#128 Cover Story: Apple Marina Bay Sands Prof. Dr. Thomas RÖmhild Sanjit Bahra Retail Lighting
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ROYAL MYCONIAN, MYKONOS, GREECE 18-20 OCTOBER 2022 www.darcsessions.com
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#128
Welcome For anyone that has ever stepped foot inside an Apple store, you’ll know that it isn’t necessarily just about the products on show, but rather the overall experience of the space. Sometimes this gets to the point that it’s rare to see anyone actually purchasing anything as they instead prefer to play on display phones and tablets, but this is surely a testament to the inviting environment fostered within each store. With this in mind, it was an easy decision for us, as part of this issue’s Retail Lighting project focus, to step inside one of the latest, most impressive Apple stores to date - Apple Marina Bay Sands. A continuation of the long-standing relationship between the tech giants and Foster + Partners, Apple Marina Bay Sands exemplifies the dizzying heights that can be achieved in retail design, standing proudly on the Singapore marina as a remarkable piece of architecture, and a remarkable work of art. The project was the natural choice to grace the cover of this issue, and you can find out more about the design of this beautiful store on page 70.
I’m also thrilled to say that we’ve got not one, but two fascinating “Talking With...” interviews lined up in this edition. Firstly, it was my pleasure to speak to Prof. Dr. Thomas Römhild on the eve of his retirement. The founder of the Architectural Lighting Design Master’s course at Hochschule Wismar, it’s not a stretch to say that he is directly responsible for training and educating a huge proportion of the lighting designers working today. We at [d]arc media wish him all the very best in his retirement, and congratulate him on a stellar career! Elsewhere, as we continue the discussion on diversity and inclusion, I sat down with Sanjit Bahra, Founder of DesignPlusLight, to talk about his experiences as a gay man of colour, and the need for greater representation throughout the industry. Finally, as I’m sure you’ll have noticed, real life, in-person events are beginning to open up around the world, which is obviously amazing to see. In recent weeks, we held the second edition of [d]arc sessions in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE; Milan was alive with activity for the returning Milan Design Week; and I even ventured over to Austria for a special event at Zumtobel’s Dornbirn headquarters. Read about all of these events later in the magazine. Enjoy the issue!
Matt Waring Editor
Front cover: Apple Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (Image: Finbarr Fallon)
#128
Inside this issue Regulars 022
Event Diary
026
Drawing Board
034
In Conversation Edward Bartholomew explains more about the Light Justice project.
036
Snapshot Studio All
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Designers Mind Kaye Preston and Kael Gillam discuss work, wellbeing and the importance of rest.
120
GreenLight Alliance With Benz Roos, Senior Lighting Designer at Speirs Major
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Product Launches
130
Manufacturer Case Studies
146
Bucket List
Features 030
Women In Lighting Awards The second Women in Lighting Awards honoured women outside the sphere of lighting design.
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Prof. Dr. Thomas Römhild The founder of Hochschule Wismar’s Architectural Lighting Master’s programme talks about its success.
060
Sanjit Bahra Bahra opens up on issues surrounding representation and diversity in the lighting industry.
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[d]arc sessions Read our recap of [d]arc sessions MEA, held in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, this April.
106
Milan Design Week A look back at some of the highlights from this year’s design showcase.
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Pitch Dark Light Collective hosted a camping trip to experience the lunar eclipse.
116
Live.Light Zumtobel Group opened the doors of its Dornbirn HQ for a conference and exhibition.
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Paolo Creati Lighting design as a strategy for inclusion.
Eye Openers 024
Stalactite WHITEvoid
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Torre di Barì essequadro | p
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Novartis Pavillon AMDL Circle / iart
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SCIENTIA Grimanesa Amorós
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The Colour Bath Moment Factory
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Our Time on Earth Speirs Major
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068
Projects 052
Theatre Royal Drury Lane The Grade I listed theatre has undergone a £60m renovation, with lighting designed by BDP.
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Apple Marina Bay Sands arc speaks to Foster + Partners about Singapore’s remarkable new Apple store.
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Retail Lighting A range of retail lighting projects large and small, featuring work by Nulty, Sombra and dpa lighting consultants.
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EDITORIAL Managing Editor Helen Ankers h.ankers@mondiale.co.uk Editor Matt Waring m.waring@mondiale.co.uk
Events Diary
Contributing Editor Sarah Cullen s.cullen@mondiale.co.uk
JUNE
[d]arc sessions Europe
LightFair
Mykonos, Greece
21-23 June Las Vegas, USA www.lightfair.com
AUGUST GILE 3-6 August Guangzhou, China www.guangzhou-international-lighting-exhibition.
18-20 October www.darcsessions.com Biennale Interieur 20-24 October Kortrijk, Belgium www.interieur.be Hong Kong International Lighting Fair 27-30 October Hong Kong, China www.hktdc.com
hk.messefrankfurt.com LEDforum 2022 18-19 August São Paulo, Brazil www.ledforum.com.br
SEPTEMBER Plasa 4-6 September London, UK
NOVEMBER LiGHT 22 22-23 November London, UK www.lightexpo.london
JANUARY 2023 Light Middle East
www.plasashow.com
17-19 January
ArchLIGHT Summit
www.lightme.net
15-16 September Dallas, USA
Dubai, UAE
Integrated Systems Europe
www.archlightsummit.com
31 January - 3 February
IALD Enlighten Americas
www.iseurope.org
Barcelona, Spain
29 September - 1 October Palm Springs, USA www.iald.org
OCTOBER Light + Building 2-6 October Frankfurt, Germany www.light-building.messefrankfurt.com
FEBRUARY 2023 Surface Design Show 7-9 February London, UK www.surfacedesignshow.com
COMMERCIAL Managing Director Paul James p.james@mondiale.co.uk Head of Business Development Jason Pennington j.pennington@mondiale.co.uk Media Sales Manager Andrew Bousfield a.bousfield@mondiale.co.uk Events & Marketing Manager Moses Naeem m.naeem@mondiale.co.uk
DESIGN Design Manager David Bell d.bell@mondiale.co.uk Production Mel Robinson m.robinson@mondiale.co.uk
CORPORATE Chairman Damian Walsh d.walsh@mondiale.co.uk Finance Director Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk Credit Control Lynette Levi l.levi@mondiale.co.uk [d]arc media Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport SK1 3AZ, United Kingdom T: +44 (0)161 476 8350 www.arc-magazine.com arc@mondiale.co.uk Printed by Buxton Press. To subscribe visit www.arc-magazine.com
Euroshop 26 February - 2 March DÜsseldorf, Germany www.euroshop-tradefair.com
or call +44 (0)161 476 5580 arc, ISSN 17535875, is published bi-monthly by Mondiale Publishing, Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 3AZ. Subscription records are maintained at Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 3AZ.
*NOTE: All dates correct at time of publication. Subject to change* 022 / 023
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eye opener
Stalactite Berlin, Germany Following the success of its Dark Matter exhibition, which welcomed more than 100,000 visitors, WHITEvoid is opening up the large-scale light sculpture, Stalactite, in a 1000sqm outdoor space as part of Dark Matter – Sommerlights. A monumental installation by light artist Christopher Bauder, the massive structure appears to float weightlessly above the audience, inviting them to enter into a meditative, audio-visual word. As visitors walk beneath the installation, they become part of the overall experience and therefore, the installation itself. The networklike structure consists of 360 elements in the shape of an inverted pyramid. The nesting arrangement of light rods creates pulsating animations of complex shapes and patterns. The light animations are generated by software in real time in immediate response to the electronic musical score. Stalactite therefore takes guests on a nocturnal, everchanging journey through light, space and sound.
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From 3 June, from Wednesdays to Sundays, visitors are able to enjoy the luminous sculpture with cool drinks and electronic music in a summery, open air experience. The outdoor space, with comfortable seating, is open from 7pm until after midnight, and the light installation will be accompanied by music from various musicians, DJs and live acts. www.whitevoid.com
Drawing Board
Confidential Workplace New York, USA With a move towards an inviting, hospitality-like feel, a confidential workplace campus in Park Avenue, New York, is hoping that an upgrade to its building amenities will help to lure remote workers from their homes and back to the office. The concept, with lighting designed by Sammie Wu of Lighting Workshop, is an environment that creates a bridge from workplace to hospitality. The upgraded amenity space is in a 20-floor building campus at a premium Park Avenue location, offering approximately 50,000sqft comprised of work lounges, a bistro, café kiosk, lunch bar, garden room, two lobbies, conference rooms, prefunction lounge, and a wellness suite. The sweeping, 17ft ceiling heights offer many opportunities for suspended statement lighting elements. Warm wood, plush seating arrangements, a cohesive family of decorative fixtures, earth tones throughout, and an assortment of indoor lush landscaping all lend itself to a hospitality environment, rather than their office building. As Wu has been leading the lighting team on this project, she often draws from her initial and formative hospitality background. She thinks of all levels of function throughout, including operational needs of the staff, one’s first impression entering the space, and what offerings will entice someone to sit and relax. During her studies in hospitality management in Switzerland, the one item that never left her was a person’s sensory experience with a space. “This can be anything from the smell of the morning coffee at a hotel or enjoying an art piece hung at the lobby wall. Hospitality is about turning the intangible into something memorable, which has influenced me to this day with my lighting design decisions,” she said. During her experience working in the hospitality industry in Barcelona, Spain, Wu vividly remembers this sensory element specific to the hotel amenity spaces. She recalled during her time working at a hotel: “Every month the florist would come with a trolley and carefully arrange the flowers reflecting each season’s theme. It was a humble way for the guests to experience the atmosphere of the season and space through texture, colour and smell all at the same time upon arrival.” Remembering the impact of these experiences, her lighting design approach to the Park Avenue project has been to create a unique and memorable vignette throughout each amenity area, using light to visually impact how one travels through each space, making an indelible imprint to every visitor. www.ltgworkshop.com
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DRAWING BOARD
Image: Gensler & les éclaireurs
Avant-Seine Workplace Paris, France For the reconfiguration of a 40,000sqm office building in Paris, lighting design firm les éclaireurs is working with architects Gensler to open the space to the outside world, restructuring its night vision, while enhancing and communicating its internal functions. By collaborating with the architects, les éclaireurs is hopeful that the lighting will accompany the scenography of the main spaces: the Canopy, the Atrium with its grand staircase and meeting alcoves, and the central usage volume on the façade. The lighting within the offices themselves has been designed not to dazzle but to be more subtle, creating the feeling of an illuminated space, without it being clear where the light is coming from. With a large central skylight, the space is filled with an abundance of natural light. As such, the lighting designers developed a “human centric” lighting approach that will ensure that accompanying artificial lighting is in tune with the natural light during the day and after dark, ensuring optimal visual comfort for building users. www.leseclaireurs.net
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Women In Lighting Awards The winners of the second Women in Lighting Awards have been revealed. For this year’s awards, WIL looked to honour women in lighting outside the sphere of lighting design.
Launched in 2021, the first edition of the Women in Lighting (WIL) Awards looked to honour the achievements of women during the first year of the pandemic. For 2022, WIL decided to point the WIL Awards in a different direction, in order to honour some women in lighting outside the sphere of lighting design. “We wanted to seek out and celebrate outstanding women in the following categories: Light Art, Research and Education; and Engineering. The project has always looked to include women working in these fields, and this year, they are the central focus of the WIL Awards. We encouraged nominations of women working in these lighting fields in order to share their inspiring work with the WIL global
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community,” said WIL organisers. The awards closed with 131 nominators submitting, and 114 nominees in total. Nominations came from 28 countries around the world, from countries as diverse as Finland and Argentina, Costa Rica and Sudan. The judging panel for this year’s awards was comprised of WIL media partners, who helped us to decide on some deserving women that we could honour in more detail: Sarah Cullen – [d]arc media (UK); Patrick McCuminskey – Warm White (Germany); Randy Reid – Designing Lighting (USA); Esther Torello – Lightecture (Spain); Mervi Rokka – Ljuskultur (Sweden); Thiago Gaya – L+D Magazine (Brazil); Valery Gorelova – Wavelength (Russia); and Vertica Dvivedi – Surfaces Reporter (India). “The judging panel completed the near impossible task of considering who to honour with a Women In Lighting Award – near impossible because the achievements and contributions to the world of lighting from the nominees are hard to measure against each other,” WIL continued. “However, we are pleased to announce the judges choice for the Women In Lighting Awards 2022.”
“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.” Unknown
ART
Judges Choice
Highly Commended
This category allows WIL to celebrate a female artist who always or often works with light, or any woman in lighting who has created a light-based piece, or any woman that works as a curator of Light Art.
Jen Lewin / USA Lewin is an interactive artist and engineer with a studio based in New York City, who specialises in large-scale installations in public spaces, usually combining elements such as light, sound and complex engineering. Her work can be found at many festivals and exhibited in galleries around the world. www.jenlewinstudio.com
Professor Lyn Godley / USA Professor Godley is both an accomplished artist and academic, combining teaching Industrial Design at Jefferson University with 24 years of creating from her own studio. www.lyngodley.com
Liz West / UK West is a British visual artist. Her practice comprises site-specific artworks, sculpture, and immersive light art installations. Her artworks often combine colour and light, with the aim of heightening sensory awareness and experience for the viewer. www.liz-west.com
Aleksandra Stratimirovic / Sweden Stratimirovic is an award-winning Swedish artist with a broad knowledge and understanding of light and lighting technologies. She has created a wealth of permanent and temporary installations for hospitals, schools, residential areas and different urban environments. www.strati.se
EDUCATION & RESEARCH
Judges Choice
Highly Commended
This category was dedicated to women who are moving our knowledge forward in light and lighting, or someone who is a dedicated educator in light.
Professor Dr. Banu Manav / Turkey Professor Dr. Manav is the Dean of Kadir Has University in the Art and Design Faculty. She has been an active member in the Turkish National Committee on Illumination for 11 years, and since 2020, represents Turkey in the CIE, Division Six (Photobiology and Photochemistry). Her research in lighting and collaborations can be found under the categories of interior lighting and space perception, visual comfort and interior design. www.khas.edu.tr
Andrea Hartranft / USA Hartranft was President of the IALD Education Trust and continues to be on the Education Trust Committee. She teaches Lighting Fundamentals at Montgomery College and also lectures internationally, while working as Principal of Hartranft Lighting Design. www.hartranftlighting.com
Professor Mariana Figueiro / USA Brazilian-Cuban architect and scientist Mariana Figueiro researches the effect of light on human health, including alertness and performance. Having served as the Director of the Lighting Research Center (LRC) and Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), she is now serving as Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Light and Health Research. www.icahn.mssm.edu
Asst. Prof. Dr. Karolina Zielinska-Dabkowska / Poland Zielinska-Dabkowska is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Gdansk University of Technology, and co-founder of the GUT LightLab. She is also actively engaged in the Technical Committee work of organisations such as the International Commission on Illumination (ICE), Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), providing guidelines and sharing best practice for night-time illumination in the built and natural environment. www.designs4people.com
Jen Lewin
Professor Dr. Banu Manav
Dr. Ruth Kelly Waskett
Liz West
Professor Mariana Figueiro
Liudmyla Pavlenko
Professor Lyn Godley
Andrea Hartranft
Kelly Smith
Aleksandra Stratimirovic
Asst. Prof. Dr. Karolina Zielinska-Dabkowska
Melody Culanag
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WOMEN IN LIGHTING WIL AWARDS
ENGINEERING
Judges Choice
Highly Commended
This category allowed nominees to highlight women who work in engineering – they primarily work with light, and their work is necessary for the world that we live in.
Dr. Ruth Kelly Waskett / UK Waskett is a daylight specialist within the Lighting team at Hoare Lea and immediate Past President of the Society of Light and Lighting. She is both a visiting lecturer at University College London and contributes to the daylight element of the Lighting Education Trust (LET) Diploma Course. She also volunteers as a mentor for the new Silhouette Awards, and has also been involved in the writing of a number of lighting guides produced by the SLL, including being principal author of the revised Daylighting Guide (Lighting Guide 10). www.hoarelea.com
Kelly Smith / UK Smith is a street lighting engineer who does a lot of work for STEM in schools in the UK, encouraging students, especially girls, to seek employment in engineering. She is also an active member of the Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP), and is championing the WIL cause on their behalf, so that the women in street lighting stories are told.
Liudmyla Pavlenko / Ukraine Pavlenko is a lighting design engineer with a double Master’s degree in lighting from the National Aviation University, Ukraine, and Hochschule Wismar, Germany. She currently heads the Electrical Engineering and Source of Lighting Department in Ukraine.
Melody Culanag / Canada Melody Culanag has both an engineering and interior design background. Her passion for lighting began in Singapore and she has more than 10 years of experience in the design and build industry. She is now working in one of the biggest international lighting design firms in Canada, the Ombrages Group, as well as being a member of the IALD and IESNA. She is also the founder and owner of LightandMe, an ArchViz and Design studio. www.lightandme.ca
JUDGES‘ COMMENTS “Having been raised by a single mother who was never empowered, recognised or rewarded, it is gratifying to see women being rewarded and recognised for their contributions.” Randy Reid
supported by
“Women in Lighting is a fantastic platform. I have discovered an incredible amount of talented and important female figures that are featured across the WIL Awards and throughout the WIL initiative in general.” Sarah Cullen “The WIL Awards are not only important when empowering and celebrating the achievements, but also to inspire other women and girls in the fantastic field of lighting.” Mervi Rokka
“All the initiatives that make visible and vale the important role that women play at a professional level must have our recognition. For this reason, we are very fortunate to have the WIL platform, an interesting project that highlights and gives voice to the extraordinary work that women carry out in lighting.” Esther Torello
WIL added: “Please join us in congratulating our highlighted winners, and all of the nominees. The WIL project celebrates every one of you.” www.womeninlighting.com
As part of an ongoing mission to examine how lighting can address societal inequities, Edward Bartholomew has, alongside friend Mark Loeffler, formed online platform Light Justice. Bartholomew sits down with arc to tell us more about Light Justice and its goals.
IN CONVERSATION EDWARD BARTHOLOMEW
What is Light Justice? Light Justice is the practice of planning, designing, implementing, and investing in lighting for historically neglected communities through a process of stakeholder respect and engagement; it is a movement, a forum, a resource, and a platform to change the practice of lighting design to address lighting inequity.
conferences and with design professionals, and I practice these principles in the projects I pursue and by using the ideals of “design justice” as I work with marginal, under-resourced communities. I am incredibly excited about projects where I get to collaborate with these communities and learn about the impact of lighting on their neighbourhood.
How and why was it formed? During the social justice uprising that occurred after the brutal murder of George Floyd by the police, I started to look again at the practice of lighting, and how it tends to only serve the wealthy and well-funded, but neglects poor, underresourced communities, especially in the Black and Brown communities that I grew up in. During walks with my wife during the pandemic, we discussed how lighting could address social justice issues. At this time, my good friend Mark Loeffler began to mentor me as I was restarting my firm. Our conversations evolved into a common interest to look at lighting through the lens of environmental justice, especially in outdoor lighting. This developed into a well-researched talk called Light + Justice that explored the historical use of light as a weapon of oppression, including current policies deployed in New York City called “Omnipresence”, which places temporary diesel-powered floodlights in public housing developments to deter crime but end up making the spaces feel like crime scenes. Omnipresence is an egregious example of the “weaponisation of light” on poor, mostly Black and Brown communities that is happening today. We presented Light + Justice locally and at LightFair in the Fall of 2021. In addition, we have authored articles, and I have partnered with my friend Glenn Shrum to present an expanded version of the talk to the lighting community throughout the country. But this is not just an American issue; it shows up in Britain and throughout the world where poor and marginalised people are subjugated to substandard lighting due to negligent and unjust design.
Light Justice talks about the “increasing imbalance” in public realm lighting. How and why do you think it exists? In my research, I have found several factors that drive this imbalance, but most of them are based on systemic racism. This impacts why these communities are located near unhealthy industrial zones, and why they are deprived of the resources to improve their environment. Finally, the use of over lighting to reduce crime based on erroneous studies has only exacerbated these conditions.
What are your core goals? Our core goals are to show light’s social and environmental justice impact. And how lighting has been weaponised in poor, under-resourced communities. Also, to show that engaging these communities in the design process as “citizen designers” can enable good lighting design and beneficial darkness that lifts up communities. What are you doing to reach these goals? I am sharing the principles of Light Justice at 034 / 035
How do you hope to redress this imbalance? First, identify vulnerable communities where lighting has been poorly planned and has caused environmental injustice. Second, engage these communities to acquire the resources and educate them regarding lighting quality to support the lighting redesign of their communities. Lastly, to be a resource for these communities to navigate the city and utilities to remedy the lighting in these neighbourhoods. Light Justice is a resource for all designers to have an impact on neglected communities, to enable us to use our talents and gifts to have a positive impact on neglected communities with light. What sort of response have you had so far? So far, it has been positive. We are gaining supporters through LightJustice.org and developing tool kits and best practices so that designers working can use lighting to transform their communities. Currently, my firm is working with a local community to create a neighbourhood lighting design plan that we hope will be an example of what cooperative lighting design can achieve. Where do you hope to take it going forward? We want to extend the frame of environmental justice to interior spaces and even address the discrepancy in access to daylight and views for marginal under-resourced communities. We all know that light has power, but we should share this power equally, to help everyone experience the benefits of good lighting and beneficial darkness. www.lightjustice.org
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Snapshot Studio All Melbourne-based Studio All has, since 2019, built a strong, diverse portfolio of projects across Australia, ranging from retail and commercial to residential, industrial and institutional projects. Founder Liam Petrie-Allbutt talks us through some highlights.
JB Hi-Fi Nationwide, Australia For the retail lighting design of JB Hi-Fi, one of Australia’s leading retail brands, Studio All was engaged to work with the design team to re-imagine the in-store experience and provide a turn-key solution as the new design strategy is rolled out through stores across Australia. Taking a transformational approach to retail lighting, Studio All’s design strategy supports JB Hi-Fi’s values of innovation, passion and authenticity by improving product visibility and in-store navigation. The design intent delivers a unique and visually engaging aesthetic to highlight products, increase average dwell time and improve the visual experience in-store. By combining ambient light levels with high CRI accent lighting from the use of spotlights throughout the store, the design creates a visually appealing experience while bringing out the vibrant colour of each product. Studio All has introduced a wayfinding strategy as part of the overall design concept, using light to facilitate store navigation. “Pods” are created throughout the store using subtle overhead lighting, assigning colours for certain product categories to provide a prominent, featured space for each within the store. The checkout area becomes a focal point, allowing customers to view it from any section of the store with higher light levels to attract attention. Demonstrating the impact of lighting design, the upgraded JB Hi-Fi stores improve the customer experience and encourage customers to spend more time in-store while showcasing products in their best possible light.
