AI in Lighting Design: From Concept to On-Site AR Review

AI in lighting design helps us explore ideas quickly, compare visual alternatives and organise project documentation. At Design ONE, we combine these tools with our experience in lighting planning, bespoke luminaire manufacture and building automation. Each stage has a clear purpose, from the first discussion about a room to the details needed for production.

Our lighting design process starts with how you use your spaces. We develop the lighting concept, prepare the technical detail and review the proposed result with you, including an on-site augmented reality presentation where appropriate.

A lighting concept built around everyday use

We begin by asking how each room will be used. Where will you read, work or relax? When do you entertain? What should the lighting do during breakfast, an evening meal or a walk through the house at night? These answers guide the layout and the lighting scenes.

The dining table’s position and size influence the pendant above it. Kitchen worktops need light where tasks happen. In the living room, reading, conversation and watching a film call for different arrangements. We consider daylight, surface reflectance, reflections and glare alongside the furniture layout.

We then bring together the dining pendant, wall lights, track lighting, recessed downlights, reading lights and concealed lighting. AI can help organise the brief and illustrate alternative directions. We adapt the proposal to the actual space and check the expected lighting performance through lighting calculations. Our article on developing a lighting concept explains this stage in more detail.

Presence sensors and smart lighting controls

The control strategy belongs in the concept from the beginning. We plan which lights work together, what should happen automatically and how you can adjust a scene yourself.

Positioning sensors for the actual room

We propose presence sensor positions on the floor plan and check them against the selected device’s detection range, mounting height and the room’s geometry. Furniture, obstructions and the boundaries of lighting zones all affect the final placement. A corridor needs timely detection on arrival; a dining or living area also needs to account for people sitting with little movement.

We agree the response with you: gentle orientation lighting at night, for example, or lighting influenced by available daylight. Manual control remains part of the plan. AI can help prepare initial suggestions and operating descriptions; final sensor selection, programming and on-site testing draw on professional judgement. We check the result during actual use, including seated activities.

Lighting scenes with Loxone Touch Pure CO₂

The concept illustration shows a Loxone Touch Pure CO₂. In a configured Loxone system, its touch points can control lighting scenes, audio and shading. This CO₂ model also measures temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration, as described in Loxone’s product documentation. We coordinate these functions within the overall smart lighting and building automation design.

AI visualisations for colours, finishes and proportions

AI makes it easier to show a proposed luminaire in an interior and develop alternatives. We can compare brushed bronze with matt black, explore a lighter finish or change the apparent proportions of a pendant above a table.

These images can be revised quickly, giving our discussions a clear visual starting point. We set the design direction, assess the results and refine the selected version with you. The visualisation communicates the idea; the technical design establishes the dimensions and construction details required for manufacture.

Technical lighting plans and manufacturing drawings

In our experience, AI-generated technical and manufacturing drawings still require substantial human work to meet the accuracy and reliability we expect. Our designers develop and verify the details in CAD, including AutoCAD drawings where appropriate.

For a bespoke luminaire, this includes material thicknesses, tolerances, joints, fixing points and the assembly sequence. We allow space for electronics, plan heat dissipation and provide access to replaceable parts. Manufacturing methods and surface treatments also influence the design.

This technical development requires design hours, which need to be included in the project programme and budget. The CAD image in this article is an AI-generated illustration of this work.

Component selection and project documentation

Checking compatibility before specifying equipment

AI can help organise manufacturers’ datasheets and compare possible components. We verify the selected light source, driver and control system together, considering dimming behaviour, thermal conditions, installation and maintenance. Compatibility checks and practical testing help establish whether the proposed combination will perform as intended.

Keeping plans and documentation aligned

AI can support room schedules, luminaire and equipment lists, scene descriptions and lists of outstanding decisions. We cross-check these documents against the technical drawings and specified products. Changes during manufacture or installation must be recorded so that the handover documents describe the completed system. Clear revision control supports project coordination and later servicing.

On-site AR reviews with our clients

Once a suitable 3D model is prepared, we can position it in the intended location through an iPad using augmented reality. Designer and clients review the proposal together in the actual interior. A model set to 1:1 scale helps us discuss its relationship to the room, with dimensions checked against the project measurements.

We can assess the pendant’s diameter, suspension height and position above the dining table, and compare different surface finishes. AR supports decisions about scale, placement and appearance. Lighting calculations establish expected illuminance and light distribution, while real material samples support the final finish selection.

From lighting design to manufacture and commissioning

AI brings speed to visualisation, preparation and documentation. We connect that work with lighting design, technical detailing, component selection and manufacturing experience, then coordinate the controls and check their operation on site. The process keeps the original intention connected to the details that make it work.

At our Loxone partner showroom in Kecskemét, Hungary, you can experience lighting scenes and controls and examine materials in person. Seeing the light change and handling a finish sample gives our design discussions a practical basis. Where an on-site AR review is suitable, we can also assess your proposed luminaire together in its intended setting.

If you are planning a lighting project, we can discuss the spaces, the proposed luminaires and how you want to control them. Contact Design ONE to discuss your project.

The images in this article are AI-generated illustrations of the design process.

Read this article in Hungarian on LovasLED.