Joan Alsina believes that everyone should be able to enjoy a good lighting project in their homes. That’s why he always adapts to his clients’ budgets, striving to make their dreams come true and finding the best solution to ensure there is one corner of their house where they can enjoy the beauty and poetry of light.

You studied interior design, but in the end, you set up a studio that specialises in lighting projects. When and why did you take the plunge and move into the world of light?

While I was studying interior design, I noticed a guy in my class who worked at Saladié Lighting Projects; whenever we presented assignments, he always brought an additional sheet of paper with the lighting proposal. None of the rest of us ever did, nor did the teachers ask for it. His ideas really caught my eye and I ended up discovering that lighting was the part of interior design that I liked the most. Eventually we became friends and he introduced me to his boss, who gave me the chance to do my internship at Saladié. That was where I realised just how much lighting excited me, and I was so dedicated and committed that they ended up hiring me.

What should the lighting of the spaces you design be like?

I always look for the best way to trigger emotions through light, to create atmospheres in which people feel comfortable and at ease. I make sure that each component fits perfectly in the project and that the lighting effect is just right. I love working with light and shadow. In fact, I think I’m a shadow lover.

What are the words that would define AlsinaSech Lighting Projects’ work?

I like our projects to breathe the magic and poetry of light while remaining economical and affordable. We love providing a warm and friendly service, and always attending any need and facilitating the most appropriate solution.

What advice do you give to clients who engage your services to light their homes?

I always stress the importance of installing a warm colour temperature in their homes. Light has a direct influence on our emotions and our moods, and I’m quite sure that a couple living in a house with 4,000 or 5,000k light are going to argue more than a couple who live with 2,700k. Sometimes it is a real struggle to convince them, they don’t understand warm light in the kitchen, for example, but as soon as they see the results they’re delighted. Another important issue in home lighting is to use good materials to achieve visual comfort and to avoid any flickering light sources that impact well-being and health so much. And a third tip is to recommend dimmable lighting, so that they can adjust lighting levels to their different everyday activities. I also show them how to differentiate and use the different layers of direct and indirect lighting, which are more ambient, and accent lighting.

When working on a lighting project, is it important to listen to the architecture?

Absolutely. Unfortunately, I’m almost always called when the house’s architecture has already been defined, when ideally architecture and lighting should grow and develop at the same time. Both should start from scratch and grow together so that they complement each other.

Are LED strips a good way of integrating lighting into architecture?  

Yes, without a doubt, personally I’m using them more and more.

What are your favourite applications?

Above all, verticals cut in walls, to provide indirect ceiling-to-floor lighting. One effect that I love and that the architect Ramón Esteve uses very often is to build LED strips into porcelain flooring next to walls, which produces a very dramatic gradient on the baseboard. It’s a highly spectacular effect that highlights the architecture, providing a soft and pleasant light effect. I particularly like these two applications, although the one used most commonly is to include the LED strip in a cavity to create a curtain of light on the wall.

Is it expensive to engage a lighting consultant’s services?

No, not in my case, as I always try to ensure that my expertise does not cost the client anything extra. I work for architects, interior designers and installers and my philosophy is to build a relationship of mutual loyalty, so that what customers pay for the lighting products cover my professionalism and time. I always adapt to the client’s budget, even if I have to be more creative and invent and reinvent the product to strike a balance between cost and aesthetics.