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Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club Point Lonsdale, Australia The Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club has proudly served the Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff communities since 1947. In collaboration with JCB Architects and Lyons Construction, Studio All’s designers were thrilled to work on the redesign for this treasured community space. Elegant track spotlights echo the strong,
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clean lines of the building; allowing ambient light to flood the foyer of the new club. Nestled amongst tea-trees, the club is a paragon of clean and sustainable coastal design. The lighting scheme highlights the natural timber used throughout the space and maintains the warmth and heart of the building long after night has fallen. The building features state-of-the-art amenities for club and community and it is the community that remained central to the design. Sustainable LED lighting provides connection and flow between the building and the lawn by way of gentle illumination of the terraced deck. The public lawn enveloped by the club is flooded with welcome and light that radiates from the club and cascades gently down the steps. The lighting pays homage to the warm and natural timber lines of JCB’s drawings and honours the central and pivotal place the club holds for the local community.
Cobargo House Cobargo, Australia RFS Firefighter Dave and his wife Barb were left homeless after their house was razed by a fire on New Year’s Day 2020. Humble and industrious people, Dave and Barb have spent their life serving others. The Local Project, Breathe Architecture, Davis Construction and Studio All partnered pro-bono with a host of suppliers to design and produce Cobargo House for Dave and Barb during 2021. The house was designed not only to replace what was lost but with a vision to integrate sensitively and sustainably with the landscape. Australian made fittings, donated by generous suppliers, were sourced for the lighting design to create a sustainable and robust family home. Seamlessly incorporated within the landscape, Cobargo House is manifestly mindful of its environment. The house features breathtaking outlooks by way of multiple quiet nooks; subtly emphasised by warm feature lighting. The unobtrusive design scheme allows the calm natural materials of the home to sing, providing mellow ambience for comfortable living. The architectural elements of the
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home are celebrated and complemented using lighting products that are sustainable and suitable for the carbon-neutral build. Studio All was delighted to produce a sustainable and warm lighting scheme for the Cobargo House, inspired by the unique landscape and the humble and generous people who live there.
South Melbourne Market Melbourne, Australia The iconic South Melbourne market is home to SO:ME Space, a unique retail concept dedicated to supporting young and innovative designers and creatives. The design scheme for this space had to be as flexible as the many and varied traders that inhabit and utilise the space. The design features state-of-the-art materials sourced from Lightning Thief and includes bespoke track-mounted spotlights that maximise utility and flexibility. The long and sleek lines maintain elegance in a contemporary industrial and solution-driven design. Wall washers and linears provide structure and add functionality to the space, illuminating the existing industrial components of the market. The lighting scheme for the SO:ME space employs sustainable technology that allows for variegation and adaptability within the space. The scheme remains faithful to its industrial past while maximising the contemporary and multi-faceted ethos of its current caretaker. The resulting multi-purpose design scheme can be adapted to support retail, fashion, music, and theatre.
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Studio All creates technically astute, architectural lighting experiences designed to enhance people’s lives. As an independent lighting design and solutions practice based in Melbourne, it designs, engineers and certifies projects across Australia and abroad. Its installations range all scales and many sectors, including institutional, retail, commercial, residential, and industrial. Whether creating a productive, people-friendly office environment, a thriving community space, or an art installation, Studio All harnesses the latest technology and top industry partners to create tailored solutions for innovative organisations. www.studioall.com.au
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Image: Jackie Chan
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Wellbeing becoming work’s partner – Part Two Continuing the conversation about the relationship between work and wellbeing, Kaye Preston is this time joined by Designers Mind contributor Kael Gillam to talk about the importance of rest.
DESIGNERS MIND KAYE PRESTON & KAEL GILLAM
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In the last issue I discussed the importance of considering wellbeing as work’s partner and how prioritising our health can lead to improved performance, creativity, productivity, better focus and ability to make decisions. This month I want to follow up with a “Part Two” on the subject, focusing specifically on the importance of rest. I’ve also asked Kael Gillam, Principal Lighting Designer at Hoare Lea and Designers Mind contributor to join me in exploring the topic further. Before we dive in, I felt that this quote from Alex Pang, author and former tech consultant – “Rest is not work’s opposite, rest is work’s partner” – was worth revisiting, as it plants a seed for changing our mindsets. It sparked the idea for these two columns while highlighting the importance of taking breaks throughout the day. So, what does rest truly mean for our working day? Taking rest is as essential an act as working because one cannot exist without the other. When we choose to rest, it means that we’ve identified a need to change focus from the world outside us to the world within. Resting is, in a way, about setting boundaries with yourself; it’s knowing how long you can be active and productive without wearing away your mental and physical energies, and acting on that self-awareness. Knowing your limits will be a process that’s very personal, but there are some more universal signs of fatigue that might accompany them. This can take the form of either physical – experiencing eye strain, headaches, or musculoskeletal pain – or mental signals – lack of creativity, feelings of isolation, and inability to make decisions. Viewing rest as a positive action can be challenging in the face of deadlines or personal hardship. It’s easy to feel that rest is ‘cheating’ or that it’s not ‘deserved’ until a goal is met. But if we ignore our body’s signals to rest, then the feelings of overwhelm, tension, and fatigue begin to mount until they are unmanageable and begin to edge towards burnout. And to be clear, rest does not mean ‘sleep’, though we would certainly encourage regular and quality sleep as a boon to both mental
and physical health. Rest can mean writing in a journal, going for a coffee, visiting friends, or taking a holiday. Taking time away from your computer does not mean you’re not still working, it simply means you’ve displaced yourself from your work station. Good ideas and problem solving need not happen in front of a screen; they can happen on a walk through a garden or a trip to the store. We can also plan rest into our day much the same way that we plan meetings or appointments. Blocking out time in our day for ourselves is a reminder that there is no compartmentalising ‘work’ you and ‘life’ you: wellbeing doesn’t get put on hold when you’re in working hours. Our process as creatives is just as fluid and changing as the energy we bring with us, and we should be open and honest about how much and what kind of rest we need on a daily basis. Some days we feel more focused and ready to work on strenuous tasks, some days we are only able to give fleeting moments of attention. Learning your rhythms and signals will allow you to know your boundaries and act on your intuition when you need a break. And, if you work in an office, you might just be a positive influence on others when you make these choices. If your rest looks like finding the company of others, you can take walks or get coffee with colleagues. If rest looks like finding time on your own, you can look for a quiet spot around your workplace to sit and collect your thoughts. No matter what form your rest takes, it should encourage and invigorate you to continue through your day.
What does the research say?
Microsoft’s Human Factors Lab conducted a study (Mar 2021) investigating the impact of taking breaks on our stress levels. The study focused specifically on taking breaks between meetings and the effect having back to back meetings can have on our levels of stress, fatigue, focus and engagement.
“Our process as creatives is just as fluid and changing as the energy we bring with us, and we should be open and honest about what rest we need on a daily basis.”
“Our research shows breaks are important, not just to make us less exhausted by the end of the day, but to actually improve our ability to focus and engage while in those meetings,” says Michael Bohan, senior director of Microsoft’s Human Factors Engineering group. The research was clear, rest between meetings allowed the brain to reset, increased the ability to focus and decreased levels of stress overall. Now what if we applied this research to all tasks and changed our mindsets about the importance of taking breaks throughout the day? It may feel counterproductive to take time away from our desks and work but the research shows the opposite to be true. Here are five strategies to build more rest into your day: 1. Take advantage of natural pauses between tasks. Instead of diving immediately into the next thing, take a few moments for yourself to reset. 2. Plan wellbeing time into your day. Things that aren’t planned often don’t get done. Treat your wellbeing practices like you would a meeting and schedule in the time. 3. Set reminders on your phone. Use tech to your advantage to help create new habits around taking breaks and building moments of rest into your day. 4. Be intentional about meetings. Consider what you want to achieve and also the length of time actually required. 5. Choose activities that calm the mind. Meditation, breathing exercises or a walk outside in nature can all help reduce stress levels. Let’s change our mindsets around rest and start seeing it as a productive part of our day. A partner of our work, an ally to our creativity and focus, a supporter of our physical and mental health, and key to our overall wellbeing. www.designers-mind.com
Image: Mika Korhonen - Unsplash
eye opener
Torre di Barì Sardinia, Italy
The Torre di Barì Sardo stands on a small promontory overlooking the sea on the Italian island of Sardinia. With its construction dating back to 1572, the tower was built to defend the island from looting by Saracen pirates. Built with local granite and basalt rocks, the tower stands at a height of around 13-metres, tapering from 11-metres in diameter at the base to 8-metres at the terrace. Inside there is a small, circular room of around 14sqm. Designed to be a lookout on construction, the tower offers views of around 15km, from Capo Bella Vista to Capo Sferracavallo. The historic monument has been given a new lighting scheme, courtesy of Cagliaribased design studio essequadro | p. The lighting design project focused on the creation of a soft, elegant light, capable of enveloping the entire monument in a homogenous way, leaving only the staircase - recently built following a restoration - in dim light. The lighting engineering approach also involves concentrating the luminous flux within the silhouette of the tower in a move to keep light pollution to a minimum. In addition to the volume of the tower, the openings in the window and entranceway were also highlighted. Utilising fixtures from iGuzzini, the main elements used are custom RGBW with white at 3000K. This solution was chosen to have the correct CCT to enhance the natural colour of the stonework. Alongside this, the two cannons on the sides of the tower were also theatrically
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illuminated with miniaturised projectors with a very delicate and punctual light. To ensure accessibility to the small promontory, even during the night, a small staircase of granite paving stones has been illuminated with bollard lights with a CCT of 2700K, finished in a rust colour to fit in with the surrounding landscape. For each projector used for the general illumination of the tower, shells were made in raw basalt, worked only in the front part for the insertion of the lighting fixture. Each shell weighs more than 500kg, and is designed to camouflage the fixtures in the rocky context, making them difficult to spot during the day. The whole system can be managed via Bluetooth, both in terms of power and colour. Thanks to the perfect control of the light beams, even standing under the tower, visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of the starry sky above. www.essequadrop.com
Image: Studio Vetroblu
talking with…
“Students have to learn to see light, they have to recognise the importance of light as a mediator between people and space.” Professor Dr. Thomas Römhild
After more than 20 years as head of Hochschule Wismar’s Architectural Lighting Master’s Programme, Professor Thomas Römhild is retiring this summer. Here, arc speaks with Römhild about the formation, growth and success of the course.
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Image: Bipin Rao
TALKING WITH... PROF. THOMAS RÖMHILD
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Prof. Dr. Römhild, outside the Department of Architecture building at Hochschule Wismar. Image: Bipin Rao
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ince 2001, the German city of Wismar has become synonymous with lighting design, thanks to the world-renowned Architectural Lighting Master’s programme at Hochschule Wismar University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design. Established by Professor Dr. Thomas Römhild, the course was the first Master’s degree on the subject of architecture and light in Germany, and has, since its formation, become one of the leading qualifications within the lighting design community, serving as a marker of quality for its more than 600 alumni. Following the course’s 20th anniversary last year, Prof. Dr. Römhild is retiring from his role as course leader this summer and as such, arc sat down with him to discuss the formation, and continued success of the course over the years. Prior to establishing the Architectural Lighting course, Römhild was a professor in the Department of Architecture at Hochschule Wismar, and with the growing recognition of lighting design as an independent profession, he spotted an opportunity for an educational programme on the subject. He recalled: “In the previous years, independent designers in Europe began to organise and describe the job profile of lighting design, and it was clear that this also included an opportunity for education in lighting design. We understood that only a university level Master’s programme would fulfil the importance and complexity of the subject.
“Wismar is far away from the centre of the lighting industry in Germany, but the university still offered ideal conditions for the creation of such a course; there was a newly founded architecture course and an education for interior architects and product designers based on the traditions of the old design school in Heiligendamm. There were also departments for mechanical and electrical engineering, which also reoriented themselves – all courses that can make relevant contributions to a new range of courses for lighting designers. “I recognised this potential and brought the necessary players together. With external advice from Prof. Jan Ejhed and Prof. Dr. Heinrich Kramer, considered one of the founding fathers of lighting design in Germany, a study programme was developed that is essentially unchanged to this day.” The study programme in Wismar was the first Master’s degree in light application that was founded in an architecture department, a move that Römhild feels “manifested a new perspective on lighting”. He continued: “The reference to architecture, and thus the view of the people who use the space, expands the understanding of spatial design with light in relation to social and cultural aspects. “This holistic approach is certainly one reason why this course has established itself as pioneering and has proven to be very enduring and successful. Another advantage of the course being taught in English is that it attracts students from across the globe, which has created an international network of graduates.” Alongside the interdisciplinary approach, the fundamentals of the course are rooted in the methods of architecture training, namely through project-oriented teaching. Over the course of the Architectural Lighting programme, students are given several lighting design tasks that cover all facets of a real project. Necessary specialist knowledge is then developed through various tasks, with students learning how to develop, apply and deepen their knowledge. “It is important that the methodological skills for the lighting specific design process are trained,” said Römhild. “In addition, the various forms of influencing lighting are dealt with in a variety of practical exercises – “Light in the Box” and “Light Material” to name just two examples offered by colleagues Prof. Blieske and Prof. Rohde, are seminars that deal with the interaction of light, space, and material. In these practical exercises, students examine the design possibilities with light to experience the influence on visual ambience, the intuitive behaviour, and the function. “The workshops in which the students design and implement atmospheric light installations for or at events are of particular importance. In this way they come into direct contact with their audience, receive feedback and learn to critically evaluate their creative skills. For the same reason, we try to choose the project tasks in such a way that real stakeholders evaluate the students’ results.” Within these practical, architecture-inspired elements, the lighting design programme is based
Lighting design: Jan Dinnebier, Photo: Stefan Wolf Lucks
Custom made spotlight group seventies 70’s The auditorium of the Humboldt University Berlin is illuminated with a custom construction based on mawa’s seventies lighting series. Similar to a bouquet, a bunch of six spotlights sits within each of the 12 ceiling rosettes. The quality of their fit was carefully coordinated with the plasterer. Light color and quality create a comfortable atmosphere, highlight the time-honored surroundings and support audience concentration. Designer seventies 70’s: Jan Blieske, Jan Dinnebier mawa‒design.de Made in Brandenburg
“When it comes to lighting, sufficiency can be summed up in simple words: we use as little light as possible, but we also need as much light as necessary.”
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on the fact that projects with different thematic focuses are processed into three modules, with the basic knowledge and problem awareness conveyed to students through their work on various assignments – it is a formula that Römhild believes has been “tried and tested” over the years. “Building on the basics that are taught in the compulsory subjects of lighting design and daylight, as well as lighting science and, in the second semester, light and technology as well as light and sustainability, this method-oriented training enables students to acquire the current knowledge required for the respective projects and to apply it,” he added. “In addition, the Light and Economics module, and an excursion to the lighting manufacturers, are compulsory. “What is special about the course are the numerous compulsory electives, which enable the students to set their own priorities. For example, one of the electives I offer is called “Light and Symbols”, which deals with the different aspects of light in the context of culture, history, and art in relation to natural phenomena. Another elective offers an opportunity to deepen the knowledge base in technical and conceptual terms for development of new interactive, dynamic indoor and outdoor lighting scenarios.” With such a tried and tested programme in place, Römhild explained that while the course has grown in prominence over the years, its fundamental, interdisciplinary offering has remained relatively consistent. “At the beginning, we set up the course across faculties together with colleagues from mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. Within the faculty, colleagues from architecture, product design and interior design were also involved. Over time this collaboration has diminished, mainly due to downsizing and organisational changes, but the interdisciplinary approach has still remained. “Organisational changes and the involvement of individuals from much broader or more specific backgrounds have added unique value to the content and the character of teaching. However, this does not mean a fundamental change, but rather the advancement of content. The diversity of projects also means that no two semesters are the same, and that new tasks are constantly being introduced into the course.” That being said, the technological advances within the lighting industry have meant that certain elements of the programme have adapted over the years, as Römhild elaborated: “Our teaching method comprises of a situation-related, dynamic conceptual approach towards design projects. But initially the approach was mainly related to static architectural and mono-functional aspects. Over the years, a more dynamic view on the tasks is possible and dynamic solutions made feasible, at the same time employed to more user-centred lighting. This is accompanied by research projects and teaching subject areas of controls and daylight as a natural model for constantly changing dynamic lighting. “At the moment, three full-time professors teach and research on the course: Prof. Michael Rohde,
with a focus on Light-Space Communication; Prof. Jan Blieske on an endowed professorship, with a focus on Light Applications in Architecture, half of which is also used for research; and myself, focusing on Design, Building, Climate and Lighting Planning.” One of the driving forces behind the adaptation of the course, Römhild explained, was the introduction of a part-time “blended learning” course in lighting design 10 years ago. The course, offered by Römhild together with his colleague Prof. Dr. Marcus Hackel is a combination of face-to-face and online classes and fuses topics surrounding architectural lighting design and design management to span the spectrum from architectural lighting through planning practice to the professional management of lighting projects. “In development of the study programme, with contributions by Prof. Dr. Harald Hofmann, I also invited many well-known colleagues to be part of the programme, such as Roger Narboni, Paul Traynor, Nathan Thompson, and colleagues from KMUTT in Bangkok – Prof. Dr. Chanyaporn Bstieler and Prof. Dr. Acharawan Chutarat,” Römhild continued. “This introduced new content, which in turn influenced the on-campus course as well.” Through it all though, Römhild said that there is an overarching philosophy within the Architectural Lighting programme at Wismar, that he has sought to instil within his students over the past 20 years. “Lighting design means shaping light, or shaping space with light,” he said. “Lighting design can be described as a creative process that aims to achieve functional, atmospheric, and emotionally touching lighting in a specific physical environment, according to the situation defined by the task, the expected behaviour, and the social position of the user, taking into account the demands of human physiology and psychology, as well as the environment. “The aim of the training is to sensitise the students to the complexity of the task. I like to say that the students have to learn to see light, they have to recognise the importance of light as a mediator between people and space. “The interaction of people, light and space with the corresponding interfaces to lighting technology is the core of the education. Lighting designers trained at Hochschule Wismar not only have the ability to creatively design lighting, but also have knowledge of the relevant areas of architecture and interior design, as well as electrical, photometric, and building climate control.” With this in mind, the teachers offer various tasks to integrate into the various modules, with practical exercises – where students develop a concept for an existing architectural structure and experiment with in-house luminaires – a very important part of the course. The faculty also includes a light laboratory, led by Bipin Rao, which offers a large experimental space for students. The space contains an artificial sky and an artificial sun, as well as movable ceilings and variable walls. “Bipin brings his expertise to the hands-on
Studio De Schutter
“Prof. Dr. Römhild has been my mentor for many years. I first met him during my studies at Hochschule Wismar, where he was my professor and later thesis advisor. His deep understanding of light and atmosphere became a constant source of inspiration. While writing my thesis, his mentorship truly elevated my research and allowed me to win an award as the Young Lighting Designer of the Year in 2012. I am sincerely grateful to him for this and believe that this was largely because of his input and guidance. In the years after graduating from Wismar he has continued to be my mentor and friend. I always look forward to meeting him on occasions like the workshops for Kronach in Lights. While talking about light at one of these events, his sometimes small observations are deeply insightful and his critical eye helps me to reflect and improve my approach. Prof. Römhild’s style of teaching fosters creative and individual thinking. Through his words, he invites one to observe and gain a true understanding of light. Thank you Prof. Römhild for sharing your philosophy!”
Kerem Asfuroglu Dark Source
“By being one of the founding members of this community, Prof. Römhild is responsible for inducting generations to lighting design who now radiate his passion and knowledge across the globe. He has always been one of the critical supporters of why philosophy and culture of lighting should remain essential to its design. His treasured contributions to the profession and the vision of many will never be forgotten.”
Vladan Paunovic Henning Larsen
“Prof. Dr. Römhild’s vision for lighting design education on the international level gave me the opportunity to obtain my Master’s in architectural lighting and meet cool people from around world. Many of them have become lifetime friends. Always calm, easily approachable, and good-natured, Prof. Römhild has been there to foster ideas and initiatives through all these years. On the personal level, I will always be grateful for the opportunity I got at IGEL, the office that Prof. Römhild co-owned. That job kick-started my lighting design career.”
Image: Martin Flugelman
TALKING WITH... THOMAS RÖMHILD
Sabine De Schutter
Dr. Amardeep M. Dugar
Lighting Research & Design
“Prof. Dr. Römhild has always been a person who cares for each individual student by patiently creating an environment with a growth mindset where we weren’t only allowed to succeed but also to fail. I was able to realise my long-time dream of pursuing a PhD primarily because of his constant encouragement and correct guidance at the right time.”
Franziska Holmsted Light Bureau
“I had the pleasure of having Prof. Dr. Römhild as a teacher during my Master’s course from 2005 - 2007. Beside his pleasant and open-minded nature, I remember him as a highly competent, engaged, and passionate person with a true interest in lighting. I’m very grateful that he was one of the driving forces behind establishing the Lighting Design Master’s course in Wismar, my hometown, with a balanced and comprehensive programme that combined lighting design and technique. I wish him all the best for his future.”
Thomas Oram Gillard Group
“It has been my great pleasure and privilege to have had Prof. Dr. Römhild as a mentor during my time studying Architectural Lighting Design at Hochschule Wismar. His passion for lighting design and willingness to share what he has learnt over his academic and professional career has been truly inspiring. While he has a lot to say about lighting, he is also a very keen listener and always tries to make time for his students. As a current student, I feel very fortunate to have benefitted from his tutelage directly and know that future students will also benefit from the great programme he has helped establish over the past 20 years. I wish him all the best for his retirement from the on-campus programme.”
Saurabh Sachdev Atkins London
“Very seldom one comes across individuals that have such a profound influence on one’s life - Prof. Dr. Römhild has had such an influence on not just my professional but personal life as well. I owe everything I am to Prof. Römhild. Sir, you are my true mentor. All the very best for the future.”
Pizzie Holmsted “In Stockholm, I heard that Hochschule Wismar, and Prof. Dr. Römhild, were providing opportunities for exchange students, and found the opportunity to become an exchange student myself, going to Wismar. During this time, I found Prof. Röhmhild to be the most inspiring, competent professor and a skilled teacher/tutor, and feel in debt for the solid counselling and support during the work of my final thesis.”
