SPIK

Type

Solar Bollard Pathlight

Context

Bachelor Thesis, Lund University

Year

2023

SPIK rethinks the outdoor path light for a quieter kind of lighting, stepping back from the industry's race for maximum lumens to ask what a space actually needs. A symmetrical, angled form houses solar panels within the body itself, opening up flexible light distributions of 360°, 270°, 180°, or 90°, so the fixture can be placed and oriented to fit the site rather than the other way around.

Fully solar-powered and designed within DarkSky guidelines, SPIK aims to promote renewable adoption without adding to the light pollution it's meant to solve.

SPIK — solar bollard path light, detail of the illuminated head
Design DNA
Design DNA — monolithic, facetted, polygonal, transitional and sculptural references
Concept sketches — bollard form studies
Concept sketches — angled body and head variations
Concept sketches — refined silhouette directions
Lighting Simulation

I captured an overhead view of the road using a drone and then used KeyShot to simulate and overlay the lighting on top of the footage for a clear before and after overview.

Measuring the path at dusk for the drone survey
Drone overhead view of the road — before lighting
SPIK fixture — studio render
Drone overhead view with simulated SPIK lighting — after
3D Exploration
Field of 3D form alternatives explored in Rhinoceros
Exploring symmetrical and asymmetrical form alternatives in Rhinoceros 3D helped me understand both the limitations and opportunities for light distribution. The symmetrical form ultimately offered more placement options and more consistent light distribution.
Asymmetrical form lineup — directional heads
Symmetrical form lineup — radial heads
Product Description
Exploded view — LED optics, tempered glass, solar panels, Bio-PE body, base plate, surface mount and anchor bolts
The symmetrical shape offers flexibility for both asymmetric and symmetric lighting, enabling various placement scenarios for the lamp. The different light angles include 360, 270, 180, and 90 degrees, providing versatile illumination options.

The angled sides provide enough space for the panels while also maximizing surface area for sunlight exposure.
Exhibition — Lunds University
SPIK prototype, poster and solar module at the Lund University thesis exhibition