Architectural lighting design is a specialized field dedicated to shaping lighting systems within built environments, both interior and exterior, using a blend of daylight and electric light. This discipline masterfully balances scientific principles with visual art to ensure clear visibility and comfort, while also enhancing mood, visual interest, and the overall experience of a space. Designers consider technical requirements like energy efficiency and glare, aesthetic aspects for ambiance, and increasingly, non-visual factors related to human health and well-being.

The profession evolved significantly, especially after the 1970s energy crisis renewed focus on thoughtful design beyond a simple "blanket approach" to electric lighting. While organizations like the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNA, 1906) initially focused on engineering, the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) was established in 1969 by designers to champion the aesthetic dimension. Pioneers such as Richard Kelly, who founded his practice in 1935, helped define methodologies that solidified architectural lighting design as a distinct profession alongside architecture and interior design.