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workshops and gives classes that help students with simulation programmes and lighting control,” Römhild added. While the course has adapted with the times over the past 20 years, modifying certain modules and focuses in line with technological advances and attitudes towards architectural lighting, Römhild explained how the faculty has, alongside other higher education facilities around the world, kept abreast of industry developments to ensure that its offering is always up-to-date. “Through various research projects in the field of daylight, lighting of public spaces, light and health or light in the preservation of monuments, we have worked with researchers from other universities to deepen relevant topics. “We have strengthened the resulting network through symposia such as the regular Light Symposium in cooperation with Aalborg University Copenhagen and KTH in Stockholm, the Dynamic Light conference and Licht Campus 2019, which was organised in cooperation with several universities, and a new row of conferences named “Light and Heritage”. All colleagues involved in both courses are practicing architectural lighting designers also.” After more than 20 years as the head of the Architectural Lighting Master’s programme, Römhild is set to retire this summer, and while he has largely withdrawn from the organisational work in the lead up to this, he said that he still works with students “with undiminished intensity”, particularly now that students are back on campus in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite his impending retirement though, he is showing no signs of slowing down: “Together with my colleague Prof. Dr. Marcus Hackel, I hope to be able to continue managing and teaching in the blended learning programme for a few more years,” he said. “I was also elected Chairman of the LiTG, Germany’s lighting society. The now 110-yearold association of people who are professionally involved with lighting is an incredibly exciting association in which various aspects of light are dealt with, be it in research and the communication of research results, further education, as well as in the practical application of how lighting knowledge is offered by the members of this community.” As he begins to look to the future, Römhild doesn’t know for sure what will come next within the lighting industry, however with the extensive experience he has gained since starting his doctorate on the symbolism of artificial lighting 40 years ago, he can offer some predictions: “My work at the university and in the LiTG gives me a good insight into future developments, but I don’t have a crystal ball,” he said. “As with everywhere else, the discussions are currently very much in the direction of sustainability. But what does sustainability mean for lighting and the lighting industry? For industry, the further development of production methods seems to be moving in the direction of product flexibility with resource-saving use of materials. For the user, the focus is on the possibility of individual use of light with low energy consumption and
TALKING WITH... THOMAS RÖMHILD
undesirable side effects such as light pollution. “We held a conference last year to celebrate 20 years of Lighting Design at Wismar, and one of the results of lectures and discussions at the event was the demand for sufficiency of lighting – i.e., only providing the light that is needed. In the research project ‘Dynamic Lighting of Public Spaces’, we examined how the design process would have to look in order to really be able to offer lighting that meets people’s needs. It has become clear that static lighting systems will become more and more questionable in the future and that a lighting system must enable a variety of scenarios. That brings us back to the requirements for industry. In addition to the versatile lights, control systems and interfaces must also be offered that enable customised lighting situations. “For the lighting design, especially for a dynamic solution, similar to software design, it applies that an individual, interdisciplinary task is a prerequisite for successful planning. The holistic planning approach makes it possible to develop lighting that is understood as a prerequisite for a differentiated, atmospherically dense, multifunctional, resource and environmentally friendly urban space in
the morning, evening and night, and not as a necessary addition to be planned purely in terms of lighting technology.” With this in mind, Römhild shared the key piece of advice that he has given to students over the years: “One of the results of the 20 Years Lighting Design conference was the demand to get by with less light in public spaces. When it comes to lighting, sufficiency can be summed up in simple words: We use as little light as possible, but we also need as much light as necessary. Only a precise analysis of the task can lead to the determination of the required quality, quality in the holistic, sustainable sense. This can then result in an individually optimised solution that meets the requirements of the user. “It takes time and commitment don’t let yourself be put under pressure, do your job properly!” With more than 600 graduates from Hochschule Wismar’s Architectural Lighting programme over the last 20 years, it’s safe to say that, on the eve of his retirement, Professor Dr. Thomas Römhild has been doing his job properly for some time. www.hs-wismar.de
eye opener
Image: iart
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Novartis Pavillon Basel, Switzerland Designed by AMDL Circle and Michele De Lucchi, the Novartis Pavillon has opened in Basel, Switzerland. Located on the Novartis Campus, the new exhibition, meeting and event centre is the first publicly accessible building on site that aims to promote a dialogue about life sciences and become a resource that showcases the past, present and future of healthcare. The Milan-based architecture practice was appointed to design the new structure following an international design
competition in 2017 – the building becomes the latest on site to be designed by highprofile architects such as David Chipperfield, Tadao Ando and Frank Gehry. Intended to be a place of learning, knowledge and exchange for the general public, bringing the world of science and medicine closer to the community, the Novartis Pavillon will house Wonders of Medicine, a permanent multimedia exhibition designed by Atelier Brückner. The new building also features a distinctive, zero-energy media façade that plays a symbolic role in the architecture, AMDL Circle carried out a series of parametric design studies to define the geometry and graphic image of the façade which was further designed and engineered in collaboration with iart. The façade uses a
new generation of organic photovoltaic and a grid of LED lights to screen the works of three international artists: Daniel Canogar, Esther Hunziker and Semiconductor. Curated by HEK (House of Electronic Arts), the selected artists collaborated with scientists to develop light installations inspired by the shapes and colours of cells and molecules, as well as the themes of sustainability and the convergence of art and science. Featuring a custom-made, double-sided RGBW LED system developed by iart, one LED faces outwards, the other towards the metal shell behind the façade, where the light reflects and shimmers back out through semi-transparent solar modules. In combination with the front LED, this creates two levels of light. Valentin Spiess, Chairman and Founder of iart, said: “Based on the idea of a network of cells, the façade spans the building as a semi-transparent membrane. Organic photovoltaics combined with LEDs create a symbiosis of material and light, resulting in a multi-layered appearance. The required energy is produced by the membrane itself, thus realising our vision of a zero-energy media façade.” www.amdlcircle.com
Theatre Royal Drury Lane London, UK
One of the oldest theatres in London’s West End, the Grade I listed Theatre Royal Drury Lane has recently undergone a £60m renovation. BDP delivered the new lighting, merging heritage and modern elements in one harmonious scheme 052 / 053
PROJECT
PROJECT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE
he Grade I listed Theatre Royal Drury Lane has been standing in London’s West End, in some form, since 1663. One of the oldest theatres still in use in the city, the site has been rebuilt three times across its history, most recently in 1812 by Benjamin Dean Wyatt, although his auditorium was lost in 1922 in that refurbishment. Now owned by renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, the theatre has been through a full restoration over the last few years, reopening to the public in July 2021. As part of the extensive work, BDP revitalised both the exterior and interior lighting, bringing a new light to the space while carefully honouring the original 19th century lighting features. “Our approach was to consider how we could create contemporary lighting effects that clearly drew inspiration from the past,” said Jono Redden, Senior Lighting Designer at BDP. “On day one, what was apparent was that the client was looking to provide a modern experience within a traditional theatre. The lighting needed to reveal the architecture, provide drama and atmosphere without distracting from the historical relevance of the building.”
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With this in mind, BDP developed a concept that shone a spotlight on the heritage lighting elements, which was then highlighted and accentuated with subtle, modern additions. Colin Ball, Lighting Director at BDP, added: “The concept fuses a combination of stage technologies and the latest low energy LED lamps with the 18th century process of glass cutting and low-level integrated candelabra to create a warm ambience in keeping with the historic interiors and Wyatt’s original drawings. “Theatre Royal Drury Lane has always been at the forefront of lighting technology, whether whale oil, gas or electricity – and this scheme is no exception. We merged lighting methods of the 19th and 21st centuries; dimming technologies used previously on stage and in the auditoria have been adopted throughout the whole building to maximise flexibility and balance the same level of sensitivity and ambience across all areas of the visitor experience.” Throughout the design process, BDP worked very closely with architect Haworth Tompkins, undergoing extensive research, even including determining how each paint finish looks in daylight and under artificial light. Drawings, financial records and publications from the long history of the theatre were studied to determine the focus of the lighting in each space, whether low level standard, wall sconce or chandelier. Ball continued: “Each individual space looks to the original design of 1812 to determine the focus of the lighting. Using this as our starting point, we employed a series of hidden fixtures to reduce contrast, wash ceilings, spotlight artworks or integrated details to fixed furniture, steps, or handrails. This collection of hidden details suggests that the light emanates from the historic light fixtures. “Sections by Benjamin Wyatt unearthed from the national archives revealed his desire for low level candle lanterns integrated within the handrails. Although technically very difficult to achieve with modern systems, cable was threaded through original stone and handrails to remain faithful to this intent.” Another key example of modern technologies used to honour the historical significance of the project came with the recreation of some of Wyatt’s original lighting fixtures; a lantern from one of his surviving stately homes was laser scanned and a virtual model was created and adapted to the theatre proportions, with 3D printed new moulds produced to cast the iron posts using traditional methods appropriate to 1812. One of the last remaining blacksmiths in the country then created the lanterns using the same original technique dating from the theatre’s inception. “The new torchieres were painstakingly detailed and fixed directly onto the original balustrades with minimal alterations,” Ball explained. “A carefully calculated internal void allowed all cabling to route internally without affecting the thickness or structural integrity of the main body.” Meanwhile all diffusers in the chandeliers and sconces were handblown and cut, according to
City Sanctuary
The Museum of the Duomo of Milan. Featuring treasures, sculptures and artwork related to the history of the landmark Duomo building in the heart of Milan city.
02–06 October 2022 Find us at Hall 3.0 Stand F31 Frankfurt am Main
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client heritage expert, Simon Thurley,” he said. “There were constant issues of getting cables to new fittings, where and how to fix original fabric and how to build in flexibility. From a heritage perspective, a big challenge was ensuring what we were proposing provided the right experience for this type of building. The lighting had to add to the drama and atmosphere but never overwhelm or detract from the building’s original form. Safety and inclusion were also challenging and where light levels were kept to a minimum, we had to focus light onto multiple surfaces to increase the perception of brightness and provide contrast to changes of elevation.” The biggest challenge for BDP though, came with the integration of modern lighting within the historic interiors. In the 1920s auditorium, just as the architecture changed the geometry of the seating and the balconies, the lighting had to deliver expected contemporary standards without a change of appearance. “We had to take each ‘Empire’ fitting and local ceiling moulding to redistribute and increase the density to provide a uniformity to a modern standard,” Ball explained. “This required a series of fittings to be duplicated with all original fittings improved to the same finish quality. Existing fittings were tested and input into calculation models to demonstrate in advance the lighting improvement. Where the visual duplication was known to fall below requirements to read programmes, a series of discrete hidden ceiling details were included to ensure that every seat had a good light level, but also angle of light, to read a programme.” Elsewhere, the Grand Saloon repurposes large chandeliers found in storage and re-shaped, moulded and recast in Georgian proportions, while wall lanterns were created from pencil sketches found within the archives. The crystal pendants in the foyer were scaled up to two metres in diameter and fitted with both diffuser and chrome spotlights, remaining true to their original appearance but with hidden projection. Meanwhile, a series of private rooms are mostly lit from perimeter paintings and localised furniture, enabling the crystal pendants to stay dimmed to 10%, while hidden spotlights in the chandeliers provide table accenting. Redden added: “As a lighting designer, doing too much or too little was always a concern as interiors changed and we moved further away from some of the original concepts. “The light output needed to be soft and diffuse without becoming too ambiguous. All the new lighting needed to complement the traditional fitting both in terms of form and in light output. “For instance, the hidden Erco spotlights in the roof void lighting the artwork on the walls provides a broad, soft wash of light rather than focused frame lighting, as that would be too much at odds with the textured light given from the torchiere crystal diffusers. “The concealed spotlights above the cornice in the Grand Saloon create a soft, dappled uplight to create the impression of uplight from the chandeliers. With the exception of the building
PROJECT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE
19th century techniques, including ironmongery and cut glass. From an architectural perspective, a central part of the project’s vision was to reveal and restore Wyatt’s foyers and staircase – “arguably the most impressive Georgian sequence of public interior spaces in existence”, according to Ball – and to “democratise the previously segregated circulation into the auditorium”. “For the first time in almost a century, the auditorium can be entered directly from street level without needing to go via the basement level,” Ball continued. “A new lift, along with fully accessible circulation at each level, has ensured that every audience member can now experience the grandeur of the architecture, and by opening up the original foyer entrances on three sides and removing later accretions, the front of house foyer has been restored to its former glory.” The close working relationship between BDP and Haworth Tompkins extended to the specification process as well, as Redden explained: “Each new lighting type specified started with a conversation on the space, before BDP used our knowledge to find a suitable product. “We then did thorough sample reviews with the architects, looking at aesthetics, fixing details, light quality, and custom finishes. Almost every fitting on the schedule has in some way been changed from standard. Haworth Tompkins were open to us leading the specification and as the project progressed and trust developed, we were able to influence each other’s packages to ensure the best results.” Despite revamping the lighting throughout, one of the key tenets of BDP’s scheme was for light levels to be kept as low as possible throughout the day and evening; the optics and finishes of the corridors and spaces were designed with vertical illumination to ensure that the eye could comfortably adjust from daylight, into the 50lx interior of the auditorium. Each corridor leading to the auditorium is lit with a flexible gallery system of accenting paintings, so that while transitioning through these spaces, the eye imperceptibly adjusts to darker light levels. Each change of level or collection of vertical details are illuminated locally to create a space that appears ‘warm’, rather than ‘dark’. To further add to the ‘warm’ aesthetic, while paying homage to the classic Georgian finishes, BDP used modern technology to give the revamped lanterns a traditional feel, with a theatrical control system creating a “simulated flicker” to be broadcast through the standard lamps, matching the original 1812 lighting scheme as closely as possible. Redden added: “Flicker speed intensity and times of activation were carefully reviewed to ensure the “candlelight” never became a gimmick and always felt effective.” While BDP and Haworth Tompkins worked tirelessly to ensure that the heritage elements of this Grade I listed venue were preserved and showcased, Redden explained that it was not without its difficulties. “A huge amount of research was done between the lighting designers, architects and
Throughout the renovated Theatre Royal Drury Lane, BDP kept architectural lighting interventions to a minimum, with discrete additions complementing the revitalised heritage aspects, such as the chandeliers, wall sconces and lanterns.
PROJECT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE
Client: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lighting Design: BDP, UK Architect: Haworth Tompkins, UK Lighting Suppliers: Architainment, Dernier & Hamlyn, Ecosense, Erco, Factorylux, Flos, KKDC, LED Linear, LightGraphix, Orluna, Sugg Lighting, TM Lighting, Wilkinson Photography: Philip Vile, Tom Niven
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exterior crown, linear fittings used opal diffusers to avoid typical architectural graze lighting that would have been inappropriate in this type of interior. “Where possible, we used discrete architectural lighting to supplement the heritage lighting. However, the “traditional” lighting was essentially designed and built from the ground up to ensure the correct period aesthetics whilst being purposeful lighting elements.” Despite the various challenges that the design team faced, Redden can now look back on the finished scheme with a lot of pride, especially having seen how it benefits the theatre as a whole. “Keeping the project going through two years of Covid shutdown required vast amounts of courage and determination from everyone involved, we are very happy with the results and to have contributed our part. “The feedback from the client and public has been very positive,” he said. “We were invited to a soft opening and dress rehearsal performance of the new show, and it was fantastic to experience firsthand exactly how the lighting both supports and complements the venue.
“It should be taken as a compliment, but sometimes the success of the lighting also means the level of work done is not easily recognised. People are often surprised to discover the torchieres didn’t exist prior to the refurb, or that the chandeliers have taken years of development. A lot of the lighting goes unnoticed, as it should. “One of my favourite aspects is the picture lighting. By turning each space into a gallery, we’ve created a much more unique approach to providing a low level of general lighting that makes sure each room feels welcoming as you move around the building. The architecture, interior design and lighting have an equal balance and the level of coordination is evident between each discipline.” www.bdp.com
talking with…
“Representation and conversations around privilege are so important. It makes people of colour feel like we are being seen.” Sanjit Bahra
As conversations surrounding diversity continue to grow across the lighting design industry, Sanjit Bahra, Founder and Director of DesignPlusLight opens up on the lack of representation he has felt throughout his career.
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Top right: Bibo Restaurant, London, UK (Image: Mel Yates) Bottom right: Bahra speaking at [d]arc sessions MEA, alongside Graham Rollins, LDI (Image: Gavriil Papadiotis)
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ver the past 12 months, the topic of representation and diversity has been ever-present within the lighting industry. From our own interviews, to panel discussions, to wider conversations, there is a continuous examination of privilege, and how we can make this community more diverse, more equitable and more accessible. These conversations have been warmly welcomed by Sanjit Bahra, Founder and Director of DesignPlusLight, who, as a gay man of colour, has felt that since he first entered lighting in the mid 90s, there needs to be greater representation within the industry. “When I started in lighting, there was hardly any male persons of colour in the industry”, he told arc. “I’d walk into award ceremonies and be confronted by a sea of white faces. It’s something I have become used to in life. However, It’s exhausting feeling like I have to jump through hoops, overly compensate or adjust myself to suit the narrative before me. It might be a feeling or a perception, but it’s a perception that has been nurtured over the years.” Growing up, Bahra recalled going to school in England the early 80s “where in a school of 350 there were only two brown faces and no black kids. From an early age I was constantly reminded that I was different. “Every person of colour knows that they have to work twice as hard to get the same opportunities, generally, in the west,” he added. “When you have that awareness, it’s like you have to turn up the dial, you never quite relax. The continual experience of ‘otherness’ creates a layer of hyper vigilance, performance and adaptation. A survival mode that can follow throughout life. “That’s why representation and the conversations around privilege are so important – it makes you feel like you are being seen. When you see yourself being reflected back when you enter a room, switch on the TV or open a magazine you are being told that there is a place for you in this world, in this industry, in the space that you inhabit – unedited, unfiltered, just as you are.” These conversations have inspired Bahra to step forward and put himself out there, to give emerging designers the figurehead that he never had. “I never saw anyone like me when I entered the lighting design industry, but I’m no longer the young kid on the block. I’m approaching 50, I have my own successful lighting business. I need to be the one standing up and saying ‘here I am’ to people who look like me and say ‘you can do it too’. “I know that within my culture, for Asian men, the career stream is often the well-trodden doctor/ lawyer/finance route, or architect/engineer if it’s within the design field. Lighting is such an obscure niche and I feel that if the younger me could have said ‘hey I want to be a lighting designer’ and pointed to another ‘me’ that had made a success of it, my path would have been easier. As an Indian man who runs my own lighting design business in London, I would like to say to my culture and to the wider world that there is a place for you here, this is a viable avenue.” As for his own entry into lighting design, like many
in this field, Bahra says he “just fell into it and it all makes sense retrospectively”. “The charm of the industry is that everybody comes from different angles and backgrounds, so you get a very mixed team. Diversity is already inherent within the industry and that does make for a wider and more accepting perspective,” he said. Bahra’s background was originally in medicine, as he trained to be a doctor, before leaving in his fourth year of studies. He explained: “I got through school on an art scholarship, but because I was also good at sciences, I went to the sort of schools and come from the kind of background where academia is promoted over art. So medicine seemed like the obvious choice. I was in an environment that believed that art was ‘more of a hobby’ if you could do something else. When I decided to leave medicine, I thought ‘if I’m going to do it, I better leave properly and go in completely the opposite direction’. So, I left to do something artistic, with more of a dream than a plan. “But rather than requalifying and starting from scratch, I did a Master’s in Ergonomics at UCL – whilst I was studying medicine, I got a BSc in Psychology there. So I felt this was a way that I could bridge the gap into something a little more creative without having to do a foundation in art as it was building on my current degree. “During my Master’s there was a module in lighting that was taught by Kevin Mansfield from the Bartlett School of Architecture. That was the only thing that really excited me and I went on to complete a thesis with the Bartlett. That’s how I found out about lighting.” After completing his Master’s, Bahra recalls sending his CV out far and wide to lighting design and architecture practices. “I probably could have wallpapered my bedroom with the amount of rejection letters that came through,” he said. “The whole reason for me leaving medicine at the age that I did and not finishing was because I was young enough and stupid enough to do it. The longer that you leave things in life, the harder it gets to make a change. I knew that I was gung-ho enough to do it. I think the sheer hutzpah of it all meant that people would even entertain me. “And so, right place right time, Lighting Design International had an opening. I went to them, spoke to Sally Storey and said, ‘I am a blank slate, I’ll learn and work hard’. She took me on, and I started from ground zero. “It was interesting because I hardly knew anything about the world of architecture and interiors. I was sitting in meetings not knowing what a pilaster was, but I would nod and make notes and then do the research. I bought a book on architectural terminology, because there was no Google in the 90s, and found out about corbels and lintels and credenzas. I kept my mouth shut, my ears open and I grafted hard. Timing is everything and this was a good time and place to learn.” From this entry point, Bahra spent 12 years with Lighting Design International, rising to the position of Associate Designer, before making the decision in 2008 to leave and establish his own studio, DesignPlusLight.
TALKING WITH... SANJIT BAHRA
TALKING WITH... SANJIT BAHRA
“The charm of the lighting industry is that everybody comes from different angles and backgrounds, so you get a very mixed team.” Princess Square, The Lexicon, Bracknell, UK (Image: Stuart Bailey Photography)
“I set up my business because I wanted to be involved in the majority of my projects, and having the company be the size that it is means that I can do this and pick and choose the type of work we want to do,” he explained. “One of the first jobs that I did was Les Ambassadeurs casino, which was a phenomenal job to start out with. Starting a business just before a huge financial crisis was not the easiest thing to do. However, there have been so many ‘unprecedented circumstances’ in the past 14 years that I am so well versed in thinking ‘ok so what’s coming next?’” Since establishing DesignPlusLight in 2008, Bahra’s aim for the studio has been to “bring tasteful, discrete, beautifully-designed lighting to all projects”, but he explained that his wider mantra has been “just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should”. “I think the quiet space is very important,” he continued. “Once you know how to be a lighting designer, you can put lights anywhere and everywhere, and certainly that’s possible with the technology that we have now. For us, it isn’t about ‘can we light a space?’ – we can. What separates us is the quiet space, the bits that we don’t light. “Being a good lighting designer, you have to take your ego out of it, because it’s not about you, it’s about the client; the same space would be lit differently depending on who the client or the 064 / 065
interior designer is. It’s about what is right for the client and that process is like divining for water. It’s an art, a kind of dark magic art where you feel your way through the process. That’s what keeps us excited.” Throughout DesignPlusLight’s portfolio of projects, the firm has worked on an extensive range of hospitality and high-end residential projects. While Bahra doesn’t have a favourite project, there are areas that he particularly enjoys working on. “I love spas, I always have, because you can’t get away with anything in spas,” he said. “In a restaurant or a hotel, you have a lot of ambient noise, be it visually or acoustic. If things don’t go quite as planned there are always last minute tricks that you can use to overcome or disguise the problem. Whereas in spas, there’s very little interior design softness that you can bring into a space. There’s a hardscape of interiors, and the senses are so magnified that you’ve got to get the journey right, the acoustics right and the lighting right. If something isn’t onpoint then you notice it immediately. That’s where the magic of lighting design really shines through. “I love gardens as well, because what you get during the day and what you get at night are two different experiences. And that takes careful consideration – too little lighting and a garden can feel disjointed and sparse at night. A tad too much and you slip into ‘gauche’, which is so often done. I
find on high-end residential projects, working with the budgets and high calibre interior designers, that kind of design is unparalleled - you really get to stretch your wings and create the sublime. We aim take that experience and deliver it across the rest of our range of work.” While parallels could be drawn between Bahra’s interest in spas and wellness, and his educational background in medicine, he is unsure whether this more scientific-based entryway into lighting has shaped his approach. “I don’t know because you don’t know anything other than yourself,” he said. “I always wondered how it would all make sense in the end, and what’s interesting is the wellness aspect of lighting. The science and physics of it all is becoming more prevalent, and there isn’t an aspect of it that I don’t fully understand. When we talk about the melanopsin receptors in the eye, I know the anatomy of the eye inside out, I know how rods and cones work, I know about the neocortex and the trigeminal nerve, because I had to learn all of that. For me, it’s just another string to my bow, and I feel very privileged to have had that knowledge – the anatomy, the biochemistry, the physics – and then to have had a career in the more creative aspect. It creates a unique and wellrounded perspective.”
