to set up light sources in a 3D architectural modelin order to save time during the design step and simplify the source handling. ModLumspecifications and principles are presented. Finally, an application is presented: theillumination project of two cloisters in Quito (Ecuador, South America).