Circadian

What it does

Circadian is a floor lamp that simulates the full daylight environment by recreating both sunlight and sky indoors. It shifts gradually throughout the day, helping users stay connected to a natural sense of time—even with irregular or fully reversed schedules.

Your inspiration

In many North American apartments, ceiling lights are missing and windows provide limited daylight. A floor lamp becomes the primary source of light and atmosphere—so we chose to design one. We discovered that people perceive time not through brightness and warmth of light alone, but through a rich mix of cues: height, angle, and type—whether transmitted, diffused, or reflected. Just as importantly, we see the sky before we see the light it casts. The changing sky color gives context and rhythm to daylight. To truly reconnect people with time indoors, we must recreate not just light—but the presence of the sky itself.

How it works

Circadian uses a Rayleigh scattering panel and a vertically moving light source to recreate the dynamic qualities of natural daylight. Guided by a rotating reflector and motorized riser, the light changes gradually throughout the day—shifting in height, angle, intensity, and color temperature to mirror the sun’s progression from morning to night. This creates evolving patterns of light and shadow in the room, offering visual and temporal cues that help regulate the body’s internal clock. The Rayleigh panel diffuses light and selectively scatters shorter blue wavelengths within the material, producing a soft, sky-like glow rather than harsh direct beams. This effect gives users the feeling of having their own patch of sky indoors. In the evening, as the main light source dims and lowers, a secondary glow automatically emerges from the base—bouncing soft, indirect light upward to support relaxation and rest without disrupting circadian rhythms.

Design process

Our process began with a core insight: the height of a light source influences how we experience time. We studied a wide range of lighting types—ceiling fixtures, floor lamps, desk lamps, and bedside lights—to understand how they shape brightness, direction, and presence throughout the day. We began designing a lamp with a vertically moving light source to reflect the shifting position of the sun. As we developed this idea, we realized that light alone wasn’t enough—our perception of time also depends on the visual presence of the sky. We researched the potential of Rayleigh scattering, a phenomenon used in artificial skylight panels to replicate sky color. We explored how optical materials could scatter shorter blue wavelengths while diffusing light softly across the space. To integrate this effect, we investigated various rising and lighting configurations—comparing projection vs. reflection and exploring different spatial layouts to balance efficiency, manufacturability, and performance. With the system defined, we shifted focus to form—refining a silhouette that is quiet, minimal, and expressive of its purpose: a lighting object that brings back a patch of sky.

How it is different

Circadian offers a fully dynamic lighting experience that evolves throughout the day. Most indoor environment lighting products control only intensity and color temperature, offering a narrow, simplified simulation of daylight. Circadian goes further—shifting not just brightness and warmth, but also height, angle, and, most importantly, sky tone using a Rayleigh scattering panel. This creates a soft, diffused glow that feels like having a patch of sky indoors. The system runs on curated daily presets, but users can also create their own through the companion app—providing structure with flexibility. Unlike built-in or ceiling-mounted systems, Circadian is a freestanding floor lamp with no installation required. It’s easy to place, move, and adapt—ideal for rented homes, flexible workspaces, or hotels where access to natural sky is limited.

Future plans

We’ve validated the viability of the design and are now focused on developing a working prototype. Next steps include refining the lighting behavior through simulation—focusing on timing, intensity curves, and user comfort. We’re also exploring the integration of sensors to adapt lighting in real time based on ambient conditions or user activity. Looking forward, we see potential for Circadian to expand into modular systems for shared workspaces, rest environments, and public wellness areas. As interest in circadian health grows, we aim to make this type of lighting more accessible in everyday life.

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