Vitra Showroom, London, UK (Image: Sanjit Bahra)
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Despite entering the world of lighting from a medical background, rather than from a formal design education, Bahra feels that the best way to effectively learn about lighting design is through hands-on experience. “You can’t just study lighting,” he said. “I mean, you can (and I did) but a lot of people come into lighting thinking they know it all because they have a degree in it. It really helps to know the theory of lighting, but you can only learn lighting and interior design by grafting. You need to put the time in. I feel very lucky that I’ve had that time. The reason I left my previous profession at the age I did, was because I knew I needed time to learn and graft and get the notches on the bedpost. “You cannot shortcut it. It takes a while to really understand, eat, feel, breathe and master a skill. Be it lighting or interior design or anything else. I think they call it the 10,000 hours rule.” Now that Bahra has more than 25 years’ experience within lighting design and is beginning to consider himself an “elder” amongst the community, he is hoping that he can use his position as a prominent business owner to boost the profile of people of colour within the industry – a decision that came to him after speaking with Nishi Shah, Creative Director at Lighting Design International and former colleague. “I spoke with Nishi after she spoke at the Women in Lighting Global Gathering. She said it’s not the kind of thing that she would normally do, but she realised that she had to represent,” Bahra recalled. “She said to me ‘there are quite a lot of women of colour and Asian women in the industry, but not many of you’. I realised that she’s right – I then asked myself why. “I think there is a cultural perception that women can enter into more ‘fun’ jobs and that perhaps design is not perceived to be that ‘masculine or serious’ a job unless you’re an architect. Putting all generalisations and presumptions aside, all I really want to say is that there are other avenues. By putting my best foot forward, it educates people about this. “It’s not necessarily about colour, it’s about representing the industry as a whole, showing all the different feathers in the industry, like Nishi has done, and like Sally Storey did – she was one of the first women in lighting, and I am sure it was tough for her. In the mid 90s the only two people of colour in the industry at the time were myself and Nishi – a woman and a gay man. We just have to keep putting ourselves forward, showing up and saying that there is space for everyone. “Being a lighting designer means you traverse and mingle the full gamut of the built environment, from getting mucky on site with contractors, being technical and all ‘physics-y’ with electricians, to being all high level inspirational with designers and clients. It takes a great deal of skill and confidence to see a project through and across all of those elements – each of them bringing their own set of challenges. That’s why representation matters – it helps to navigate all of that without feeling ‘othered’ – that you are accepted and respected. That applies to a whole range of categories: colour,
TALKING WITH... SANJIT BAHRA
RAC Club, London, UK (Image: Stuart Bailey Photography)
sexuality, gender. That’s why no one person can claim the whole narrative - it takes many to fully represent. “Some of the reasons why I kept my head below the parapet were those reasons of not being represented, and it can be exhausting and isolating. Unless we talk about these things, you sometimes think that you’re on your own but there is a commonality, and you can ask for help. I come from a generation and a time where you did things on your own, but you don’t need to anymore. In a post-pandemic world, you can ask for help and lean on people a bit more. There’s a community and support there if you ask.” However, Bahra added that he has always felt a level of support from his peers. “The lighting design industry has always been a bit more aware of difference and we’re a very accepting bunch. I think that’s because we fit in between every other discipline. I’ve never felt that as a gay man I couldn’t be myself within the profession. There is an awareness and an acceptance, we just need to talk about it more. “A really wonderful and heart-warming recent moment was when we led the talk about diversity and representation at [d]arc sessions in Mykonos last year. A cis, straight, white, 50-year-old man entered the conversation and said some really
amazing and impactful things in that forum. I really loved that, and I love that we’re in a world where issues like toxic masculinity and stress and diversity can be discussed. We’re lucky that the profession supports this. We just have to keep at it, keep raising the profile for all the different minorities within the industry.” Going forward, Bahra is hoping that he can continue to add to the dialogue, and maybe serve as the mentor that he wishes he had. “I always ask myself ‘what value am I bringing?’ I don’t want to be another person chatting for the sake of it. What can I do to help the industry with my experience, to make it better and easier for other people? Even if it’s being an ambassador to teach the wider design industry about lighting. If the availability of lighting to the wider industry is raised, then we all win. “The future is collaboration,” he concluded. “I think it would be wonderful if teams of designers come together rather than grow apart. Collaboration rather than big overarching companies doing everything, is how you keep the design fresh and how you keep your narrative current. The future can be exciting. There is so much beauty, elegance and serenity that humans are capable of creating and it’s such a privilege to be a part of that.” www.designpluslight.com
eye opener
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SCIENTIA Bilbao, Spain
Created by Peruvian-born, American artist Grimanesa Amorós for the Wellbeing Summit in Bilbao, SCIENTIA is a monumental, site-specific light sculpture installed at the Atrium of Azkuna Zentroa-AlhÓndiga Bilbao, Society and Contemporary Culture. The piece, spanning 60ft x 35ft x 25ft, opened for the Wellbeing Summit, and will remain in place throughout the summer of 2022. “Creating immersive, large-scale sculptures requires an understanding of how our environment affects our state of mind and wellbeing,” said Amorós. “SCIENTIA will engage visitors in a dialogue with the surrounding architecture and community, encouraging moments of self-reflection and personal realisation while simultaneously creating connection through the medium of light.” The project’s name, SCIENTIA, is a Latin word meaning knowledge, experience and expertise, The word implies a socially interactive activity; the seeking and sharing of wisdom. Amorós believes that the artwork explores the human connection using our elemental understanding of the world – fire, water, earth and light. “Through this
primordial immersion, SCIENTIA provides a means of accessing our emotional selves that nurtures wellbeing and promotes community engagement,” Amorós added. The Wellbeing Summit for Social Change was a global event bringing together social change, governmental, arts and business leaders working at the intersection of individual and collective wellbeing, held in Bilbao from 1-3 June. The summit consisted of ground-breaking talks, conversations and panel discussions highlighting the connections between individual, organisational and societal wellbeing. Speakers delved into how a deeply embedded culture of wellbeing can alter and inform our approach to driving positive, systemic change, and how the arts can play an integral role in the development of a new language for inner wellbeing and social change, providing a greater understanding and expression of the human experience. www.grimanesaamoros.com www.thewellbeingsummit2022.org www.akzunazentroa.eus
Image: Grimanesa AmorÓs Studio
Apple Marina Bay Sands Singapore
One of the latest additions to Apple’s beautiful array of retail destinations, Apple Marina Bay Sands is a glowing orb that sits beneath Singapore’s impressive skyline. Foster + Partners explains the design concept behind this landmark store. 070 / 071
RETAIL LIGHTING
ith every new Apple store that opens around the world, there comes with it a fervent buzz of excitement not typically seen for retail settings. Owing to a long-standing relationship with Foster + Partners, the tech giant has over the years become almost as renowned for the beautiful design of its stores as it has for the products on show inside, turning the locations into landmark destinations in and of themselves. Indeed, it’s rare to see an Apple store not alive with activity as visitors come to experience the eye-opening locations. One of the latest additions to its impressive portfolio of retail destinations is Apple Marina Bay Sands. Opened to the public in 2020, the store stands as a distinctive presence on the already iconic Singapore Bay, a stone’s throw from the Moshe Safdie-designed Marina Bay Sands hotel.
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A floating orb on the water, the 30-metre-diameter structure is a fully glazed dome with a black glass base, complementing its sister pavilions through its scale and materiality. Appearing as an island in the water, it is only tethered to the promenade by a small bridge. Described as its “most ambitious retail project” to date, the design of the store is, as with all recent Apple stores, the result of a close collaboration between Apple’s design teams and the integrated engineering and design team at Foster + Partners. David Summerfield, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, said: “Apple Marina Bay Sands is all about the delicate interplay between transparency and shade. The structure dissolves the boundary between the inside and outside, creating a minimal platform that floats gently in the water, looking out over the bay and the spectacular Singapore skyline.” Alongside the gentle ramp that leads from the bay’s boardwalk, the store can be accessed via The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, a nearby shopping complex; a beautifully curved stone entrance, flanked by Apple’s signature Avenue display on either side, a 45-metre-long underwater tunnel leads directly to a set of dramatic escalators that take visitors on a “kaleidoscopic journey” into the heart of the domed space. The transition from the heart of the retail centre to the serene environment of the store gives customers a dramatic, exhilarating experience that culminates with spectacular views across the bay and towards the city. Structurally, the dome acts as a hybrid steel and glass shell, where the grid of the steel sections supports the weight of the glass and shading, while the curved structural glass panels restrain the steel elements laterally and stiffen the overall form against lateral loads. Each of the 114 panels of glass is carefully selected to meet glazing indices as prescribed by BCA Green Mark, Singapore’s own sustainability rating system, while integrated solar shading devices keep the interior cool. Each of the multifunctional concentric baffles reduce in size as they progress towards the top of the building, providing acoustic absorption for the store. More importantly, they diffuse and reflect the daylight to the baffle above, creating a magical effect and dematerialising the structure. At the top, a semi-opaque oculus provides a dramatic shaft of light that travels through the space, reminiscent of Rome’s famous Pantheon. Stefan Behling, Senior Executive Partner at Foster + Partners, added: “The dome appears ephemeral. The effect is very calming, and the changing
RETAIL LIGHTING APPLE MARINA BAY SANDS
RETAIL LIGHTING APPLE MARINA BAY SANDS
Client: Apple Lighting Design: Foster + Partners, UK Architect: Foster + Partners, UK Photography: Finbarr Fallon
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intensity and colour of the light is mesmerising. It is not only a celebration of Apple’s incredible products, but a celebration of light.” Indeed, lighting design, also created by Foster + Partners, was an integral element of the project from the outside. During the day, the transparent dome reflects the colours of the surrounding water and sky, while the interior is flooded with natural light, while caustic reflections bounce off the water’s surface and onto the baffles. In the evening, subtle interior lighting transforms the appearance of the dome. As daylight fades the concealed baffle lighting slowly ramps up, emitting a warm, glare-free glow. The baffle lighting is carefully integrated within the dome’s architectural fabric, to ensure that the linear light source, or any of its reflections, is not visible from normal viewing angles. The intensity is set to a gradient, which gradually tapers off towards the lowest baffle. At floor level, custom table-mounted lights provide local task illumination on the display tables, allowing the remainder of the floorplate to be lit by indirect baffle lighting. By keeping the ambient light levels lower, reflections in the glazing are reduced to help reveal the spectacular, panoramic views of the Singapore skyline through the 360° curved picture windows. Viewed from the exterior, the restrained, subtle
interior illumination makes the dome’s interior space appear as an almost seamless continuation of the Marina Bay waterfront – the overall concept idea for the lighting was to emphasise the dome structure without losing the transparency at night. This feeling of continuity is extended into the interior design of the store; the “Garden City” ideal of Singapore flows from the promenade into the interior spaces, with 10 trees placed along the perimeter, providing additional shading and soft shadows through the foliage. Set within leathertopped planters, this creates a comfortable seat for visitors to enjoy the view of the aby. The shading provided by the baffles is designed to deliver ample diffuse daylight to sustain the health of the trees. Although ambitious in its scope, and in its design, Apple Marina Bay Sands acts as not only a celebration of the brand’s highly sought-after products, but as a celebration of light, and the delicate interplay between transparency and shade. Where many retail environments are designed with the idea of showcasing merchandise and encouraging sales, Apple Marina Bay Sands is remarkable in the way that it is designed as a space to linger, to relax, to enjoy the space and experience the beautiful views of the Marina Bay Sands. www.fosterandpartners.com
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Glare cut shield with silicone
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Adjustable SUS bracket Glare cut shield Bendable rail 45mm
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The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is one of the most iconic pieces of architecture within Dubai. New to the building is the Inside Burj Al Arab tour, offering an inside view of the building. The Boutique retail space saw Nulty blend retail and hospitality lighting in one luxurious scheme.
RETAIL LIGHTING
The Boutique at Inside Burj Al Arab Dubai, UAE
RETAIL LIGHTING THE BOUTIQUE AT INSIDE BURJ AL ARAB
ne of the most iconic buildings in Dubai, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah has become synonymous with luxury hospitality and awe-inspiring architecture since its opening more than 20 years ago. Within the landmark hotel, the Inside Burj Al Arab tour gives guests and tourists the chance to visit previously inaccessible areas within the building, including its illustrious atrium and Royal Suite. One of the spaces within this tour, The Boutique at Inside Burj Al Arab, is a luxurious, high-end retail environment in keeping with the grandeur of the wider building. Lighting for this space came from Nulty, which was appointed by lead designer Killa Design to work alongside interior design firm KCA International and retail specialist Umdasch to design a lighting scheme that faithfully maintains the high level of refinement for which the Burj Al Arab is known. Ahmed Saliem, Projects Director at Nulty, explained further: “Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is one of Dubai’s most beloved and enduring icons. The history and legacy of the hotel informed our brief for the boutique and wider tour. Our role was to use light to celebrate and enhance the splendour of the hotel – every design decision was in essence a standing ovation to the structure itself.” The concept for the store, Saliem explained, was to “create a world class retail environment in the mould of a luxury hotel experience”. He continued: “The original design scheme for Burj Al Arab Jumeirah set the bar very high, so we felt a duty to replicate the grandeur and precision
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that came before us. We looked at how we could balance layers of light to enhance the way guests experience that space, which evolved into a design philosophy of ‘hidden in plain sight’. In the boutique, this meant carefully concealing light to allow the opulence of the interior design scheme to stand out. Where luminaires are visible, they are beautifully understated and work seamlessly with the overarching interior scheme.” Within the Boutique, Nulty looked to balance the principles of retail lighting with hospitality, to enhance the ambience within the space while maintaining a consistent design language with the rest of the hotel. “We used light to elevate the retail experience from both an aesthetic and ambience point of view,” Saliem continued. “On one hand, light helps to emphasise all of the high-end materials that the interior design team have used throughout the space. We concealed laser blade lighting in the reflective ceiling panels to preserve the mirrored ceiling and perfected the colour temperature of the lighting to reveal the depth of the exquisite metallic textures and natural stone finishes on show. “On another level, light helps guide the eye through the boutique and envelops you in a sense of luxurious comfort.” The laser blade lighting is concealed between a series of reflective panels to preserve the scheme’s oval-shaped mirrored ceiling. Cove illumination frames the mirrored section of the ceiling by creating a soft glow of light around the perimeter of the feature. Meanwhile recessed downlights
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RETAIL LIGHTING THE BOUTIQUE AT INSIDE BURJ AL ARAB
have been used sparingly throughout, serving the fundamental purpose of boosting light levels to enrich the overall visual impact of the space. Elsewhere, integrated joinery lighting has been discreetly incorporated in the scheme at a lower level, highlighting key merchandise such as branded souvenirs and high-end fashion and accessory items. Track fittings are deliberately understated and have been recessed into the ceiling so that only the elegant gold luminaires are visible. The tracks are fully flexible, allowing the system to be adjusted to accommodate different display configurations. Keeping the lighting minimal was a deliberate design decision from Nulty, done as a means to keep focus on the high-end merchandise and luxury finishes. Saliem explained: “Concealing light within the space was fundamental to the design. Our design was minimally invasive so there are very few visible fittings in the space. Where luminaires are noticeable, they have been chosen to complement the material palette. Joinery lighting picks out merchandising displays and track lighting to add a layer of ambient illumination. The concealed laser blade lighting achieves a shimmering effect across the ceiling and keeps the reflective ceiling as clean as possible. Recessed downlights were only used where absolutely necessary to boost light levels. Nothing that you see from a lighting point of view detracts from the stunning interior.” To further add to the luxurious feel, the team fine-tuned the colour temperature of the lighting to enhance the overall mood of the space and highlight the metallic textures and natural stone finishes used to accentuate the high-end interior aesthetic. The overall effect is warm and welcoming, and crucially ensures a seamless flow from the boutique to a wider hospitality scheme. Saliem explained how the lighting complements the various textures and finishes within the space: “Understanding how light works in relation to different materials and finishes is challenging but part and parcel of the role of a lighting designer. You can’t predict how finishes will respond to different light sources if you haven’t done your due diligence, which means taking the time to properly read the aesthetics of a space. This is especially true when you’re working with reflective finishes such as polished stone, mirrors, and glass like we were here. We were conscious of avoiding glare, so we used a balanced level of diffuse illumination and positioned light sources carefully throughout the space.” Although the Nulty team has a great deal of experience in working with high-end retail projects, for the Boutique at Inside Burj Al Arab, the combination of hospitality and retail lighting principles was a new challenge for the lighting designers – one that Saliem relished. “We had a lot of fun applying the principles of hospitality lighting to a retail setting,” he said. “It was about balancing the functional requirements of the boutique with the expectations that illuminating a hotel like Burj Al Arab Jumeirah adds to a project. This added a layer of complexity to the
lighting design because the boutique doesn’t exist in isolation. “It was first and foremost an integral part of the Inside Burj Al Arab tour, and secondly an extension of the 7-star hotel itself. We couldn’t allow any shift in terms of atmosphere because this would jar the overall experience of being a guest at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. Retail schemes can often be fairly neutral in terms of the designs and functional when it comes to the lighting design. The Boutique at Inside Burj Al Arab is the opposite; it’s warm, embracing, and rich in detail. Throughout the design journey, Saliem explained that there was a constant collaboration between all partners, with every team member pulling in the same direction to create a space that would be in keeping with its luxurious surroundings – one of the biggest challenges of the project. “Hospitality projects often come with a set of structural constraints that lighting designers have to navigate and negotiate, but we were lucky here to be working with a blank canvas. The boutique was a completely new area of the hotel, so this gave everyone working on the project the scope to think freely and creatively,” he said. “The flipside of this was that the pressure was on to replicate the essence of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in a newly designed space. “We took our cues from the building itself though; everyone involved with the project had a collective desire to pay homage to the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and its long-standing architectural heritage. But within these parameters we were given the freedom to be creative with our lighting design concept.” Looking back on the completed project, Saliem is satisfied that the Boutique at Inside Burj Al Arab not only complements the wider architecture of the building, but also brings a new experience to the already iconic landmark for Dubai. “This was a unique project because the building itself is the star of the show,” he said. “Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is the Goliath of hospitality design, so our lighting design needed to successfully reinforce the interior design, which needed to successfully complement the architecture. “It’s reassuring that when you walk through the boutique, it feels like it’s always been there. The space works cohesively with the rest of the hotel, and lighting is integral to this transition.” www.nultylighting.co.uk
Client: Jumeirah Group Lighting Design: Nulty, UAE Architect: Killa Design, UAE Interior Design: KCA International, UAE Additional Design: Umdasch, UAE Lighting Suppliers: Cooledge, iGuzzini, Linea Light, Lucent, Lumisheet, Osram, Precision Lighting, Vexica, XAL Photography: Barry Lake
Sky Westfield London, UK
Opened in December 2021, Sky Westfield is the first flagship store for the telecommunications company to showcase its new retail concept. With a lighting scheme from dpa lighting consultants, the store fuses traditional retail lighting with a warmer residential feel. 082 / 083
RETAIL LIGHTING
RETAIL LIGHTING SKY WESTFIELD
n retail lighting projects, the focus for designers is always to create a balance between highlighting the product and creating a welcoming environment for shoppers. For its new retail store concept, Sky has taken that welcoming environment one step further, introducing a much more residential feel in order to effectively showcase its home entertainment systems. The first flagship store to utilise this new concept, at Sky Westfield White City in London, was completed in December 2021, with the telecommunications company recruiting dpa lighting consultants to develop the lighting scheme. Gary Campbell, Partner at dpa lighting consultants, explained to arc the brief for the new lighting, and how this shaped the final concept. “The client gave us quite a clear but simple brief, in that the new concept had to be flexible, with particular focus on the product displays, a lower ambience and more ‘residential’ feel.
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“Since a big part of the product offer is home television/entertainment-based, it was important to try and achieve a slightly softer, more residential feel than normal retail. A CCT of 3000K and high CRI was considered very important, after testing a warmer CCT of 2700K that was deemed too warm for the overall design. The focus of the customer was to be at eye level, onto the product and not upwards to the ceiling, so there is an emphasis on integrated furniture lighting for visual interest and product highlighting. The concept then evolved a little to include feature pendant clusters over the key VM position.” From there, dpa lighting consultants developed a lighting concept that saw a simple, flexible track and spot solution suspended within the open ceiling, using different beam angles as appropriate with anti-glare and beam shaping devices. This provides a varied light pattern with focused highlighting of the product displays and a comfortable, warm, ambient effect. At lower levels, linear halo lighting to display panels, backlit graphic panels or concealed lights underneath centre floor units provide further visual accent and interest. The main space within the store also features two “hero pieces” in the form of semi-custom pendant features; based on a standard Orb pendant from Stoane Lighting, these have been adapted to operate with RGBW light sources. As standard they are set at warm white with a periodic sequence, with additional colour sequences for special events or times of the year also programmed. Seven specific Sky brand colours are included within the programming. These feature elements, though striking in their final appearance, proved to be one of the larger challenges to actualise within the project, as Campbell explained: “The main challenge was in the sourcing and development of the RGBW feature pendants, and specifically how these would be installed structurally as two clusters together with their remote power supplies, drivers and controllers. “This was quite an unusual one for the contractor, but we had great support from the suppliers, Stoane Lighting, and then Artistic Licence, which provided technical assistance, supplied the drivers and control system, and commissioned and programmed the pendants with the client and ourselves. It became a slight challenge from a construction programme perspective, but there was a great team effort to make it happen.” These “hero” pendants merge with the more traditional architectural lighting elements to help create a warmer, more residential ambience within the store, and Campbell explained how this balance was achieved. “The buzz word these days is of course ‘customer experience’. The interior design had a more residential feel than would normally be expected, but it was still important to make a bold statement with the feature lighting to launch the retail brand, and with this being the first flagship. “The overall lighting scheme relies on the layering between different lighting elements to create an interesting three-dimensional effect. The additional integrated lighting to furniture, steps, handrails,
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RETAIL LIGHTING SKY WESTFIELD
Client: Sky Lighting Design: dpa lighting consultants, UK Interior Design: The One Off, UK Lighting Suppliers: Artistic Licence, IBL, Lucent, Lumascape, Orluna, Osram, Stoane Lighting Photography: Courtesy of Sky
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and columns very much accentuates that 3D lighting scheme.” The store also features several Experience Booths – private rooms that were designed to simulate a home environment to showcase Sky’s home cinema systems. These booths were developed with dimmable, automated lighting, as Campbell explained: “The rooms were specially designed to promote the new Sky Glass TV system, and to show the customer the functionality of the system on a personal level. The lighting for these rooms was part of the room AV system, such that a preprogrammed dimmed sequence is triggered once the TV handset is activated.” As the first location to utilise Sky’s new retail concept, Campbell explained that, while for some brands there may be a pre-existing ‘house style’ to adhere to, this was a completely new concept, meaning that dpa lighting consultants, and interior designers The One Off, were given the freedom to create something totally new. “Prior to this project, there had never been a standalone Sky retail store, so this was very new for both client and design team. A new retail concept was developed from scratch, but with a strong brief from the client of their vision, which was then brought to life with lead designers The One Off.”
