Dynamic light and shadow combined with smart IoT, driving synergistically: Zhuosheng Lighting decodes a technological breakthrough in large-space lighting.

As airports evolve from mere transportation hubs into “miniature cities” that embody urban culture and offer diverse experiences, the demands of large-space lighting have long surpassed simple functionality, undergoing a comprehensive upgrade toward dynamism, intelligence, and scenario-based customization.

On December 17, 2025, Mr. Cheng Tianhui, Senior Lighting Application Architect at Zhuosheng Lighting, presented at the third session of the “Ming Classroom × Zhuosheng Lighting” salon series, under the theme “Technological Breakthroughs in Large-Space Lighting through Dynamic Light & Shadow + Smart IoT Synergy”. Drawing on case studies from three benchmark airports—Beijing Daxing, Chengdu Tianfu, and Guangzhou Baiyun T3—he provided an in-depth analysis of technological innovations and practical implementation paths for large-space lighting.

Airports as Cities: Four Core Demands of Large-Space Lighting

Mr. Cheng Tianhui began by highlighting the emerging industry trend of “Airports as Cities”—

Today’s airports are not only gateways to cities but also massive multifunctional complexes, serving as transportation hubs, commercial and leisure destinations, and cultural exhibition spaces.

The sheer scale of modern airports is comparable to that of a miniature city.

This transformation directly drives upgraded lighting requirements, giving rise to four core demands:

◇Green Energy Saving: In vast spaces, improving luminaire efficiency and implementing intelligent control can deliver significant energy savings;

◇Visual Clarity and Comfort: Ensuring clear wayfinding for travelers while minimizing visual distractions to enhance the travel experience;

◇Multi-Scenario Atmosphere Creation: Adapting dynamic light and shadow effects to convey cultural significance and emotional value across different settings and times of day;

◇Smart Management: Achieving end-to-end intelligent control over energy consumption, scene settings, and operations to reduce management costs.

Summary in One Sentence

Customization of luminaires, integration of lighting with architecture, and thoughtful lighting design must simultaneously meet aesthetic requirements, illumination and power density standards, and operational needs.

On this foundation, additional considerations such as health and human-centered factors further compound these multi-layered demands.

Three Benchmark Cases: Practical Implementation of Technological Innovation

Beijing Daxing International Airport: An Efficient Model of Integrated Architectural Lighting

As a landmark structure resembling a “spreading phoenix,” the core principle behind Beijing Daxing International Airport’s lighting design is the “perfect fusion of architecture and light.”

Mr. Cheng Tianhui explained that the project employs a combination of direct and indirect lighting techniques: downlights are installed along the radiating skylight seams, while diffused uplight dominates other areas, complemented by strip lights for supplementary illumination.

Beijing Daxing International Airport Project – The Light of the Phoenix

By using a cool 5000K color temperature to emphasize the purity of the ceiling and a warm 4000K tone to optimize the user experience in activity zones, the project achieves uniform illumination with “light without visible fixtures.” Intelligent controls further reduce energy consumption to one-third of traditional methods, while cutting the number of luminaires by 75% compared to conventional designs.

Chengdu Tianfu International Airport: Dynamic Light Narratives Empowered by Culture

Inspired by the Jinsha Site’s “Sun Bird”, Tianfu Airport was initially planned with four terminals; Phase I now includes Terminals T1 and T2. Terminal T1 features the theme “Bamboo Sea”, while Terminal T2 echoes the “Soaring Sun Bird.” Additional symmetrically designed T3 and T4 terminals are planned for later development.

Mr. Cheng Tianhui detailed the technical team’s innovative breakthroughs:

◇Terminal T1 adopts the “Bamboo Sea” theme, with its bamboo-leaf-shaped suspended ceiling inspired by the Sichuanese ethos of “better to live without meat than without bamboo.”

Zhuosheng Lighting customized Olux L 20W RGBW full-color line wash lights and Olux L 40W RGBW full-color line floodlights to address the unique geometry of the “bamboo leaf” units—wide at the front and tapering on both sides—achieving uniform falloff across illuminated surfaces through precise beam angle control.

The luminaires are concealed along the sides of the “bamboo leaf” keel framework. Using adjustable sliding brackets on L-shaped supports, light is precisely focused onto the honeycomb aluminum panel texture, creating a natural dynamic effect of “bamboo swaying in the breeze.” In dynamic mode, the RGBW light effect cycles every 60 seconds, transitioning from warm golden hues at dawn to lush greenery in bamboo forests and finally to indigo at dusk—meeting functional illumination needs in the check-in hall while narrating the spirit of Sichuanese literati who value humility and integrity through light and shadow.

◇Terminal T2 echoes the Jinsha Site’s Sun Bird totem with the theme “Soaring Sun Bird,” where the feather-like ceiling’s radial layout symbolizes the spread and ascent of civilization.

