The Fabric of our Society

The Fabric of Our Society column invites industry leaders to provide experience-based opinions and discussions on various topics. Diverse perspectives are respected and most welcome, but do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IESNYC or the Board of Managers. Want to contribute? Email [email protected]

February 2026

The Hidden Cost of Facade Lighting

Ajin Cho
Lighting Designer, Domingo Gonzalez Associates

Before I came to New York to study lighting design, I rarely thought about darkness. Growing up in a rapidly developing city and commuting into the heart of Seoul in Korea, I was surrounded by a skyline that never slept. Streets glowed with LED billboards, glass towers shimmered all night, and mountains on the city’s edge were softly silhouetted by skyglow. Like many people in dense cities, I believed brightness was a sign of safety, beauty, and progress. I had never questioned the washed-out gray of the night sky.

Here in New York, I have realized that the city I once knew was only a small part of a much larger and more illuminated world. Lights shine nightly on buildings, streets, bridges, and signs. As a lighting designer, I have become one of the contributors to this glow. Some buildings seek to stand out, while others are lit for safety and wayfinding. Each decision has its reason, but altogether they create a city that truly never sleeps.

There was a moment when I first understood how much that light has taken away. During a seminar in Palm Springs, CA, the resort was far from the city and free from the noise and glare I had always known. Looking up, I saw a deep, velvety darkness filled with countless stars. I still remember that moment, realizing how rare true darkness has become and how easily we give it away.

Electric light has become essential to our urban lives, often enhancing both safety and aesthetics. Yet that same light scatters into the atmosphere and creates skyglow, hiding the stars and disrupting ecosystems. The gray sky I saw throughout my childhood was not natural. Many city dwellers may not even remember the last time they saw a truly dark sky.

Why façade lighting matters

After seeing the stars that night in Palm Springs, I began to think differently about the role of light in cities. I still believe in the power of illumination, but I also feel a responsibility to preserve the darkness that makes light meaningful. Every project reminds me that design is not just about adding light, but also about knowing when to hold it back.

Facade lighting has always fascinated me because it can transform a building at night. It reveals inherent materiality, texture, and rhythm, while creating a new presence. I remember during my architecture studies in Korea, many of my projects featured glowing façades as symbols of completion. We celebrated brightness without thinking about its cost.

What we’re missing

Tools for evaluating skyglow are often used only after construction, e.g., taking nighttime photos or on-site measurements. These assessments are helpful, but they often come too late to make any real changes.

What we need is a more proactive mindset that helps us understand the environmental impact of our lighting decisions before they are built. Even fixtures designed to reduce uplight can still add to skyglow depending on factors such as surface reflectance, beam angles, aiming, and material finishes. It was surprising to me to see how strongly facade lighting impacts its surroundings. As I continue to work and learn, I see how even careful designs can still contribute to light pollution.

As light at night increases across the globe, it is time to normalize careful advance planning and analysis. We can highlight buildings without losing sight of the night sky.