The collaborative nature of the project is something that Campbell believes was integral to its success, with the Westfield store setting the benchmark for future Sky stores going forward. He concluded: “The lighting design is closely intertwined with the interior design concept, and it was good to see that the final effect matched very closely with the original CGIs. The final effect looks fresh and vibrant, with many interesting feature elements accentuated by the lighting. “This store is in a mall situation, and definitely draws the eye in comparison to its neighbours. It really looks like a step up in visual quality. What I think works well is the combination of lighting elements at eye level and in and around the product displays; it really feels like a threedimensional scheme. “It sounds like a cliché, but every project that turns out very well has to have a great team behind it, and this was definitely the case here. From the client to the retail designer, project manager, the different sub-consultants and contractors, everyone pulled together in a proactive, can-do way.” www.dpalighting.com
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RETAIL LIGHTING
Fabián Arenas León, Mexico Taking inspiration from the historic leather craftsmanship of the area, Sombra has created a minimal, rustic lighting scheme for León’s Fabián Arenas shoe store.
Client: Fabián Arenas Lighting Design: Sombra, Mexico Interior Design: Maye Ruiz, Mexico Lighting Suppliers: David Pompa, Nuumbra, Siec LED, Soraa Photography: Pepe Molina
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Inspired by the leather craftsmanship of León, Mexico, which has distinguished itself since the 17th century as one of the main producers of leather goods and footwear in the world, the new Fabián Arenas shoe shop has been designed to pay homage to its local heritage. The store, featuring lighting designed by Mexican studio Sombra, evokes solid and imposing Roman ruins, while the combination of dark leather and wooden furniture contrasts with the stone finishes. With a concept that arose from the meeting of a timeless, strong, rigid and resistant design, the lighting design looks to enhance the stone materiality, as well as the feeling of durability and luxury. This, according to Sombra founder Paola Jose, was inspired by the Italian design and
manufacture of shoes in León, with the likes of Carlo Scarpa and Paolo Sorrentino all coexisting in the same place. “The lighting follows the design and function of the space,” explained Jose. “We continued with the use of stone with the decorative lighting; the luminaires are made of fiorito stone, which become sculptural elements and luminous objects.” Similarly, the lighting design aims to create a dramatic space, calling to mind Roman theatres; linear LED lighting behind stone furniture and shelving heightens the rocky textures and earthy colours, as well as the endless presence of leather. www.s-ombra.com
VISOR 10W BEAM 4º / 10º / 25º / 36°
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images: diptyque
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case study
Image: Lukas Palik
Overkill Cologne, Germany Spotlights from Erco bring a gallery feel to the boutique sneaker store, Overkill, displaying the shoes as works of art.
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In the era of online retailing, shop owners attempt to offer more to make the shopping experience in stores appealing to customers. Overkill Cologne has perfected this, functioning as a store for sneakers, an exclusive boutique, and an art gallery. Across 145sqm, the store demonstrates its love for streetwear with displays of merchandise that resemble exhibitions of art. In addition to Italian marble and pictorial art, light is an essential part of the expressive interior concept, with powerful wallwashing and precise accentuation from wirelessly controllable Erco spotlights. The store opened in Autumn 2021 at the Alter Markt in Cologne’s historic centre. Much more than just a shoe store, Overkill represents urban lifestyle, is a host to events and exclusive sneaker releases, and offers a wide range of graffiti paraphernalia. Within Overkill, exclusivity is the key word - starting with the sneakers themselves, and thought through to the last detail of the design concept: the wall elements, the floor and a massive sales counter are made of Carrara marble (Statuario Venato). The strikingly conspicuous white stone with grey veining was imported from Italy and processed by a Berlin stonemason. LED lighting from Erco lends a particular brilliance to the surfaces. The combination of white marble and neutral 4000K light creates a bright, fresh atmosphere and gives spaces a clean look – the perfect backdrop for colourful sneakers. The shopping experience is akin to visiting an art exhibition. A white marble rock adorns the entrance area. Canvases by the Berlin artist Stohead are currently displayed on the walls.
The sneaker itself is also transformed into a work of art and is appropriately presented. A customdesigned sneaker chandelier hangs from the ceiling, with handmade glass Adidas models forming an impressive light installation. The lighting concept is based on high visual comfort and uniform wallwashing, using Erco’s Optec luminaires: lens wallwashers (38W LED) powerfully and uniformly illuminate the sneaker walls. Homogeneous illumination of the vertical surfaces creates an elegant display of merchandise and simultaneously a generous impression of space. Spotlights with 6° narrow spot distribution accentuate highlights. The light is of museum quality, including the ideal rendering of colours (CRI>92) and material textures of the footwear and marble. Due to precise optics that direct the light only to where it is needed, LED modules with just 4W are in some cases sufficient for concise accents. Optec spotlights with wide flood distribution (approx. 50°) were installed in the checkout area. Wireless light control from Casambi Bluetooth enables the individual setting of various light scenes. The store is brightly illuminated during the day, but at night the accent can be placed on the marble blocks and the window display. The luminaire arrangement can also be flexibly modified according to new store concepts: Optec spotlights have luminaire heads that swivel through 270° for precise alignment onto the merchandise. The position of the luminaires in the track can also be changed without tools or effort. www.erco.com
RETAIL LIGHTING
case study
Image: diptyque
diptyque paris Seoul, South Korea A new flagship store for luxury French fragrance brand diptyque paris has opened in Seoul, with lighting fixtures from Zeplinn.
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The French luxury brand of fragrances and candles, diptyque paris, opened a new flagship store in Garosu-Gil, the prestigious shopping street in Seoul, South Korea. Designed to represent a welcoming apartment, inside the store, customers can enjoy artworks and decorations while looking for their favourite scented products; a singular project created by diptyque and perfectly matching the brand’s spirit. The flagship store responds to sustainable needs in the retail industry, with a lighting power consumption of only 11.4 W/sqm. Through the new store, diptyque proves that grandiose retail projects can endorse a green philosophy, offering a sophisticated experience with a modern design. Lighting is an essential element of the architectural process of the French fragrance house, enhancing their customers’ experience through a memorable and vibrant environment. To implement the concept of diptyque’s flagship, the appropriate lighting solutions responding to precise criteria were needed. Lighting designers from Owl Studio trusted Zeplinn to provide accent lighting characterised by their performance, flexibility, miniaturisation, and high-end design. To mirror the flagship’s architectural design and to deliver an impactful influence, Zeplinn’s Visor spotlight was integrated into the ceiling with a customised linen finish. Its small dimension offers a discrete yet compelling sensory journey. To create a specific atmosphere, a colour temperature of 3000K and a CRI above 90 were selected. Attention was also given to the millwork of the
boutique, integrating Zeplinn’s Nano Line to illuminate the products on display with strong accentuation. Furniture lighting is a key aspect of the overall lighting design, guiding the customers to primary parts of diptyque’s 260sqm flagship and helping influence sales. diptyque is reinventing the retail experience of customers through this unique boutique concept with an innovative interior design. Characterised by a warm and cosy look, the lighting design matches the project’s image and invites customers to wander through the stunning flagship. www.zeplinn.com
RETAIL LIGHTING
case study
Images: Andy Nai
LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia The first of a renowned Japanese lifestyle mall in Southeast Asia opens right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, featuring lighting fixtures from ELR and Linear Works.
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LaLaport is a chain of shopping malls by Tokyobased real estate company Mitsui Fudosan. Apart from its 16 malls in Japan, the newly opened LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre is its second overseas mall after the opening of LaLaport Shanghai Jinqiao in April 2021. LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre is the largest facility among all the LaLaport malls, accommodating approximately 400 stores spanning across 82,600sqm of retail floor space. The mall is the cornerstone of a large-scale urban development that also includes residences, offices, hotels, and commercial facilities that creates a landmark of Japanese-oriented lifestyle. Besides hosting stores of renowned international brands, the mall also offers a first of it’s kind dinning experience within shopping malls, multiple unique event spaces that includes a rooftop garden of approximately 1,700sqm surrounded by greenery for promotional and seasonal events, and various entertainment joints. The overall design theme is based on modern minimalism with touches of Japanese-style elements. The building exterior and façade were mainly designed on principles by choices of materials exhibiting their natural authentic properties, primarily illuminated using linear luminaires with light emitted upwards along multiple distinguishable layers horizontally. Certain sections of the façade were lit up with Linear Works’ LP35 linear luminaire, tailored with asymmetric 20x40 beam angle optics to produce a grazing light effect, and equipped with kickerlouvres to visually conceal the light source.
The intent was to utilise the deflection and reflection of light upon the contrasting material surfaces to create a distinct visual of the façade during the night, giving it a prominent appearance that befits its presence in the heart of the city centre. Its Japanese-styled interior design emphasises on the wholeness of nature. Spaces were designed with concepts of Zen to have a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors, forming uncluttered environments that are pleasing to the occupants. The interior is fundamentally clad with light-coloured timber panels and spaces are predominantly illuminated with downlights, complemented with linear luminaires that accentuate the features of the interior design. ELR’s Veco 3 series reduced glare downlights with “dark light” reflectors were selected as the primary luminaire to light up the indoor spaces. These modular concept downlights are paired with Nest integrated LED modules and 50 Proled modules, deploying the recessed mounted variation on flat false ceiling and surface mounted variation blended into the louvre ceiling designs. Medium beam optics of 35 were selected to create balanced illumination along the walkways, utilising a colour temperature of 3000K to produce a warm and relaxing ambience throughout. Altogether, the mall manifests an appearance that reflects the cohesion of architectural, interior and lighting design, bestowing its visitors a truly welcoming and enriching experience. www.elr-group.com www.linear.works
Images cour tesy of dpa lighting consultants and Dennis Irvine Studio. Photography: James Balston Photography
Designers and installers can specify projects with confidence knowing that Rako can control all light sources including smooth dimming of LEDs. System integration is easily achievable, linking lighting to audio-visual, security systems and curtain and blind control. Rako’s scope of projects is far reaching, from restaurants, hotels and spas to churches, residential and luxury MDU developments.
With users enjoying the ability to recall a scene, or mood of lighting at the touch of a button, a swipe of a smartphone or by voice command. Designed and manufactured in the UK, Rako offers an unparalleled range of products backed by a project planning and support service that is second to none.
RETAIL LIGHTING
case study
Image: Alessio Tamborini
Rinascimento Foggia, Italy Lighting fixtures from L&L Luce&Light illuminate the vaulted arches of the Foggia branch of women’s clothing store Rinascimento.
The Foggia branch of women’s clothing and accessories chain Rinascimento is housed in a fascinating location. Appearing as a tunnel, with brick rib vaults separated by white arches, the space has a charm and character unfamiliar to retail chains. Despite the arched ceilings, the space feels bright and welcoming thanks to the use of fixtures from L&L Luce&Light. Stinger 2.0 projectors with built-in power supply and 38° optics were chosen by the lighting designers, mounted on a track suspended from the ceiling along the centre of the vaulting. All fixtures use LED sources with a CRI >90, 096 / 097
ensuring that they show the colours of the garments and accessories in the best possible light, with maximum colour fidelity. The lighting fixtures can also be adjusted individually and moved along the entire length of the track, so that the lighting in the store can be changed and adapted to the requirements of the specific garments on display. www.lucelight.it
dwwindsor.com/pulsar
Fira The small but powerful, dynamic projector. With its elegant, geometric form and compact size, Fira is a highly versatile dynamic luminaire, designed to enhance architectural environments through precise illumination.
Featuring precision optics and our latest LED technical innovations, Fira delivers powerful, targeted illumination with precisely controlled beams and perfect uniformity to direct light only where it’s needed.
The high performance range is offered with a choice of, dynamic LED light sources, including RGBW, RGBA and Tunable White options to suit your project needs.
Built to last, Fira has been designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, so no matter where it’s installed, it can deliver exceptional performance – year in, year out.
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Tunable White Technology
Dynamic Colour Technology
RETAIL LIGHTING
case study
Leadenhall Market London, UK Fixtures from DW Windsor’s architectural lighting brand Pulsar were used in the improvements to London’s historic Leadenhall Market.
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In the heart of London, Leadenhall Market is a covered market dating back to the 14th century. The current building was constructed in 1881 and today hosts an array of boutiques, shops, restaurants, and bars. With stunning architecture, Leadenhall Market perfectly combines a modern retail and leisure experience with a historic look and feel. As part of improvement works to replace outdated lighting equipment, a survey of the existing scheme – a mix of fluorescent and discharge lamp colour/ types – recommended a unified CCT approach. This was to improve the ambience and lighting in the market, during the day and at night. It was a key part of the brief that the new lighting scheme illuminated the most difficult to access, high-level areas ‒ the interior roof and entrance façades. Reliability was also imperative as access to the luminaires would be problematic. As the responsible party for Leadenhall Market, the City of London Corporation led the project working with Minor Works M&E Framework Contractor Sykes & Son Ltd. Having worked with DW Windsor previously, City of London’s Senior Principal Building Services Engineer, Simon Collins, was familiar with its extensive range of lighting solutions. Collins specified customised luminaires from DW Windsor’s architectural lighting brand, Pulsar, to fulfil the project’s challenging requirements. As a Grade II listed structure, the fabric of the building needed to be preserved. Therefore, the luminaires were positioned between the ceiling rafters to provide a grazing effect, highlighting
the roof’s intricate design. In addition, a colour temperature of 2700K was chosen to match the market’s existing lighting. Finally, additional projectors were used to illuminate the ornate stone façades at each entranceway. The luminaires in the new scheme are controlled via a combination of light sensors and time clocks to allow some fittings to be on during the day, which is particularly important on overcast days and during the winter months when interior light levels are reduced. Simon Collins from City of London, said: “Leadenhall Market is a wonderful part of London’s heritage, and it needed a considered approach to the upgraded lighting. Reliability was crucial, as the height of the space makes accessibility a challenge. “Having specified DW Windsor on a significant number of projects, with varying levels of complexity, they were the clear choice for the Leadenhall Market refurbishment. The exceptional quality of DW Windsor solutions, alongside marketleading reliability rates, ensures our absolute confidence in the performance, aesthetics and longevity of the market’s new lighting.” Paul Murphy, from DW Windsor, added: “Leadenhall Market is an important heritage site that also generates a significant level of income and tourism for the local area. The new bespoke lighting we supplied has dramatically improved the experience in the space, and the high reliability of our solutions is key, as accessing the lighting in the high ceilings will not be an easy task.” www.dwwindsor.com
The HSBC Headquarters - Hong Kong
DIGITAL MAKEOVER A grand visual statement brought to life with IP’s custom designed lighting to mark HSBC’s 150th anniversary and celebrate both its history and future. Illumination Physics was commissioned to update the façade lighting and seamlessly integrate three massive media walls into the building’s glass façades. The building makeover is a permanent feature and comes to life every evening between 6.30pm and 11.00pm as well as participating in the nightly world-renowned ‘A Symphony of Lights’. Lighting and media content have been combined to communicate the tale of the one hundred and fifty year history of HSBC as well as displaying more meaningful images which relate to Hong Kong itself. For the first time, the building comes to life and imagination has been realised. This is the essence of Illumination Physics contribution to any project.
Specialists in customised lighting to suit your design
illuminationphysics.com
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eye opener
The Colour Bath Tokyo, Japan
Image: Moment Factory
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With an estimated 3.7 million commuters daily, Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station is considered one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world. As part of a revitalisation project, East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) enlisted Moment Factory, with the support of Sony Music Solution to develop a flagship multimedia installation for the station’s busy East-West passageway. Connecting disparate ends of the station, the passageway serves as a crucial thoroughfare for many daily commuters. Moment Factory’s mandate was to therefore create a multimedia infrastructure that would
inspire wonder, calm and fluid circulation, transforming the corridor into a symbolic landmark and meeting place. Inspired by Shinjuku’s many facets, The Colour Bath is a large-scale, multi-purpose multimedia ecosystem that combines light, sound, video and scenography to envelop commuters in sensorial serenity, putting them at ease while still encouraging the continuous flow of pedestrian traffic. A series of more than 24 unique colour bath moments evoke the seasonal and diverse story of the region’s culture, reimagining the tunnel as a beacon of Shinjuku pride.
Stretching 100-metres long, but less than 25-metres wide, a key challenge behind the project was to create a greater sense of comfort and spaciousness within the narrow confines of the existing tunnel. The tunnel was further congested by a patchwork of wayfinding, emergency and advertising messages that Moment Factory had to account for and complement in the design of the multimedia ecosystem. The approach was therefore to create a cohesive multimedia canvas where all forms of content can coexist. “We created a colour bath that synchronises all media surfaces in
the space and surrounds visitors in colourful hues, one after the other, creating a calming experience, but also infusing a bit of wonder into people’s days,” said Amy Chartrand, Creative Director at Moment Factory. As such, The Colour Bath sets the onceuninviting passage awash in warm and welcoming hues; no colour choice was random, with each shade saturated with a deep appreciation for cultural significance in collaboration with JR-East. The largest of its kind in Japan, the 45-metre LED screen spans nearly half the length of the thoroughfare, while strategically
placed lighting adds depth and height to the concourse. Inspired by Shinkuku’s landscapes and diversity, a replenishing cycle of 24 capsules reflects the time of day, various traffic periods and changing seasons, ensuring the experience stays fresh for daily commuters and visitors. Behind the scenes, an integrated system architecture creates a unified experience and allows for multiple roles, including branded takeover moments. www.momentfactory.com
[d]arc sessions The second [d]arc sessions event took place this April at the beautiful Intercontinental Resort and Spa in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.
Following the phenomenal success of the launch event in Mykonos, Greece, last October, [d]arc media, in association with Hix, brought the [d]arc sessions networking and specifying event to the stunning, newly opened Intercontinental Resort and Spa in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE this April. Focusing on the Middle Eastern market, the event was once again targeted at connecting people involved in lighting specification projects in an intimate, exclusive setting. Held from 25-27 April, the event saw a curated guestlist, this time of 20 suppliers and 50 specifiers (lighting designers, architects and interior designers) with projects in the MEA region, travel to Ras Al Khaimah for two days of one-to-one meetings, networking sessions, and a little R&R by the pool. Across the two days, suppliers and specifiers met for a series of 20-minute meetings over four Speed+Sync sessions. Here, they could sit down to discuss the latest products, projects, trends and innovations in the industry, with the goal of building relationships, generating leads and specifying products for future work. Alongside the Speed+Sync sessions, the event was broken up with a series of discussions and presentations on the industry’s big topics. Opening the first day, Mark Vowels, Director at Nulty; Regina Santos, Design Director and Founder of Light Fusion Specialist Lighting; and Darren Guyett, Business Development Manager at Martin Professional discussed the business of lighting design in the Middle East. With each panellist local to the region, having moved from overseas, the discussion examined the ways in which the local market differs to their home countries, and how this impacts on the way they approach projects. On the second day, the morning panel looked to the future of lighting design, with panellists Sanjit 102 / 103
Bahra, Director of DesignPlusLight; Courtney Mark, Design Director and Founder of Studio Mark; Graham Rollins, Creative Director at Lighting Design International; and Vera Dieckmann, CEO and Creative Director of XO Atelier discussing emerging trends, attitudes, and approaches to lighting design, touching on sustainability and technology, before offering their bold predictions for the future. The final discussion, rather than involving a small panel on stage, was an open forum, in which delegates were invited to share their thoughts on the future of lighting events. With ongoing speculation surrounding the future of large-scale trade shows such as Light + Building, the talk was on whether such events would be of interest to both specifiers and suppliers moving forward, or whether smaller, more curated events, or regionalised trade shows will be the way forward. The discussion brought to light a wide range of contrasting opinions, and sparked a healthy debate amongst delegates. As with the debut event in Mykonos last year, the conference programme featured a special keynote presentation from the [d]arc awards Best of the Best winner. This time around, Michael Grubb shared with the audience the fascinating story behind the relighting of Bath Abbey in the UK. Guests were captivated by Grubb’s presentation, and enjoyed learning more about the trials and tribulations behind the project, leading to its beautiful end result. Following the Speed+Sync sessions, guests were able to enjoy the facilities of the beautiful resort, including a large swimming pool (with swim up bar), beach, and multiple bars and restaurants. Evening entertainment was spread across the hotel, from its various restaurants to a special
[D]ARC SESSIONS
Images: Gavriil Papadiotis (www.gavriilux.com)
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“secret garden”. Here, guests could enjoy a diverse selection of food, socialise and continue conversations initiated earlier in the day until late into the night. Looking back on the event, Paul James, [d]arc media Managing Director, said: “[d]arc sessions in Ras Al Khaimah was another great success following the inaugural event in Mykonos. The focus on specification in the Middle East is invaluable given the amount of activity that is taking place in this region. “Manufacturers, distributors and specifiers with ongoing projects in MEA were in attendance and all said they got a lot from the event - from the meetings and networking to the thought-provoking conference programme. The feedback has been amazing! “Once again, the delegates’ enthusiasm and positivity, coupled with the beautiful surroundings, made [d]arc sessions a pleasure to be part of. “We are already organising the next [d]arc sessions to take place in Mykonos on 18-20 October and we are currently looking at new locations in Europe and the Middle East for 2023. “We are looking forward to evolving this concept even further.” Among those in attendance, Peter Collins, International Sales Manager at Rako Controls, said: “The [d]arc sessions have been incredibly well structured in terms of content, topics and panel members. All “session” events at both Mykonos and Dubai have been interesting and educational, covering relevant topics with great input from a cross-section of industry leaders, each sharing a spectrum of ideas and opinions. The structure of the event provides great opportunities for new relationships to be established, both in a formal business setting, as well as more relaxed social gatherings, which is a rare treat in a working environment. Somehow, even though [d]arc sessions is a professional work event, I don’t think it felt that way for anyone involved, both suppliers and specifiers!” Ryan Rolph, Technical Sales Director at Tryka, added: “Having had the pleasure of taking part in the inaugural [d]arc sessions, as well as the most recent Middle East event; I must commend the [d]arc media team on curating such a fantastic,
pleasurable and mutually beneficial event. We wholeheartedly look forward to meeting more of the industry’s leading creative minds at the next event!” From a specifier perspective, Mohannad Al Salkhadi, Principal Lighting Designer at ATI Consultants, said: “[d]arc sessions was well organised, and successfully brought together an interesting, vast variety of lighting designers, speakers and manufacturers, with a great networking opportunity, and remarkable one-toone interactions with manufacturers. As a lighting designer based in Dubai, it was a great chance to participate in a unique gathering of lighting designers from the UAE and the UK. I will definitely be looking forward to the next gathering.” Graham Rollins, Creative Director at Lighting Design International, added: “For me, [d]arc sessions is the perfect environment to really engage with manufacturers, contemporaries and potential collaborators, as the format slows your usual pace and directs you to your likely positive connections, while leaving plenty of time to informally meet and network away from the pressure of the office or the hustle and bustle of a usual trade show.” Finally, Courtney Mark, Design Director and Founder of Studio Mark, said: “[d]arc sessions coming to the UAE was a welcome change for the local lighting design community’s desert mirage. After nearly four years with minimal international events taking place in person, being able to reconnect with lighting designers (old and new) and the manufactures in an open platform was simply rejuvenating. It was a pleasure to participate and I will look forward to the next one in the Middle East, hopefully, to come again soon!” www.darcsessions.com
Milan Design Week This June, Milan opened its doors to the design world, with product launches, showroom events and beautiful installations held throughout the Italian city. Here, we look back at some of the highlights from across Milan Design Week.
