For Architects
We design lighting in service of the architecture. Our work belongs in your drawings, not bolted onto them afterward — which is why we engage during schematic design and stay through commissioning.
How We Fit Into the Architectural Workflow
Schematic Design We participate in early massing and section reviews to identify where lighting and shade strategy will influence the architecture: cove depths, soffit conditions, skylight handling, glazing orientation, sightlines. The output is a written lighting design intent that fits inside the project narrative.
Design Development Reflected ceiling plans, fixture schedules, lumen calculations, control-zone diagrams, and keypad layouts — all coordinated with your electrical engineer and structured to match your sheet conventions. We work in AutoCAD and provide DWG and PDF deliverables formatted to your title block.
Construction Documents A complete fixture schedule with cut sheets, finishes, and trim selections. A control-system one-line. Specifications electricians can build from. We flag every place lighting affects framing, drywall returns, millwork, or finishes — early enough to adjust.
Construction Administration Mock-up reviews, shop-drawing review for fixtures and controls, RFIs on lighting-related details, and on-site walks during rough-in. We coordinate with the electrician and the millworker so the design intent survives the field.
Aiming and Commissioning Final aiming, scene tuning, and a walkthrough with you and the client. The lighting is calibrated to the finished space, not to drawings.
What This Means for You
- A peer-level lighting consultant who reads architectural drawings fluently
- Documentation that matches your standards, not a vendor catalog
- Specifications that are quietly architectural rather than loud and gadgety
- A single point of accountability for lighting, fixtures, controls, and shades
- A practice that knows when to stay out of the way
A Note on Specification
Many integrators are paid to push particular equipment. We are paid to design the right system. Our DMF relationship is a protected specification channel that gives us access to architecturally curated fixtures unavailable through general distribution — useful when the project calls for a quieter palette than the products that show up online.
Working With Your Electrician
We design the system; your electrician installs it. We provide documentation electricians can build from, answer field questions promptly, and travel for commissioning. We do not compete with the electrical trade — we make their work easier and the result better.
Let’s Talk
We are comfortable joining at any phase, but we add the most value when we start during schematic design. Share a project and we will tell you honestly whether and how we can contribute.
Contact: info@c4light.com · +1 (917) 546-7400