Zhuosheng Lighting deployed Olux L 40W dimmable line floodlights as the core medium, utilizing color temperature adjustments between 3000K and 6500K to interpret the ancient legend of the “Sun Bird Circling the Sun”: When natural light streams into the hall through glass curtain walls, the lighting system automatically switches to “Static Golden Feather Mode,” with warm white light outlining the sharp contours of the feathers; at sunset, “Dynamic Soaring Mode” activates, with red light effects spreading outward in wave-like patterns from the center of the ceiling. Coupled with e:cue system’s millisecond-level synchronization technology, this creates a visually stunning impression of a “sun bird poised for flight.” Luminaire installation continues T1’s invisible bracket scheme, ensuring no visible light points on the ceiling and conveying cultural tension solely through the flow of light.

Guangzhou Baiyun T3 GTC: Full-Scene Applications of Smart IoT Connectivity

As the core hub of China’s first large-scale digital twin airport, Baiyun T3 GTC adopts the design concept of “Blooming Kapok · Milky Way Across Nine Heavens,” equipped with over 1,000 sets of RGBW smart dynamic luminaires from Zhuosheng Lighting, enabling overall color changes and dynamic chasing effects across tens of thousands of light points on the dome.

Mr. Cheng Tianhui highlighted three major innovations in the GTC lobby:

First, optical customization, achieved through proprietary lens designs that ensure color uniformity exceeding 90%, eliminating color blocks and halos to create an immersive “see-light-see-scene” visual experience;

Second, intelligent control, supporting Zigbee and Bluetooth Mesh protocols with dynamic color switching response times under 0.1 seconds, boosting visual appeal by more than 30%;

Third, multi-protocol collaborative control, integrating DALI, DMX, and other protocols to synchronize tens of thousands of light points, working alongside arrival information to build a “light-and-shadow wayfinding” system that enhances transfer efficiency.

Mr. Cheng Tianhui also specifically addressed a often-overlooked aspect of airport spaces—the design of parking garages. He noted that Zhuosheng Lighting offers a brand-new smart lighting control solution encompassing energy management, intelligent group sensing, and efficient operations. Utilizing Bluetooth sensing to achieve “lights on when cars arrive, lights off when cars leave,” combined with self-organizing network technology and remote operations, this approach delivers energy savings exceeding 60%. This garage smart solution simultaneously features low renovation costs and operational expenses.

Interactive Q&A

Unlocking the Core Technical Secrets of Large-Space Lighting

Q

What unique advantages does glare control offer in complex large spaces?

A

Mr. Cheng Tianhui stated that the key to glare control lies in a dual-pronged approach of “Early Collaboration + Product Optimization”. On one hand, early coordination with architects and designers places luminaires outside the direct line of sight, mitigating glare risks at the installation stage. On the other hand, ultra-low optical anti-glare configurations—including precise light source selection, honeycomb grid design, and matte mirror surface treatments—strengthen light control capabilities at the product level, providing double protection for comfortable illumination in complex environments.

Q

How can color consistency be ensured in high-luminance, large-span spaces?

A

To tackle the challenge of color uniformity across large batches of luminaires, Zhuosheng Lighting employs a solution of “Source Control + Algorithmic Compensation”. During LED chip procurement, strict tolerances for color deviation are enforced, followed by self-inspection via proprietary algorithms before installation. After production, dedicated color-mixing compensation algorithms—similar to camera white balance calibration—are applied to each set of luminaires during factory testing and debugging, guaranteeing highly consistent overall color presentation.

Q

What future possibilities exist for dynamic light interaction in smart IoT-connected lighting?

A

Mr. Cheng Tianhui believes that lighting evolution always progresses in tandem with architectural functional evolution. As airport scenarios continue to diversify, dynamic light interaction will integrate more natural simulations, commercial experiences, and entertainment interactions.

For example, immersive environments could be created by simulating natural light and shadows, flight information could trigger light-and-shadow wayfinding systems, or lighting atmospheres could dynamically adjust based on passenger flow, transforming lighting from a mere “background element” into an integral part of the experience and injecting greater humanistic warmth and technological vitality into large spaces.

Conclusion

Symbiosis of Technological Accumulation and Scenario Innovation

Throughout his presentation, Mr. Cheng Tianhui repeatedly emphasized that technological breakthroughs in large-space lighting do not exist in isolation but are deeply intertwined with architectural forms, urban needs, and humanistic experiences.

Zhuosheng Lighting, backed by 30 years of technical expertise, has established a full-chain solution spanning from top-level architecture to terminal luminaires. Moving forward, it will continue to pursue dual-driven synergy between “dynamic light and shadow” and “smart IoT connectivity” to craft lighting environments for urban gateways that are both warmer and more technologically advanced.

This salon not only showcased Zhuosheng Lighting’s technical prowess in large-space lighting but also provided the industry with a complete reference pathway from theory to practice. We look forward to more technological innovations that propel large-space lighting beyond mere “functional fulfillment” toward an elevated “experience-driven upgrade”!

Note: This article is compiled from the recording of Mr. Cheng Tianhui’s December 17, 2025 presentation at Ming Classroom titled “Technological Breakthroughs in Large-Space Lighting through Dynamic Light & Shadow + Smart IoT Synergy,” authorized by Zhuosheng Lighting and published by Ming Classroom.

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