Blank Targetti & Felice Limosani “Is the Blank also a colour? The Blank is a colour of the mind. The mind has a colour that we never see because some other colour always passes through our minds and superimposes itself on our gaze.” – Italo Calvino, 1985 The words of Italo Calvino were the starting point of an installation created by Felice Limosani for Milan Design Week 2022. Blank is not just a word, but a concept around which colour becomes an echo that illuminates and inspires, a metaphor with a fascinating aura that induces reflection. This was the idea that inspired the installation, specially created by the artist for Targetti Foundation at the Il Castello Art Gallery in the Brera Design District.
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Through the simple and instinctive gesture of walking, visitors immersed themselves in colours that materialised in the space of the installation, through lines of light that transform the floor into a dimension suspended between atmosphere, aesthetics and art. The artist, an interpreter and innovator of Digital Humanities, updates and interprets Calvino’s words through light, a sensorial and emotional phenomenon that is not limited to technology or the pure fulfilment of a function. “The project dialogues through perception and contemplation to remind us that emptiness is not only a physical dimension, but also a mental, internal, and spiritual one. We can colour and fill it with awareness,
knowledge and humanity,” said Limosani. Targetti, through the activities of the Targetti Foundation, has always sought to promote the intimate link between light, art and architecture. For this reason, the Foundation chose Limosani, a multidisciplinary artist of international stature, who uses light as his main means of expression. In the same context, but in a separate area of the gallery, Targetti also presented its collaboration with Stefano Boeri Interiors, as well as the new Ivy outdoor lighting system, which integrates light, audio and environmental sensors into a single element. www.targetti.com www.felicelimosani.com
Image: Habits Design Studio
Sincronia Habits Design Studio Habits Design Studio, a Milan-based multidisciplinary study presented a striking, interactive installation during Fuorisalone, which explored the relationship between movement, light and sound. Entitled Sincronia, the piece was a physical and digital interaction between the human body and light, made spectacular through the art of the Kataklò Athletic Dance Theatre. Throughout the interactive piece, the two dancers that moved around the circular form produced luminous and sonorous sounds, creating a multisensory experience for spectators. The installation took inspiration from land art pieces, drawing on the ancestral value of the circle as a boundary of a space. The dancers moving around the ring, and visitors to the piece, generated a scenography of light, colours and sound, invoking the senses. “Exploring dance, the gesture, the light, we have built a humanistic relationship, a dialogue between the people and the product. With knowledge deriving from this model, we can hypothesise a future of products with emotional response, in which light is distributed in the shape, changes with time and is sensitive to the contest,” said Innocenzo Rifino and Diego Rossi, founders of Habits Design Studio.
A modular structure of 24 interconnected metal elements formed the ring, with a diameter of four metres. The ring was fitted with 40 metres of RGB LED, and managed by a software that connects a microprocessor with an infrared camera, which detected movement inside the ring. This processed images and light, creating a luminous scenography with unique colours and sounds. Sincronia ran from 6-12 June at the Superdesign Show at Superstudio Più during Milan Design Week. www.habits.it
MILAN DESIGN WEEK
Lightness Hermes & L’Observatoire International At Milan Design Week 2022, French fashion brand Hermès went on a quest for lightness, with four translucent installations presented in the La Pelota event space. Through these installations, inspired by the form of water towers, the design team sought to play with gravity and light, finding a balance between colour and material. Constructed of wooden frames and covered in coloured, semi-translucent rice paper, the four structures, despite their monumental proportions, appear soft and delicate, each radiating coloured light. Inside each colourful monument are different elements from Hermès’ new home collection; from fabrics and decorative pieces to chairs and dinnerware, all precisely positioned to seek ‘lightness in the design of the object’. “Objects, porcelain and furniture assert their singularity: a cut and folded sheet of leather with hand-painted decoration becomes a centrepiece; porcelain plates reflect sunlight;
a canework seat affords a chair as much delicacy as it does strength. Lightness of lines produces timeless style, as these creations demonstrate,” said Hermès. “Our perception changes as light plays over them when backlit against the scenographic structures: poetic giants and anchoring points for these small miracles of equilibrium.” Each structure lit from within, lighting for the installation was designed by L’Observatoire International. The studio was invited by Hermès to develop the lighting scheme alongside interior designers Studio CMP. www.lobsintl.com www.studio-cmp.com
Image: Maxime Verret courtesy of Hermès
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MILAN DESIGN WEEK
Women In Lighting Meet Up WIL Italy On 9 June, three years (and a hundred initiatives!) after the first gathering in Milan, Women in Lighting held a special networking evening at the Vess Bistrot. Hosted by WIL Italian Ambassador Giorgia Brusemini, Ogni casa è illuminata, and lighting designer Chiara Carucci, the evening event gave visitors the opportunity to enjoy drinks, catch up and mingle with their international lighting counterparts. The event welcomed a whole host of lighting representatives from across Italy and beyond; visitors included [d]arc media’s Helen Ankers and Sarah Cullen, Katia Kolovea, Content Curator and social media manager of WIL, independent designers Giacomo Rosso, Giusy Gallina, Sara Elise Sartore, Swathi Madhi, Gisella Gellini and Camila Blanco, while representatives from the likes of Metis Lighting, Studio Switch, Savetheclock, Luminostri, Lucespazio, Studioplus, Ghidini Lighting and formalighting were also in attendance. www.womeninlighting.com Image: Giorgia Brusemini
Image: Jonathan Hokklo, courtesy of AB Concept
The Forest of Reflection AB Concept, MBLD, L&L Luce & Light & DGA
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The Forest of Reflection takes inspiration from the changing mountain landscape of Karuizawa, Japan, the home of AB Concept’s co-founder, Ed Ng. Visitors find themselves immersed in a calming forest space depicted by abstract Calico wallpaper and the newlylaunched Tableau collection using autumn and winter themes. MBLD was brought in to support the design’s aspiration to convert nature into an interior space while maintaining the essence of the human experience. Lighting and its interplay with landscape over time was an essential part of the thought process during the creation of the installation.
Nude glass Mono pendants are clustered in the space, creating a warm sparkle effect surrounded by much cooler lit woodland imagery on translucent screens positioned within the space. Dapple protectors by L&L Luce & Light emphasise the forest experience. The Nest bar stood out as a feature creating sparkling highlights on the cocktail glasses using magnetic mini spots by DGA positioned on the bar frame itself. www.abconcept.net www.mbld.co.uk www.lucelight.it www.dga.it
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MILAN DESIGN WEEK
See The Stars Again Flos To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Flos transformed the vast, 6,000sqm industrial space of Fabbrica Orobia into a retrospective exhibition, titled See The Stars Again. Showcasing collections from its architectural, decorative, outdoor and bespoke ranges, Flos turned the space into a multiexperiential hub, offering visitors an immersive journey into the brand’s design universe and vision for the future. “To celebrate this important birthday, we thought it would be nice to talk about the next 60 years of the company, starting from what Flos is today,” said Roberta Silva, Flos CEO. “For this reason, we chose a special venue like Fabbrica Orobia to show Flos in all its expressions, from a storytelling of the brand and its designers to the combination of technological innovation, design, and the new eco-friendly approach to lighting design. We wanted to convey to our audience the story of a future Flos that is brave, curious, and passionate.” Alongside a vast exhibition of its wide range of products, Flos hosted a series of special events and a varied cultural and entertainment programme. This included live musical performances, a pop-up restaurant and café, creative workshops for both children and adults, a bookshop, and a talk series entitled ‘Hosting’, hosted bu Pin-Up magazine founder, Felix Burrichter, together with fellow editors Victoria Camblin and Nicholas Korody. The talks revolved around hospitality and entertainment as a format for exploring design. www.flos.com
Farbdurst Erco & Jung In an installation dedicated to the interplay of light and colour, Erco teamed with Jung for Farbdurst – a concept that plays with the visual perception of colours. Through the visual perception known as metamerism, the composition of light allows certain colours to be emphasised, or to disappear completely. Erco’s lighting concept for the Farbdurst installation, located at the Cavalleri Spazio Danza, played with this effect of metamerism. Wirelessly controllable Parscan InTrack LED spotlights were used, continuously and infinitely changing the colour of the light, which also changed the colour of objects. For example, by overemphasising and toning down colours, a red, very saturated body became a pastel-coloured object in the next moment. Shades of colour can be completely “erased” by metamerism and the special interplay of light and colour that is created. Through Farbdurst, Erco, alongside the control competence of Jung showcased this phenomenon. www.erco.com www.jung.de 112 / 113
Image: © Jung / team filmhübsch
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Pitch Dark On the eve of the International Day of Light, Light Collective took a group of designers, manufacturers and dark sky enthusiasts on a camping trip to experience the Lunar Eclipse. They tell us more about the event.
“Stars mean different things to different people. For travellers, stars tell them where they are, where they are going. For others, they are just little lights in the sky. For scholars, they are the world of the unknown, yet to be discovered and understood. For my businessman, they are gold. But all stars stay silent. And you? No one else in the world will see the stars as you do… For you, and only for you, the stars will always be laughing.”’ The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Ten years ago, Light Collective had the pleasure of collaborating with Chilean lighting designer Paulina Villalobos on an event to raise awareness about light pollution and the night sky. It was called Noche Zero and was designed to be an inspirational event; an educational summit and darkness experience held in San Pedro in the Atacama Desert, the darkest place on the planet. It was the first lighting design-led international event dedicated to celebrating dark skies and protecting our view of the stars and aimed to connect and educate lighting designers, astronomers, dark sky campaigners and others interested in the role that the night sky plays in contemporary life. After feasting our eyes on the most stunning starry skies we had ever seen, we returned to the UK with a desire to share this experience with others. However, when you don’t see the stars every day, you start to forget their importance and the idea fell by the wayside. Then we met Paul Gregory, IDA Technical Committee, IDA-UK Director, founder of Dark Sky Lighting, and all-round dark sky enthusiast… Paul had recently moved to the countryside and his new property came with fields and some cottages. His plan was to renovate the cottages and to create a campsite for dark sky enthusiasts. This meeting of ideas pushed us to reinvigorate our desire to create an event for people to appreciate the night sky in collaboration with Paul. So, on the eve of the International Day of Light, we invited a group of designers and manufacturers to come and camp in a field to see the stars and experience the Lunar Eclipse. In true UK fashion the weather let us down with complete overcast cloud cover all night, only briefly parting for an amazing sunrise at 6am on the International Day of Light. Despite this, an enthusiastic group of people ventured out to join us, camped in a field, talked about dark skies, learnt about astronomy from the inspiring and passionate Roy Alexander, IDA (UK) Chair and the incredibly knowledgeable Dan Oakley, Lead Ranger from the South Downs
National Park Authority, who was ready to go with his telescopes in the event of the sky clearing. The highlight for most of us was each being gifted a piece of a 4.5-billion-year-old meteor. Dan shared an important document with us – Towards a Dark Sky Standard, which can be found online here: https://bit.ly/3wPcy2z. Dan was also a speaker at the Responsible Outdoor Lighting at Night (ROLAN) online conference, organised by the Society of Light and Lighting and Dr. Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska, ILLUME/Gdańsk University of Technology, Poland, launched in May 2022. Some special shout outs must be given to Simes for the cheese, wine and salami; Sylvania Lighting UK for all the other drinks; Thorn Lighting for the food; Siteco for BBQ stuff; Solareye for cider; and Heper for joining the International Dark-Sky Association as a sustaining member. If you want to be there for Pitch Dark 2 then make sure you follow Light Collective on LinkedIn. www.lightcollective.net www.darkskylighting.co.uk www.darksky.org www.ukdarkskies.org.uk
“Roy’s presentation was inspiring and my kids were blown away with their bits of meteorite.” Deb Wythe, Design in Progress “I think it’s really great that you’ve started this and are raising awareness of the importance of dark skies and the amazing night skies they can allow us to see when light pollution is out of the equation.” Christina Jester, Landscape Architect “Happy International Day of Light 2022! What better way to celebrate than getting the opportunity to appreciate the value of darkness!” Alexia Gkikia, Buro Happold “Every day is an International Day of Light when you’re lucky enough to work for the Institution of Lighting Professionals, but on the day the rest of the world celebrates too, what better way to wake up than with an amazing sunrise?” Jess Gallacher, ILP “I went to see the stars and they were all among us. ;-)” Inessa Demidova, Arup
Live.Light This May, 400 visitors travelled to the Austrian town of Dornbirn to visit Live.Light, a conference and exhibition hosted at Zumtobel Group’s Light Forum.
Alfred Felder (bottom right) welcomed guests to the Live.Light event at Zumtobel Group’s Light Forum, where they could learn more about the company’s latest innovations. (Images: Nina Bröll, courtesy of Zumtobel Group)
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On Tuesday 24 May, the Zumtobel Group opened the doors of its Dornbirn headquarters for its largest Light Forum to date. Around 400 visitors from across Europe and MEIA travelled to the Austrian town to take in the 4,000sqm Light Forum, see the latest innovations from across the Zumtobel Group, and celebrate the winners of the Zumtobel Group Awards 2021. Alongside guided tours of the Light Forum, the audience was offered a range of keynotes on sustainability and design trends, as well as workshops on sustainable architecture, light pollution, digital services, and light as infrastructure to promote a discourse regarding relevant future issues in the industry. Opening the day’s festivities, Zumtobel Group CEO Alfred Felder, and Jürg Zumtobel, Former Supervisory Board Chairman and CEO, welcomed guests to the space, inviting them to view the wide scope of Zumtobel Group offerings on show across the Light Forum, from across its Zumtobel, Thorn and Tridonic brands. Each brand had its own space, with areas dedicated to workspace, retail, exterior, industrial and emergency lighting, as well as an immersive artwork from James Turrell. The Forum also highlighted 30 years of Zumtobel Group’s Annual Reports, in which the company has partnered with renowned architects and designers from around the world. Sustainability was very high on the agenda for the event, with a keynote presentation from Sebastian Gann, Group Sustainability Director at Zumtobel Group breaking down the ways in which the company has increased its sustainability efforts. Meanwhile, in a workshop session entitled “A discourse on the contribution of light to sustainable architecture”, Herbert Pamminger and Carina Bucholz discussed the connection between energy efficiency and sustainability, and whether the two are synonymous with each other. Elsewhere, one of the highlights within the workshop programme was an informative session on the importance of dark skies. Introduced by Eliot Horsman of Thorn Lighting, Dan Oakley, Lead Ranger of the South Downs National Park Authority explained the work that he does to improve the dark skies in the South Downs, before highlighting how lighting manufacturers and customers can take action to provide lighting solutions that balance human and environmental needs. The centrepiece of the event, was the presentation of the Zumtobel Group Awards 2021. The sixth edition of the company awards continued the focus on key industry topics, with the winners across three categories – Buildings; Urban Developments and Initiatives; and Innovation – centred on future-
oriented developments to improve the quality of life and sustainability in the built environment. The winners were selected by an international, interdisciplinary jury comprised of Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Snøhetta Architects; Tobias Nolte, Certain Measures; Ian Ritchie, ritchie*studio; architect Dorte Mandrup; and Isabel Zumtobel, Head of Arts & Culture at Zumtobel Group. The La Borda Housing Cooperative by Lacol, an architecture cooperative form Barcelona, Spain, was recognised in the Buildings category. Whole Block Outcomes: Rehabilitating Baltimore by the initiative Black Women Build won in the Urban Developments & Initiatives category, while the Special Prize for Innovation went to the Circular Construction Lab of Cornell University, USA, for its RhinoCircular software tool. In the afternoon, a panel discussion took place with each of the award winners, as well as the jury. The discussion covered the topics of collective living, affordable housing, and circularity – each of which were addressed within the award-winning projects. The day’s events ended with the presentation of trophies to the three award winners. Alfred Felder, Karin Zumtobel-Chammah, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board, the jury, and curators Kristin Feireiss and Hans-Jürgen Commerell of the Aedes Architecture Forum in Berlin were present on stage, with the ceremony led by Natalie Kreutzer, Editor-in-Chief of the Zumtobel Group. “The Zumtobel Group Award, with its main emphasis for innovation in humanity and sustainability in the built environment, is more relevant than ever,” said Isabel Zumtobel. “We had so many valuable contributions and I want to thank them all not only for their participation within the Award, but also their contribution to making our world a better one. My sincere congratulations go to the three winners.” Following the awards presentations, the event concluded with food, drinks, and live entertainment, giving guests a final chance to enjoy the Light Forum experience. Alfred Felder said of the event: “With the Light Forum in Dornbirn, we made a sustainable investment in this group location and created a unique place of exchange and co-working. It provides an ideal framework as a venue for events such as Live.Light. Being able to show customers and partners the Zumtobel Group’s broad brand spectrum in person again and to provide immersive light experiences is a highlight in the Light Forum’s young history, and many more will follow.” www.z.lighting
eye opener
Image: Tim P. Whitby
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Our Time on Earth London, UK Launched in early May at the Barbican Centre in London, Our Time on Earth is an international exhibition featuring 18 immersive, interactive installations and digital works that use the power of global creativity to positively transform the conversation around the climate emergency. Calling for a mindset shift through the exploration of art, design, and technology, the exhibition invites people to imagine a world in which both people and the planet can flourish. Fundamental to the experience of the exhibition, the lighting by Speirs Major supports openminded exploration and full engagement with the artworks, while driving innovation in sustainable ways of working for touring exhibitions. Mindful of the lit image, embodied energy and energy in use for the exhibition, Speirs Major considered both light and dark as essential factors in the visitor experience of the galleries. Artificial light is kept to a minimum, while light trespass is controlled from area to area, particularly adjacent to digital displays. With most of the pieces located in discrete ‘pocket’ spaces created within the Curve Gallery, the lighting designers worked with an overarching concept of a gradient of light across the journey through the exhibition, adding emphasis at transitions, entrances and exits to aid orientation. Rather than adding extra light, tonal shifts in the background wall colours allow the intensity and level of contrast to be dialled up (or down) as appropriate to the artwork while using minimal energy. Clementine Fletcher Smith, Partner at Speirs Major, said: “Having created a comprehensive conceptual basis for the exhibition lighting, the development of the design evolved in a flexible yet vigilant way. We worked to create the best possible experience of the artworks as details about the new pieces emerged, while continually checking and calculating the embodied carbon and lifetime environmental impact, refining, dimming and removing unnecessary lighting. “In terms of the choice of light sources and equipment, we adopted a holistic approach. We used the existing track system for most of the lighting, and were also able to locate and re-use a selection of spotlights and accessories from a previous exhibition. “For the additional equipment we needed, we explored manufacturers that could offer efficient, sustainable and adaptable products designed with a full, 360° life cycle, that would also be sufficiently robust and easy to pack for touring. Measured against these criteria, we chose Stoane Lighting as the primary manufacturer for the project.” Read more about the circular approach from Speirs Major and Stoane Lighting in this issue’s GreenLight Alliance column on page 120. www.smlightarchitecture.com
GREENLIGHT ALLIANCE BENZ ROOS, SPEIRS MAJOR
Our Time on Earth: a case study in low carbon exhibition illumination Benz Roos, Senior Lighting Designer at Speirs Major explains how the lighting of the Our Time on Earth exhibition at the Barbican echoes its message of creative responses to climate change. We felt extremely fortunate to be asked to design the lighting for the exhibition Our Time on Earth, conceived and curated by Barbican International Enterprises (London) and co-produced by Musée de la civilisation (Québec City). The exhibition is themed around positive, creative responses to climate change and pressures on the earth’s fragile ecosystem. To quote guest co-curators Caroline Till and Kate Franklin: “The conversation about the climate crisis until this point has focused on depicting the scale of the problem – an approach that, while valuable, often evokes a sense of shame, helplessness and even paralysis. But we know that many brilliant artists, designers, and technologists are creating ways to help combat the climate emergency. We wanted Our Time on Earth to carve out space to imagine a constructive way forward.” In the spirit of the exhibition’s message, the design team’s brief was to design as sustainable an exhibition as possible to house the art pieces. The architects, Universal Design Studio, created a palate of natural and/or recycled materials such as Honext, corrugated hemp fibre sheets and hemp fabric for the exhibition design; and we challenged ourselves to design the most sustainable lighting scheme that we could. The exhibition hosts 18 distinct artworks, each requiring its own unique atmosphere, with most of the artworks containing projections or screenbased content. The digital nature of the works contrasts noticeably with the natural material palette of the exhibition design. We aimed to softly highlight the innovative sustainable materials of the exhibition framework without distracting from the art installations. Many video installations also include sculptures made from organic materials such as wood and recycled fabrics. Dramatic and focused light illuminates the sculptures in balance with the luminance levels of the screens and projections. For example, Liam Young’s Planet City film is accompanied by mannequins displaying the costumes by Hollywood designer Ane Crabtree.
