Philips' LivingColors is a LED light source that shines colored light onto a wall or corner of a room. Offering up to 16 million color combinations, it is a direct and simple way for people to express themselves through personalization of their immediate surroundings, as often as they like LivingColors incorporates the very latest LED technology in a way that hasn't been applied to the consumer market before. It is effectively a new type of proposition –a luminaire and light source rolled into one –that has created its own segment; atmosphere through light.
Socio-cultural research
LivingColors was a direct result of socio-cultural design research started in 2003 by Philips to explore the concept of “atmosphere.” This research helped quantify people's needs, desires and opinions with regards to the type of environment that could be at least partly created through lighting.
For instance, it was discovered that people believe atmosphere enhances their mood but doesn't really change it completely. They are increasingly involved in creating and shaping their surroundings, and are receptive to ways of expressing and even influencing their feelings. Many like the idea of adapting the atmosphere in personal spaces such as the home or place of work, but are unsure of how best to do this. There is also growing recognition that finding yourself in an environment that is tailored to your moods or feelings can help the relaxation process. It was also generally recognized that lighting is the easiest means of creating different atmospheres within the home.
Easy to use
Based on these results, a workshop was held at Philips together with focus groups to generate the insight behind the LivingColors product (”I like to change things around in my home interior to create the right atmosphere for my family, friends and me”). Both qualitative and quantitative consumer research was carried out at every step of the project. This included several focus groups to validate the insight, as well as face-value tests for the design models.
Organic feel
The main lamp housing is made of ”E-star” injected into a mould and then subsequently blown. The heat sink, a necessity for high-power LED lighting, is made from cast aluminum. The shape chosen, a graceful tapered stem, almost gives it the appeal of an exotic flower like an orchid. This organic feel is enhanced by the slightly egg-shaped glass in which it is contained.
"It had to have its own signature, a clear identity,” says Paul Thursfield, the Philips Design Senior Strategic Designer who led the team responsible for LivingColors' design. "People should recognize it immediately. It was not a luminaire and it was not a light bulb. We wanted to come up with something fresh, which was instantly understandable but didn't alienate people because it was strange." It has been designed for flexible placement, and can be positioned on the table or floor. The light angle is simple to adjust.
The unique LivingColors remote control is a triumph of straightforward and intuitive design. It is almost impossible to pick it up and not work out instantly how to choose a specific color. This is due to the large touch-sensitive color wheel that is the remote's focal point. Simply tapping a color on this circle causes the LivingColors to produce that color instantaneously. It is possible to (synchronously) operate multiple LivingColors units using a single remote control.
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