Abstract:
The lighting design is the main component for improving historic building design to support new valuable uses, especially the changing of function areas to be exhibition rooms or museums. Additionally, the lighting design also needs to taken into consideration reqarding the light condition that allows visitors to see the exhibit properly and in a maner greater than only adjusting appropriate light quantity and not damaging the exhibit. This study focused on the investigation and evaluation of the use of natural light for supporting the techniques to the National Museum of Luangprabang, Lao PDR. This study determined the uses of natural light and artificial light in six area of this museum as such the hall, the king living room, the queen living room, the meeting room, the bad room and the instrument exhibition room. The type of light used was studied by investigation of the building and the light shine measurement in the exhibition room using Lux meter. The measurement was conducted on 14, 21 and 28 December, 2555 and measured at 10:00 am and 14:00 pm. The quantity of accumulation light shine at the exhibit was recorded by vertical during 30 days (1-30th of December, 2555). Then all data was analyzed and compared with the standard (CIBSE); the lighting simulation was also implemented using Dialux 4.10 program and the results of this study aimed to provide an appropriate use of natural light in the museum. The results of this study showed that the lighting in exhibition rooms of the historic building is not appropriate; the surrounding light of the exhibition rooms is also intermittent because the historic building was not constructed for being the museum since the beginning. The light quantity in historic building is greater than the standard level when compared to the standard quantity of lighting in the exhibition rooms. However, there are some rooms that have the light quantity lower than the CIBSE standard and the average light quantity that accumulates in exhibit per hour is also greater than the standards. In addition, the light sensitive exhibit has been destroyed by lighting and occurred in all most the exhibition rooms. Moreover, the medium and low light sensitive exhibits are exhibited together which would be difficult to manage the lighting. Therefore, this study recommends improving the lighting in exhibition rooms by considering the standard quantity level and decreases the lighting quantity and the accumulation light in exhibit by using the light supply technic. The windows, doors and other open sites should be improved by using the light filter film or blinds for allowing the nature light and aiming to save the traditional architecture in long period. This also helps the visitors to see the exhibit clearly and know how important or the meaning of the concerned exhibit easily.