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Traditional high-level spotlights illuminate the costumes, and in addition, linear diffuse glowing luminaires behind the sculptures interpret the film’s cinematography. This backlighting methodology also renders the beautiful textures of the fabric. Inspired by the artworks and the exhibition’s theme, we prioritised the consequences of our design decisions in parallel with designing for people’s experience of the exhibition. Early design discussions with the Barbican and the architects included ideas ranging from shades made from plant seeds to cable ties made from recycled rubber. The concept eventually settled on a few simple principles. 1. Utilise as much existing equipment as possible. 2. Design with minimal equipment in mind. 3. Specify products suitable for the circular economy. 4. Make sure the visitor experience is excellent. Circular economics and minimal (embodied) carbon were crucial principles from the start of our design process. The life span of exhibitions is usually shorter than lighting for buildings, and Our Time on Earth has a proposed life span of five years. The exhibition will travel once the show ends at the Barbican in August, so its temporary nature puts the question of ‘what happens to the products after their use’ into sharp focus. The relatively new CIBSE guidelines TM66 and TM65 helped us direct the specification towards circularity, and low embodied carbon. We inherited a selection of older fixtures – Soraa Arc 100 track-mounted spotlights – from the previous BIE exhibition at the Barbican. The embodied carbon and circularity credentials are unknown for these luminaires; however, dedicated exhibition luminaires are very flexible by nature, so the lowest embodied carbon starting point was to re-use what was already available on site. The Soraa fixtures feature a snap-on system that is an easy and highly effective way of changing the beams to create the right ambience for each artwork. It made us realise that some traditional
Exhibition Images: Tim P. Whitby
track light fixtures already contain circular principles in terms of in-built flexibility and ongoing use for different types of shows. The exhibition required new luminaires in addition to the existing track lights. Having assessed the market, we found that the Stoane Lighting ZTA spotlight range was the natural choice for the equipment, particularly as Stoane Lighting is spearheading the circular economy in the UK. Its KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) with Edinburgh Napier University and the Government’s Innovate UK allowed a complete project assessment of the circularity and carbon footprint of the design to be made. PhD chemist Dr Irene Mazzei assessed the overall design data, and her fascinating evaluation showed us the full carbon consequences of our specification and design decisions for the first time. Her study concludes that the total embodied carbon for the new luminaires in the exhibition is 2,262kg CO2e. To put this in context, 38 seedlings would need to grow into trees for at least 10 years to offset this emission to become carbon neutral. The TM65 study breaks down the material composition of the fixtures, telling us that raw materials, largely aluminium, make up at least 50% of the overall embodied
carbon. At this point, the ZTA is a useful product because it is circular by design. The luminaires can be easily adapted and refurbished into new products with different light technical specifications or even mounting methodologies. The Barbican could utilise the product for new shows or light other spaces at the end of the exhibition. The study also showed that electronics such as drivers significantly contribute to the overall embodied carbon of the lighting installation. Drivers are responsible for approximately 472kg CO2e (20%) of the 2,262kg CO2e. For future projects, we should keep this in mind; if, as is the case with this exhibition, we can design systems that share drivers, it might be possible to make further reductions in embodied carbon. Dr Mazzei’s tables and diagrams have been an eye-opener in approaching lighting design. Until now our studio has always put the experience and the visual effect of the light as the primary focus at the concept stage, with the choice of the equipment that will deliver this not considered until later in the creative process. This relatively small project has allowed us to begin to adjust our approach, as designing with circular and low embodied carbon principles requires a slightly different
GREENLIGHT ALLIANCE
Speirs Major utilised fixtures from Stoane Lighting (left) for the Our Time on Earth exhibition. Through the CIBSE TM65 and TM66 guidelines, each product achieved Excellent Circularity, meaning that they were in keeping with the circular aspirations of both the designers and client on this project.
This series is curated by Roger Sexton of Stoane Lighting, roger@mikestoanelighting.com
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attitude. To quote activist Clover Hogan: “Solving climate change is not your responsibility because it’s outside your control. What you are responsible for is the thing inside your control, indeed the only thing that has ever been inside your control: your mindset.” Thinking towards the future, we can see that addressing climate change requires a new mindset for lighting design. We ought to dream much more extensively beyond beautiful lighting experiences. Some design ideas, like the shades made from seeds, which can be planted and grow after their use, make a captivating story. However, on working through the concept and discussing the embodied carbon, it becomes apparent that these ideas are little more than ‘green’ gimmicks. One of the artists, Biofabricate, presents a near future in which the fashion industry utilises bio-fabricated materials made by living cells. Using bio-fabricated materials is not a gimmick because it is not only about designing a fashion piece but also takes the entire system of production into account. As lighting designers, we have a responsibility to think more holistically about our approach. Regenerative design expert Sarah Ichioka has a good analogy for thinking about systems and consequences. For example, she urges shampoo manufacturers to create melanges that are good for our hair and rivers – where shampoo might end up. Similarly, lighting designers ought to consider the consequences of their specifications. Specifiers should ask questions like; what happens with the equipment after its use? How is the luminaire manufactured? Which materials are involved? It is immensely encouraging that CIBSE TM65 and TM66 provide some in-depth direction.
However, we should aspire to challenge ourselves further and interpret engineering guidelines creatively. Nairobi-based design studio Build X and Mycotile exhibit the material mycelium. Mycelium is part of the fungi kingdom and is the network of threads, called hyphae, from which mushrooms grow. Ikea is planning to replace all its use of polystyrene with this bio-material, and various decorative luminaires utilise mycelium already. It is easy to imagine components of technical fixtures could also utilise this material. The Soraa Arc is predominantly made from plastic, with a cast aluminium heatsink. But what if mycelium replaced the plastic components to reduce embodied carbon? After their use, when luminaires are dissembled for recycling or re-use, some elements would be able to biodegrade and become part of the ecosystem again. These components could become food for the 38 tree seedlings, allowing them to flourish and offset the embodied carbon for the lighting equipment of this exhibition. One of the key aims of the curators is to send a positive message to visitors. They want to present a positive future with solutions to climate emergencies. As designers, we have a lot to catch up on. Still, this exhibition has helped us take steps towards a lighting design process with holistic sustainability considerations built in from the beginning. Our Time on Earth is currently open until the end of August at the Barbican in London. We would like to thank the Barbican for the opportunity and Dr Irene Mazzei and Stoane Lighting for their support and insightful study. www.smlightarchitecture.com
ZT C H O O S E S I Z E , E N G I N E , O U T P U T, B E A M , F I N I S H , M O U N T M E T H O D , C O N T R O L , A P P L I C AT I O N
QUANTIFIED CARBON
TM65
QUANTIFIED CIRCULARITY
TM66
L U M I N A I R E D E S I G N F O R L O W E N V I R O N M E N TA L I M PA C T
Q R : s t o a n e l i g h ti n g . c o m /n e w s /s u s t a i n a b i l ity
RESEARCH PAOLO CREATI
Lighting design as a strategy for inclusion As a teacher of students with special educational needs, Paolo Creati has recently conducted research into lighting for students with visual impairments. He explains more about the research project here.
The number of people with low vision is constantly increasing, as shown by the World Health Organisation (WHO): there are 36 million blind people in the world and 217 million moderately or severely visually impaired people, out of a population of 7.3 billion people. It is also estimated that 253 million people live with 21 sight problems. The epidemiological data refers to a study published in The Lancet, according to which the number of blind and visually impaired is constantly increasing. A correct lighting organisation can play a crucial role for subjects with visual sensory disabilities. Specifically, the concept of light comfort has been defined in the United Kingdom; the ESFA (the Education and Skills Funding Agency) says that is important to guarantee flexible and multifunctional lighting arrangements in school environments that allow people with visual difficulties to enjoy the learning spaces. Following these premises, the design of a classroom that encompasses the objective of improving the lives of learners through a flexible spatial organisation and which focuses on the use of light can also be a fundamental element. From these considerations, I’ve begun to research the predisposition of light as a possible strategy for the creation of flexible and personalised school spaces.
The power of light
As a teacher of students with special educational needs, I deal with many different disabilities and for this research, I concentrated my interest in visual sensory disability. The mission is to guarantee the inclusiveness of people with disabilities, so I had the idea to realise the principle of inclusion, in particular for visually impaired students, by exploiting the resource of light. A recent study testifies that, in humans, exposure to natural light is responsible not only for the circadian rhythms but also for the regulation of the attentional, learning, and psycho-emotional sphere, having beneficial effects that contribute to the success of one’s self-realisation. Why not consider the
application of lighting design inside a classroom? As we know, exposure to natural light and our position on it is also closely related to our way of acting. A non visually-impaired individual certainly has the possibility of improving their cognitive and psychic functions through the instrument of light, both natural and artificial. Inspired by the lighting design industry, introduced to me by Martina Frattura from Whitepure studio in Lisbon, I had the chance to know how much power light could have and how it could be versatile and adaptable in different fields. My project proposal was also inspired by the museum of the Dancing Satyr of Mazara del Vallo, Italy, which through the new illuminations, offers the opportunity to improve the visual experience of the masterpieces of art and facilitates the orientation of visually impaired people, in this way it is possible to observe the realisation of the concept of cultural accessibility. Schools are places where we should guarantee the possibility for all students to be part of the learning process and to have accessibility to culture, so a well-designed classroom that allows enjoying the wellness of light can help to achieve these goals.
Interview with lighting designers
My research started from the point that the organisation of a school space where light is exploited can have an inclusive value for all students, in particular for those with visual sensory disabilities. I conducted the study using a qualitative approach that involved a survey submitted to a sample group of lighting designers coming from the United Kingdom, Kuwait, and the United States. Combining the collected data and the theoretical framework about the potential role of the light, it has been possible to elaborate an arrangement of an inclusive space for learners. The result is the creation of a classroom in which a lot of elements required attention, for example, the floor must be a colour that is a strong contrast with the walls to guarantee a better orientation,
RESEARCH PAOLO CREATI
“Schools are places where we should guarantee the possibility for all students to be part of the learning process and to have accessibility to culture, so a well-designed classroom that allows enjoying the wellness of light can help to achieve these goals.”
the size and arrangements of the windows are of fundamental importance because, during the hours of the day, natural light is the first, and often only light source in the classroom. In the presence of cases of visually impaired students, visual discomfort could be increased by glare disturbance, which could happen in the case of bad management of natural light. The use of filters that refract and diffuse light rays is a solution within everyone’s reach, which does not alter the quality of natural light in an inclusive class. Near the walls, we have the ceiling and the floor, with similar and different functions. The ceiling, as well as the vertical surfaces, has the characteristic of being able to help in the general perception of space. Any room will be considered more or less high based on the colour of the ceiling and the walls: a lighter ceiling will give the appearance of a greater height; a darker ceiling will create a cave effect. For sighted people, this effect does not cause particular visual disturbances, while in the presence of high contrast, a visually impaired student, considering the importance of this visual signal, could suffer an overload of information and in the worst case could lose attention. The ceiling should therefore remain a neutral colour and/or conform to the walls. Once that “box” has been checked, we move on to the internal components: compared to the standards, the desk of the visually impaired student, depending on the type of visual sensory disability, may have to accommodate more tools, which leads to the need for a broader plan. But the larger surface area also translates into a higher possibility of reflection of light rays, coming from both the window and the lighting fixtures, which could lead to a malaise. Having a tilting desk is a simple solution to this problem and is compatible with the various possible positions of the desks inside the room. Of great importance is also the blackboard. In the case of digital whiteboards, it is a real self-illuminating screen. Despite the great 126 / 127
advantage of the possibility of intensity adjustment, if necessary, it is advisable to apply an antireflective filter. The glossy or semi-glossy surface of the screen could become a means of uncontrolled reflection of the incident rays. The same precautions must be taken when the student uses a computer. In the case of a classic blackboard, the mechanical devices of positioning and inclination, as for the desks, are useful, but the choice of the other type is still preferred. The use of the space depends also on the correct design of artificial lighting, during the darkest hours, but also in the morning to improve vision in case of low levels of dim light. The level of lighting required by students can vary both between sighted and non-visually impaired students, but also depending on the type of visual impairment of the student. Some students may be extremely sensitive to light, in cases of malformation of the retina or lens, or the opposite, in cases of an absence of visual acuity. To determine the best lighting, the student and the teacher must experience the different lighting conditions, and this, today, is possible thanks to LED lighting, it can afford a variation in intensity, flow, and colour of the light. In terms of visual comfort, it is allowed to vary the intensity and colour temperature of the source during the day.
Conclusion
The research aims to formulate a design in which different connected elements contribute to the building of an educational environment that takes into account the didactic and individual needs of students, in particular those with visual sensory disabilities. For years architecture and pedagogy have been dialoguing with each other, undergoing a mutual influence, and this has led to increasingly current reflections on the active role that the student plays during the learning process. It is known that, for a proper learning process, the
teacher must not base their activity on the simple transmission of knowledge, the student learns through interaction, individual discovery, and experimentation, and the space has the task of satisfying these needs and improving the teaching experience. Visual comfort is one of the elements that most affect the type of indoor environment and the wellbeing of the user. Therefore, for there to be an improvement in the vision of the space, it is necessary to take into account a design that involves correct lighting design of the environment. Through the involvement of professionals in the lighting design sector, we tried to understand how the organisation of space, modulated by natural and artificial lighting can improve user performance. The design proposal of the classroom represents the attempt to put into practice the principles of Design for All, characterised by flexibility and thinking in a preventative way concerning possible obstacles. Light plays a central role in any space; an essential element for human wellbeing, which can not only be a function of empowerment but also of inclusion. The design of a classroom where a correct lighting installation is applied receives the beneficial effects of light at the highest levels and also considers people in conditions of visual sensory disabilities through careful preparation of their personal space. This is possible by using solutions moulded on the visually impaired or blind individual, who will be able to achieve visual comfort and enjoy, like their peers, the positive effects produced by a correct predisposition to light. The space designed to enhance the light-resource guarantees a positive action at a psychophysical level that will allow the pursuit of learning objectives and at the same time can contribute to developing their relational skills, especially because human relations are regulated by the way with which we relate our body with the environment.
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ZTA.50.PLP Stoane Lighting Born from an opportunity to put waste to use, ZTA.50.PLP is partially manufactured from the mixed fine powder overspray collected from Stoane Lighting’s powder coating finishing plant. The inner core of this addition utilises the ZTA.50 central heatsink and cap, permitting easy repurposing as a spotlight in its next life and numerous light engine and optic options in its current one. The outer PMMA shade is available in three main options, all of them capturing unavoidable industry waste material and escalating it up the value chain. www.stoanelighting.com
Xena Trimless Zeplinn Zeplinn’s miniaturised downlight Xena Trimless combines flexibility, performance, and design. Its 4° beam angle assures accent illumination and gives your store a remarkable atmosphere. It offers high contrast between circulation and the products displayed. Xena Trimless can be customised in black, white, or custom finish to match your brand identity. www.zeplinn.com
Azuma Hacel The commanding Azuma range combines a contemporary form and optimal functionality. Offered in both Maxi and Mini, Azuma features state-of-the -art Zhaga single point modules and outstanding colour rendering properties. track, surface and wall options are available in a large choice of lumen outputs, delivering up to 6380 lumens. The Azuma range is ideally suited to all retail and display applications. www.hacel.co.uk
LD42D & LD42DA LightGraphix The LD42D, is an evolution of the existing LD42 miniature wall light range. It features a machined domed bezel, removing glare when viewed from above. In addition, the LD42DA features an extra 20° tilt film, to focus the light down for a concentrated effect. Rated IP67, the fittings are ideal for lighting narrow or wide steps and pathways within interior, exterior and marine applications, achieving a floor wash of up to three-metres. www.lightgraphix.co.uk
porto mawa Hermann August Weizenegger’s suspended lighting system, porto, constructed and produced by mawa, is highly adaptable to a variety of indoor conditions. Thanks to a special hinge, the porto lighting system can be easily expanded or arranged. The key feature of its design is the embrace of contradictions: clearly defined edges and rounded corners with powder-coatings in black, white, industrial, grey, beige, or red. The housing, milled and folded from a single piece of aluminium, is absolutely unique. www.mawa-design.de
railSplit extreme Artistic Licence railSplit extreme is a six-way DMX512/RDM splitter/fixer, optimised for harsh conditions and electrically noisy environments. It is protected from accidental connection to mains (up to 425 VAC continuous) on the input, loop and outputs and will ‘self-heal’ after such an event. Additionally, surge protection on all terminals provides resilience to lightning strikes (the protection is sacrificial – better to lose a splitter than destroy all the fixtures). www.artisticlicence.com
RoboRadar ON Lichttechnik RoboRadar is a series of motorised luminaires designed for a variety of applications, including retail, showroom, museum or private projects. With its elegant design and smart technology, this RedDot and Design Plus award winner, is an excellent choice for any installation that requires flexible lighting. RoboRadar can rotate and tilt, while simultaneously brightness and CCT capabilities can be adjusted. Through the control system it is easy to set up scenes and automations offering even more flexibility. www.on-lichttechnik.de
Custom Engraved Keypads Rako Controls Rako’s full range of keypads can be custom engraved to create a bespoke solution for any project. From residential, to luxury hospitality and commercial installations, design your keypads using Rako’s ‘Plate Designer’ tool. Rako’s attractive keypad ranges include screwless fixing designs, creating a clean, uncluttered aesthetic, with seven different finishes to suit contemporary or more traditional interiors. www.rakocontrols.com
48V DC Track Drivers eldoLED Solve your track dimming performance issues for good with eldoLED’s 48V DC track LED driver series. These 32W drivers are one of the only programmable track drivers on the market that meet flicker performance industry requirements. Perfect for any retail, indoor or hospitality space. The ECOdrive version enables high quality dimming to 1%, its SOLOdrive is optimised for deep-dimming and dim to warm applications whereas the DUALdrive is tailored to Tunable White applications. www.eldoled.com
50 Classic & 50 Pro ELR The new generation of 50 Classic and 50 Pro LED modules is slimmer, with a smaller form factor yet maintaining its performance, technology and features. With a smaller heatsink, it can now be fitted into more variety of fixtures to provide more options. It is now available in ProART98, producing light closely matched to natural sunlight, with extremely high colour rendition of Ra~98, R9~98, fidelity index of Rf≥98 and gamut index of RG≥98. www.elr-group.com
FLC210 We-ef The FLC210 projector has a functional and well-conceived design, with extensive options for individual lighting design. It is ideal for projecting sharply defined light circles, gobo patterns or illuminating polygonal surfaces. Measuring just 298mm x 172mm x 197mm, the projector is extremely compact, with power ratings of 18W and 26W and two different light colours. The FLC210 projector can be used to project interesting motifs onto buildings and surfaces in towns and cities or to convey advertising messages. www.we-ef.com
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case study
Image: Sven Ellsworth, courtesy of Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Project Lighting Design
The Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River Bangkok, Thailand Project Lighting Design harnessed LED driver technology from eldoLED to enhance the sleek, luxurious feel of Bangkok’s newly opened Four Seasons hotel.
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The Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River sits in the heart of Bangkok’s creative district. Delivering on the Four Seasons promise of a oneof-a-kind experience, the Four Seasons Bangkok provides guests with majestic river views, worldclass inventive cuisine and gentle yet breath-taking courtyards. The hotel chain hired Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, AvroKO and PIA Interior Company for the interior design and Steven Gough and Peggy Tan of Project Lighting Design for the overall lighting design to bring their vision to life. One of the most striking elements of the Four Seasons Bangkok is that many key spaces have a unique design that celebrates the water and Thai culture. Every room and story incorporates multiple lighting strategies. Creating a cohesive narrative required a precise lighting palette and control equipment to weave the varying interior design elements together. Project Lighting Design incorporated a variety of eldoLED drivers – ECOdrive 20W, SOLOdrive 20W/A, 30W/A and 50W/A and LINEARdrive 200W – in combination with DALI Control by Helvar and luminaires from Aero, ModuleX, Precision Lighting and RCL for the public spaces, restaurants and landscaping areas. eldoLED’s LED driver technology was interoperable across the specified luminaires and dimming systems, with no issues in compatibility. The combinations achieved a fine calibration of lighting levels programmed for spaces, artwork and features throughout the day and night with smooth transitions between scenes.
Bespoke decorative lights were another intriguing element within the guestrooms. This required great overall lighting and dimming quality. Project Lighting Design leveraged eldoLED drivers with a Lutron MyRoom system and Aero luminaires. By specifying this trio, the bedrooms achieved smooth dimming with fine resolution. This highlighted the Four Seasons’ acute attention to detail with respect to the landscape and culture. Dimming quality is critical to the customer’s experience within many of the spaces. Project Lighting Design wanted to ensure the extremely low dimming levels (0.1%) within the themed restaurants, bars and outdoor areas were up to the visual standards to elevate those designated areas, and that the visual perception of those dimming levels were accurate. Designers used eldoLED drivers and technology throughout these spaces to achieve their desired effect. The result? Optimal dimming that accentuated the rooms and overall experience with the accurate visual perception levels. Additionally, the high-power factor of eldoLED’s LED drivers ensured minimal wastage of energy in the form of ballast losses, promoting longevity and sustainability within the spaces. Project Lighting Design’s choice of eldoLED DALI LED drivers, in combination with the various controls and luminaires, proved interoperable and brought the different visual storytelling elements to life within the Four Seasons Bangkok. Highlighting the cultural and geographical elements with acute detail to elevate the customer experience with sustainable deep-dimming. www.eldoled.com
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Improving Life with Photons
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case study
Swansea Arena Swansea, UK The brand-new Swansea Arena features a vibrant exterior lighting scheme with fixtures from Tryka, that complements its extraordinary architecture.
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The striking Swansea Arena is a brand-new £135m music and theatre venue, operated by Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG). Set to attract some of the world’s most famous music acts and much-loved theatre productions, the 3,500 capacity indoor arena will no doubt become a popular entertainment venue in the city. The new arena is part of a large-scale development in the centre of Swansea, called Copr Bay. This will also offer new shops, restaurants, apartments, and parkland. The area will be serviced by two new multi-storey car parks and a pedestrian bridge over Oystermouth Road, improving connectivity between the city and the beach. The design and architecture of the building is revolutionary, firmly putting the arena at the forefront of modern and future-proofed leisure and entertainment venues. Its stunning LED façade is particularly notable, making the venue instantly eye-catching and awe-inspiring. To achieve this, 97,000 LumiNode Pixel LEDs from Tryka have been used on the façade. The LumiNode Pixel LED is a full-colour, 16-bit, RGBW solution, guaranteeing smooth dimming and optimising colour output for the most vivid image and video playback. For the Swansea Arena, the LumiNode has been made-to-measure to suit the specific needs of the project, with pixel pitches ranging from 110mm through to 435mm, while the custom-moulded body is designed to suit a 30mm aperture for a panelised installation, allowing ease of installation as well as any future maintenance or system upgrades.
