Abstract
This study sheds light on an important element of the components of architecture and interior design. This element is considered one of the pillars of these specializations, which is the element of lighting because of its direct and indirect importance in the internal spaces from the parameters of the internal space represented in floors, walls, ceilings, pieces of furniture, furnishings and accessories located within this space. In this study, the researchers discuss the definition of lighting in general, its types, and its source, whether the lighting comes from a natural or artificial source. The researchers also explain the importance of natural and artificial lighting in terms of the physical and direct sense of it and the process of visual perception of this lighting, as well as the extent of the impact of the fall of lighting and the resulting shadows and how they interact functionally and aesthetically and the effects shown by natural lighting in architecture and interior design in terms of aesthetic form, the prestige of the place, the magnitude, and how to see the shapes of different textures in terms of the exterior and interior walls of the building, the multi-use furniture pieces, and the achievement of the desired functionality and its applications in the final form in these architectural and interior spaces. Key words: lighting, functionality, aesthetics, metaphor in architecture and interior design