The luminaire is manufactured from an IP68 sealed, injection-moulded clear body, with sprung ears for direct panel mounting to a 30mm aperture. Pre-linked injection moulded cables link the LED nodes, available with custom LED pixel pitch, with a maximum of 128 pieces per string. Adding to its extensive list of features, the LumiNode Pixel LED offers an ultra-lightweight design and compact dimensions that ensure a discreet installation. When partnered with Artnet DMX to SPI control protocol, LumiNode allows complete control for decorative and architectural lighting, and if required, full image and video playback effects. This makes it perfect for architectural, entertainment, advertorial applications, or more lighting effects. For Swansea Arena, the bespoke LumiNode luminaire arrangement is powered by 12V Meanwell HLG power supplies and ARTNET control interfaces. They are housed in a weatherproof enclosure, custom-built by Tryka. Other elements of the control system are from Pharos. This includes the Pharos VLC 1000+ for the façade, and the Pharos LPC and RIO D for landscape controls. The control system was programmed by Tryka. Ryan Rolph, Technical Sales Director at Tryka, said: “Tryka has a wealth of experience within the leisure and entertainment industry, so it was exciting to add the Swansea Arena to our portfolio. The venue is ground-breaking, demonstrating what can be achieved with visionary architecture and design. It will be a visual spectacle within the redeveloped area of Swansea and will undoubtedly become a destination in its own right.” www.tryka.com
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case study
My Garage Vejle, Denmark My Garage is the place for Danish petrolheads, whether storing, selling, repairing, or tuning. Emco delivered high-performance lighting to the space, worthy of the high-performance cars.
My Garage is all about luxury and highperformance cars; across its showrooms, storage, and workshops, it is a one-stop for car enthusiasts. A new lighting system, utilising Emco’s Hybrid system, means that now, every four-wheeled beauty is illuminated optimally throughout the entire centre. Hybrid delivers on all parameters. The even and efficient lighting brings out every curve, line and detail on the cars, supporting the entire experience. And because the light doesn’t flicker, employees and visitors won’t get headaches or feel uncomfortable at the end of the day. DC Workshop, which is part of My Garage, 134 / 135
especially benefits from Hybrid’s high colour reproduction, making every scratch and dent easier to spot. All this state-of-the-art hardware is wrapped up in a sleek Nordic design that blends nicely with the rest of the industrial environment. Alexander Christiansen, Managing Director and Co-owner of DC Workshop, said: “With our new lighting set-up, it amazes me how we were able to see and get work done beforehand in the shop. Now, with our new installation, everything is lit up perfectly, and we have light where we need for an optimal working environment.” www.emcogroup.co.uk
Design SOUND
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A high-end architectural light that starts to integrate pro audio announcing a new era for designers who want to innovate ambiences for human centric design by
case study
Image: Courtesy of Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral Lincoln, UK A landmark for the city, Lincoln Cathedral has been given a facelift with a bold new exterior lighting scheme, featuring dynamic lighting control from Pharos.
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Standing tall over the city, Lincoln Cathedral is a magnificent and iconic international landmark, and one of Britain’s most spectacular pieces of architecture. Once admired as the tallest building in the world, the spire at Lincoln Cathedral was an impressive feat of engineering, reaching a remarkable 525ft before the central spire collapsed in 1548, nearly 250 years after its completion, and was never replaced. As part of Lincoln Cathedral Connected – a multimillion-pound transformational project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund – significant work has been undertaken to radically improve the cathedral’s setting and visitor experience, offering engaging and dynamic spaces for visitors to enjoy. Light Perceptions was appointed to deliver a new lighting system to replace the exterior lighting at the cathedral. An essential component of the design brief was to change the orange-tinted floodlights for softer, whiter lights, to showcase the cathedral’s intricate stonework and Gothic features. In accordance with the carefully considered lighting brief, Pharos Architectural Controls was selected by Light Perceptions to bring the project to life, using Pharos Cloud to control the external lighting scheme remotely. Pharos Cloud offers simple and secure lighting installation control and management remotely from any PC, tablet or mobile, any time and from anywhere in the world. Featuring a highly adaptable online scheduler, Pharos Cloud enables lighting to be programmed for just the right moment and updated by users with ease, making it the perfect solution for Lincoln Cathedral, which requires versatile lighting to
deliver a variety of colour options when lighting the towers in recognition of important, local, national, and international events. The installation uses a dynamic lighting control system, also from Pharos. Lincoln Cathedral features a Pharos LPC 2 (Lighting Playback Controller 2), connected to Pharos Cloud, which supports the DMX lighting protocol, and 17 RIO D (Remote Input Output DALI) devices, which provide a remote and scalable way to control all the DALI fixtures and ballasts. Each RIO D supports a single DALI bus, which is used as an output for control and as an input for triggering, allowing the cathedral to be lit in beautiful, colourful lighting scenes. Five Pharos TPS (Touch Panel Station) screens have been integrated into the scheme to provide users with a customised interface to trigger and adjust scenes, timelines, and overrides. Commenting on the project, Tim Edwards at Pharos Architectural Controls said: “Lincoln Cathedral is a phenomenal structure which, to this day, has stood the test of time. It has been a great pleasure to work with Light Perceptions and the wider project team to deliver a futureproofed lighting solution that ensures the cathedral continues to shine for years to come.” www.pharoscontrols.com
UNDER Restaurant, Lindesnes, Norway Partner: Luminator AS, www.luminator.no Photo: Tomas Majewski, www.tomaszmajewski.no
UNDERWATER ILLUMINATION ALWAYS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL WWW.WIBRE.DE
MADE IN GERMANY. SINCE 1919 | WWW.WIBRE.DE WIBRE Elektrogeräte GmbH & Co. KG · Leingarten/Germany · +49(0)7131 9053-0 · info@wibre.de
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PIONEERS IN IP68-LIGHTING U N D E R WAT E R L I G H T I N G | E X T E R I O R L I G H T I N G
18.01.22 08:25
case study
Bulthaup Toronto, Canada The new showroom for kitchen manufacturer Bulthaup features Rail luminaires from KScape, combining light and sound in one fixture.
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The new showroom by Bulthaup in Toronto, Canada is an open-plan space with large plate glass windows facing the street, providing visitors with an inspiring overview of Bulthaup kitchens: islands, counters, built-in units and free-standing pieces showcasing the different systems and finishes that the brand has to offer, gracefully combining white surfaces with other subtle Bulthaup hues, stainless steel, and warm wood veneers carefully crafted by their expert artisans. In addition, the showroom boasts a series of lighting fixtures by KScape, with the added benefit of sound, along with pieces of furniture by other manufacturers, carefully selected by principle
Stefan T Sybydlo of Bulthaup – the perfect complements to the kitchens and transition areas in Bulthaup projects. All of these elements shape a renewed invitation to the pleasure of living in appealing spaces, cooking, and sharing the best moments in the heart of the home. The planning area within the showroom, located in the central hub of space, is where the experts at Bulthaup Toronto design and develop their projects. Two Rail lights with a symmetric parabolic configuration and indirect light are placed over the workbench display, controlled with DALI by a Control 4 smart system for both light and audio. The foremost value of the Bulthaup brand – the pairing of traditional craftsmanship with state-ofthe-art technology – is reinforced by a team that knows their customers well and is capable of fully capturing their needs and desires, searching for the best solutions in each specific project and most importantly inspiring them. “It’s exciting, having a sound come from the middle of a room so inconspicuously. It gives the consumer a new experience that fits perfectly into the modern and sleek design Bulthaup clients know and love,” said Sybydlo. “When looking at it, it’s almost unbelievable that such great sound can come from such a thin and unassuming piece. The kitchen is the heart of the home, a space for all to congregate in and enjoy. Sound and light are a large part of that, and an effective combination is paramount.” www.kscapemergingsenses.com
Profile Light broadly, light discretely, light softly. From a building’s front entrance to public plazas and everywhere in between, the Profile lights introduce a cohesive form with aesthetic and functional versatility to outdoor spaces. Designed in collaboration with award-winning lighting designer Linnaea Tillett and Tillett Lighting Design Associates. Find us at landscapeforms.com or contact us toll free at 800.430.6205.
case study
Image: Alex Jeffries Photography
Westin Hotel Dubai, UAE At the Westin Hotel Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, designers Smith Tait specified fixtures from LEDFlex to accentuate the grandeur of its atrium lobby.
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The palatial renovation of the Westin Hotel Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina offers guests the chance to step inside a world of pure luxury. Lighting design consultants Smith Tait were appointed to deliver a creative lighting concept for the Westin atrium lobby which features magnificent, tiled floors, a grand gazebo and stunning gold furnishings crafted by renowned boutique interior design studio, Stickman Tribe. The desire for the project was to enhance the area by building different layers of light to define the space, creating depth and atmosphere, while accentuating the impressive interiors housed within the neoclassical architecture. The key was to curate lighting that was dynamic yet discrete, with luminaires that are not only premium in quality, but also efficient. To illuminate the vision LEDFlex was specified by Smith Tait. Upon arrival, guests are met with an opulent indoor gazebo structure that hosts the main reception area. Eco Flex in 3000K enclosed in a black profile has been surface mounted along the frame, as well as the cove of the gazebo, which emits a soft, ethereal glow around the edges, creating an inviting yet intimate ambience for guests. The luminaire is further integrated as an indirect light source beneath the raised seating platform within the Gazebo to add an extra layer of illumination and amplify the depth. Across the gazebo stands a majestic bar area that highlights the reception’s symmetry. The bar joinery has been integrated with Lumen Line in 3000K to add an element of drama to the space. Leading from the main reception area is the foyer, primarily
illuminated with the high-power Lumen Line range which is fitted into the cove. It not only helps in emphasising the architectural curves but also magnifying height and dimension. In addition, Flexi Grazer Narrow in 20° beam angle, has been used in the foyer for coffer lighting, subtly framing edges of the room and devising a powerful visual effect. The Westin atrium is a visual spectacle and one that will be engrained in guests’ memories for years to come. Andrew Bunker, Managing Director for LEDFlex Group Middle East, said: ‘’We have an impressive portfolio of hospitality projects here at LEDFlex and we are delighted to add the Westin atrium lobbies to our successes. The hotel is grand, classy, and high-quality. Using our LED solution, we have ensured the lighting reflects this.’’ www.ledflexgroup.com
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FREE LAMP RECYCLING BATTERIES & ELECTRICALS
FREE collection and recycling and FREE container for sites collecting over 1000 lamps each quarter. As a non profit organisation, Options available for smaller Recolight can offer a low cost quantities. recycling service. Giving you a complete WEEE service.
WEEE GUIDE YOU A team of WEEE experts to help with your paperwork. All consignment notes are FREE.
info@recolight.co.uk
WE COVER THE UK Recolight operate the UK’s largest collection network for fluorescent and LED lamps.
Please contact Radiant for product information, to see demo samples, or for a presentation
Mall of Oman, Muskat Lighting design by Aecom Over 430 mtrs of the 3D LED Flex 100 System provides ambient indirect lighting around the columns and the complex curved profiles of the ceiling coves
3D LED Flex 100 System IP20 Modular, 3D Flexible LED linear lighting system 28 x mid power LEDs per 100 mm module Up to 95 Watts per mtr and 9,500 Lumens per mtr
www.radiantlights.co.uk | +44 ( 0 ) 208 348 9003 | david@radiantlights.co.uk | London, N6 5JW | All products designed by
arc ad JUNE-JULY 2022.indd 1
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Advertisers Index ACEVEL
014
Alto
017
LiGHT 22
ArchLIGHT Summit
124
LightGraphix
018
Artistic Licence
087
Ligman
013
Bega
029
Luci
075
Bright Special Lighting
111
Lumascape
003
Clear Lighting
087
Luminus
131
CLS-LED
012
Mawa Design
045
[d]arc awards
147
Metis Lighting
144
[d]arc sessions
109 010, 011
Michael Grubb Studio
143
dpa lighting consultants
144
ON Lichttechnik
085
eldoLED
016
Pharos Architectural Controls
113
ELR
023
Proled
133
Erco
002
Pulsar
097
Feelux
093
Radiant Architectural Lighting
142
formalighting
079
Rako Controls
095
GVA Lighting
065
RCL
059
Hacel Lighting
008, 009
LEDil
006, 007
Recolight
141
HLB Lighting Design
145
Reggiani
035
Illumination Physics
099
Seoul Semiconductor
015
Intra Lighting
021
Stoane Lighting
123
KKDC
055
Tryka L.E.D.
KScape
135
We-ef
091
Landscape Forms
139
Wibre
137
LED Linear
148
Zeplinn
089
004, 005
Advertising enquiries should be made to Jason Pennington. Tel: +44 (0) 161 476 8350 email: j.pennington@mondiale.co.uk 142 / 143
WE ARE HIRING Looking to join a forward thinking, multi award winning, established lighting design Studio? Then look no further. Our brand new London Studio is looking for creative, enthusiastic and ambitious lighting designers, at all levels, to join our team. We are currently recruiting the following roles:
Production Assistants / Graduate Lighting Designers Applicants must be passionate about design, have great communication skills and be fluent in both written and spoken English. Tasks will include CAD layouts, detailed drawings, written documents, graphic presentations, and general co-ordination as needed to support our creative team. Photoshop and InDesign use are essential. Other Adobe Create Suite software knowledge would be an advantage, as would Revit, DIALux and Lighting Reality.
Lighting Designers Applicants should have a minimum of 1-years’ experience within the lighting design industry and be familiar with AutoCAD, Photoshop, Indesign and DiaLUX. The role will involve design and production support, with the opportunity to participate in the design process and contribute to our award-winning projects. You will need to be customer facing as you will be required to attend client meetings, and work on projects from concept through to completion. Site visits and travel will be required.
Senior Designers You will require natural leadership qualities and aspirations to fulfil management duties moving forward. You will need to be an excellent communicator, able to inspire clients, collaborate with design partners and demonstrate technical knowledge with regards to lighting technology and legislation. Candidates must have experience as a lead designer on large complex projects.
At Michael Grubb Studio we are proud to offer a competitive salary plus an annual bonus scheme, flexible working, additional holiday per year, industry events and training, international travel, and social events, such as our own summer beach party at our Bournemouth HQ, as well as great company culture. You will become part of a fun and growing team. We have adopted a flexible working policy, with staff being asked to work a minimum of 2 days from the Studio. Applicants will therefore need to be self-motivated and capable of supporting the team remotely.
Please send CV and covering letter to: london@michaelgrubbstudio.com Strictly no agencies.
dpa lighting consultants have the following positions available: Senior Lighting Designers - Oxfordshire, London & Dubai Studios We are looking for creative and technically knowledgeable Senior Lighting Designers to join our Oxfordshire, London and Dubai studios. Excellent written and spoken English is essential. Candidates should have a portfolio of completed projects (interior and exterior). IT skills must include Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, InDesign, Photoshop and DIALux. Knowledge of BIM/Revit would be beneficial but not essential. Duties and responsibilities would include, working within a team environment on all aspects of the lighting design process, from concept to completion, attending design and site meetings in the UK and overseas and supervising the work of lighting designers within the studio. Only applicants with professional independent lighting design experience will be considered. Remuneration will be commensurate with experience and includes bonus opportunities. The Dubai position enjoys a tax free environment subject to personal taxation circumstances. Please note that our Oxfordshire studio is in a rural location and does require a car.
Lighting Designers - Oxfordshire, London & Dubai Studios We are currently looking for Lighting Designers to join our Oxfordshire, London and Dubai studios. The role will involve being part of a design team and providing support in the production of concept presentations, layout drawings and details, specifications etc. with the opportunity to progress within the Practice. We will consider both graduate level candidates and applicants with some lighting design experience. Applicants should have AutoCAD and Photoshop skills. An understanding of InDesign, Visualisation programmes and other lighting related packages such as DIALux. BIM/Revit experience would also be advantageous but not essential. Excellent written and spoken English is essential. Remuneration will be commensurate with experience and includes bonus opportunities. The Dubai position enjoys a tax free environment subject to personal taxation circumstances. Please note that our Oxfordshire studio is in a rural location and does require a car. For further details about dpa, please refer to our website: www.dpalighting.com Please email your application letter and CV along with a portfolio of examples of completed projects where you have had a significant contribution, to Elizabeth Grundy: dpa@dpalighting.com. Please clearly state on your covering email which position/studio you are applying for.
We are looking for new members to join our team. Our everyday practice includes lighting projects of various scales ranging from sinuously lit facades to custom design of lighting fixtures and from Lighting Concept till construction phase and we can’t wait to have new talents aboard. Here below, you can find all the details for applying for 2 positions:
JUNIOR LIGHTING DESIGNER / INTERMEDIATE LIGHTING DESIGNER REQUIREMENTS
WHAT
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Master’s degree in Architecture/ Architectural Engineering/ Design and a Master in a field related to lighting design.
•
Minimum 3 years’ experience for intermediate lighting designer applicants.
The candidates will be working on various scales of international lighting projects collaborating with a team of experienced lighting designers from the initial creative phase until the overall design and documentation process.
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Proficiency in English with good verbal, interpersonal and writing skills. French and other languages are welcome.
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Proficiency in following software: Autocad, 3DS Max, Dialux, Revit, Solidworks, Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Word, Excel, Power Point.
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Artistic skills of free hand sketching with different techniques are highly appreciated.
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Ability to work in a large multidisciplinary team
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Organisational and time management skills
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Reliability, tenacity and passion.
Their tasks based on their role will include the involvement in the Lighting Concept, thorough research on lighting equipment, lighting calculations, production of lighting documentation in CAD or Revit, creating and/or evaluating mockups. WHERE Milan, Italy Travel to meetings or construction sites may be required. HOW TO APPLY job@metislighting.it
Designer Description Supports the work of 1 or more team members and displays judgement and independent thinking in the design process. Position is 70% designer / 30% project manager. Position can be in any of our HLB offices. Please visit hlblighting.com/careers/ to apply. Achieving Results – Project Responsibilities • Use critical thinking and discretion in assessing specific project needs and communicating effectively to the project manager. • Begin to familiarize/learn the process for reviewing monthly fee drafts with Project Manager/Associate/Principal. • Begins to understand how to apply authorized scope of work to tasks and meet deadlines. • Assist in managing agendas, meeting minutes, and regular project status communications to build knowledge in these areas. • Work independently on specific scopes of a project like calculations or documentation. • Supports the team to produce work efficiently and profitably. • Assists the project manager in creating labor hour budgets for projects. Working with Clients – Client Responsibilities • Starts to develop good client and/or related business relationships - working well with their equal at other firms • Enhance HLB’s value to the client and promote the firm • Uses communication tools to manage client expectations Working with Teammates and Managers – Management Responsibilities • Exhibit flexibility and cooperation with teammates. • Manage own work time and priorities and show ability to also do this with the project team. • Understand good framework for resolving issues. • Interface among the principals, design/technical staff and business team as needed.
We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, creed (which includes religious dress and grooming practices), color, citizenship, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, familial and marital status, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, domestic victim status, caregiver status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws, ordinances, or regulations. Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design takes affirmative action in support of its policy to and advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design is an internationally recognized design firm focused on architectural lighting, including electric lighting and daylighting, for both interior and exterior environments. We are inspired by the artistry of light and its impact on the natural and architectural environment. We infuse our core values of artistry, legacy, curiosity, balance, and integrity into every project. We thrive with intriguing projects that engage us conceptually and challenge us technically. We seek to enhance our clients’ experiences and create
HLB’s Corporate Culture and Values – Responsibilities to HLB initiatives • Participation in and contribution to procedures and environment that are in the best interest of the firm. • Represent the firm in a professional manner. • Participation in Designing Our Future/HLB 10:10 Vision, C2Q initiatives. • Reinforce HLB values – Artistry, Curiosity, Balance, Integrity, Legacy. • Look for opportunities to collaborate with other HLB offices on project, DOF, C2Q, business workgroup avenues in a meaningful way. Requirements Skill Set • Excellent Organizational skills • Proven technical skills appropriate to work area • Oral and written skills • Computer programs: Revit, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Suite including Acrobat, Photoshop and InDesign, AutoCAD, AGI or Visual or Elum Tools, Diva, Grasshopper, Ecotect, Radiance, Daysim, Rhino, Radiance, Vision - as applicable to their role or business group • Ability to prioritize / time management skills • Self-motivated and self-directed • Team player • Motivator • Dependable Education & Experience • Bachelor’s degree or above in Lighting Design or Architectural Engineering or Architecture or Interior Design or Theatrical Lighting or related education and experience • 2 to 4 years’ experience • Certification in Lighting Design (e.g. LC) or certification related to their field / degree or endeavoring to obtain it. • LEED BD+C or endeavors to achieve • IALD Associate level or above or endeavoring to obtain it. • Participate in industry related professional organizations locally
a legacy of design that respects its environment and promotes a better future. Our services are customized to provide the best lighted environments to meet our clients’ needs. HLB is a collaborative firm that values flexibility and work/life balance filled with dynamic people whose enthusiasm for what we do infuses both our professional and personal lives. We are driven by an experienced team that is rewarded for its originality, commitment, and leadership. Our principals are engaged in every project from concept to commissioning to ensure the clients’ needs are realized at every step. Our design and technical experts hail from many parts of the world and form the basis for HLB’s proven ability to produce outstanding, award-winning designs. As designers, we promote a positive vision of the future, based upon the belief that many of the environmental problems we face are design challenges. We believe a successful project starts with a collaborative mind-set in support of a common goal: to achieve energy-effective, high-quality environments for owners through intelligent lighting design, design that holistically integrates daylight with supplemental light and controls. Our designers work closely with owners and architectural teams to optimize the integration and control of natural and electric lighting for energy-effective designs of the highest excellence.
If interested, please visit our website to apply - hlblighting.com/careers/
bucket list #28
“Close your eyes and see.” Joseph Joubert
Pilasinee Rattarangsi Rangsi Atelier What
A moment of closing your eyes (as a short or longer break) in order to be with yourself again.
Where
Wherever you feel comfortable.
How
Just slowly close your eyes for a few minutes or more. Bring yourself back to the here and now. Put on an eye mask, if it helps. There are many ways to pull back our wandering minds. Closing our eyes and focusing on a single thing is just one of them.
When
Anytime.
Why
Physically, our eyes are overexposed to computer and phone screens and also as lighting designers, additional lighting mock-ups and inspections that could lead to us damaging our eyes. Mentally, we continually multitask. Allowing ourselves to rest at least a few minutes a day would aid the wellbeing of both lighting designers and everyone else too. It will help to sharpen perception skills other than our visual ones. Don’t forget to smile. :) www.pilasinee.com
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curated by
Bath Abbey, UK by Michael Grubb Studio
Winner of the 2021 Best of the Best [d]arc award
COULD YOU BE A WINNER? 2022 [D]ARC AWARDS NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES
FOR ALL PROJECTS AND PRODUCTS IN 2022 EARLY BIRD ENTRY DEADLINE 8 AUGUST 2022 VOTED FOR BY THE INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT DESIGNER COMMUNITY GO TO WWW.DARCAWARDS.COM TO ENTER NOW