April 2026

DEAN SKIRA CHALLENGES THE DESIGN PROCESS  THE HUMAN FACTOR OF RESIDENTIAL DESIGN  UP CLOSE WITH DAVID SEOK

designing lighting

1

VOLUME VI • ISSUE 5

Glow WITHOUT Spectacle:

Lighting Cologne Cathedral with Precision and Respect

APRIL 2026

2026 IALD AWARD WINNERS  CIRCADIAN LIGHTING AT SEA  TAILORED LIGHT FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE

designing lighting ISSUE NO. 3

DECEMBER 2020

designing lighting

1

2

designing lighting

POSH CLOSET LIGHTING Meet POSH: the illuminated closet rod, reimagined.

Built with premium QTL light quality and color accuracy, POSH is available in Wall-to-Wall and Float options, with advanced features including Type Ill hardcoat anodized aluminum to resist scratches, leading load capacity, and hidden wireways for a clean architectural finish.

QTL.lighting designing lighting

3

TO D AY IN TODAY I N LIGHTING L I G HT I N G STAY INFORMED. STAY AHEAD.

Today in Lightin g (TiL) is th e daily broa dcast of EdisonRepor t (ER) an d designin g lightin g (dl). Be in th e kn ow in 90 secon ds or less!

Hosted by Ran dy Reid, TiL is presented in audio an d video formats weekdays at 8 AM Eastern.

Available via Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts, the EdisonReport YouTube channel, or LinkedIn.

4

designing lighting

Perimeter vs. Wallgraze

Perimeter vs. Wallgraze Lighting: Understanding Design & Application

Perimeter

Wallgraze

Inter-lux.com/whitegoods

1

download the Whitegoods Paper to learn when to use each and why BAA/BABA

tools for lighting

inter-lux.com/pw designing lighting

5

Merging the art of metal and the science of light

Wave

Reuleaux Triangle

Ocular

Rhombus

Plectrum

Ellipse

Racetrack

Rounded Square Tangent Shapes from VoksLyte. A new family of exquisite geometric luminaires.

Available as a downlight pendant (Tangent Down), uplight/downlight pendants (Tangent UpDown), recessed (mud flange or exposed).

May be finished in any commercially available powder coat colors and real wood veneer (please contact the factory). Illuminated in a variety of options: whites, RGBW, tunable white or dim to warm. Entering our 39th year in business, and made entirely in the US in our Gaithersburg, MD factory.

Tangent Shapes: Plectrum UpDown (Direct/Indirect) & Ellipse UpDown (Direct/Indirect) UC Riverside Campus • Riverside, CA Designer: Solomon Cornwell Buentz 8020 Queenair Drive, Suite D • Gaithersburg, MD 20879 USA • phone: 301 921 4120 6 designing lighting email: Sales@VoksLyte.com • website: www.VoksLyte.com

Merging the art of metal and the science of light

TANGENT Grazer

TM

Custom-Curved Wall Grazer

New from VoksLyte!

At last, a masterful solution to grazing curved walls. Tangent Grazer is factory-manufactured to any curvature or shape, in static or compound radii, or any rectilinear or curvilinear application. Made to fit your application perfectly, in both curvature and length. VoksLyte can provide overall lengths to the nearest 1/16” assuring that our curvatures and lengths will match your architectural requirements exactly.

As always, made entirely in the USA in our Gaithersburg, MD factory.

7 ©2026 VoksLyte

designing lighting

table of

CONTENTS 14

Editorial Director’s Notepad

16

Inside the IES Progress Report Committee

By Megan Carroll

Since 1910, the IES Progress Report has tracked what's new and significant in lighting—not as an awards program, but as a rigorous, peer-reviewed record of innovation. Meet the volunteer committee that reads everything so you don't have to.

CONTRIBUTORS

Megan Carroll

22 Tailored Morning Light To Improve Sleep, Fatigue, and Light + Health

Everyday Living in Parkinson’s Disease: A Follow-Up Study

By Mariana G. Figueiro, PhD

Sleep problems affect up to 90 percent of people living with Parkinson's disease.

Researchers at Mount Sinai's Light and Health Research Center found that two hours of circadian-effective morning light—delivered through ordinary table and floor lamps—added 26 minutes of sleep and measurably reduced fatigue and depression.

Shirley Coyle, LC

28 Cologne Cathedral Cover Story

By Randy Reid

It took six years, a filmmaker-turned-lighting-designer, and hundreds of nights of observation to get the light right on one of Germany's most iconic landmarks. How Licht Kunst Licht AG earned the IALD's highest honor—and why the goal was never spectacle.

Stacie Dinwiddy, CLD, IALD, LC, LEED BD+C

36 LEDucation Map 42 IALD International Lighting Design Awards

Mariana G. Figueiro, PhD

62 Top 10 MUST SEE Products at LEDucation 2026 64 Circadian Lighting at Sea

By Randy Reid

Far offshore, operators monitor wind farms around the clock in rooms where the screens never go dark and fatigue is always a factor. How do you design light that protects both alertness and sleep when you can't optimize both at the same time?

Darren Luce, LC MIES

66 The Green Card Roadmap: A Guide for Lighting Firms

By Bridget Leary

The lighting industry runs on international talent—but keeping that talent means navigating a years-long immigration process that punishes even small missteps.

Two attorneys and two lighting professionals break down exactly what employers need to do, and what it costs.

8

designing lighting

Let’s Get LEDucated.

Join us in NYC April 14-15 to discover how Amerlux is innovating in 2026. New fixtures, more integrations, and industry-leading performance.

at

Other Featured Products

Comfort Vue by Amerlux sets a new standard for linear lighting, delivering industry-best visual comfort while maintaining outstanding performance.

Learn More

Find us at Booth GB 500/502

www.amerlux.com designing lighting

9

We lead with lighting fixtures that deliver exceptional, timeless environments and promote human safety and well-being. Precision engineering, robust construction, and sustainable practices are behind our every success. We are driven by unstoppable scientific curiosity and relentless intellectual passion. We are ...lighting iQ rising.

10

designing lighting

USA Preview

ona

™

next generation tambient See us at LEDucation

BOOTH 2910

designing lighting

11

the Edge: Lighting a Community Back Together 70 Opening At a New York City public housing campus, decades of disinvestment had turned a

community green space into a fenced-off void. Lighting designer Kate Hickcox spent years listening to residents before placing a single fixture—and what she learned changed how she thinks about what light is actually for.

Skira Challenges the Lighting Design Process 74 Dean What if the industry has been designing outdoor lighting backwards for decades—

choosing fixtures first and calculating later? Dean Skira thinks so, and he's built an AIdriven platform called Taman to prove it.

76 The Human Factor: What Twenty Years in Lighting Have Taught Residential

Me About Collaboration

By Stacie Dinwiddy, CLD, IALD, LC, LEED BD+C

Twenty years into a career designing lighting for luxury residences, Stacie Dinwiddy has come to believe that the projects most likely to fall short aren't lacking in technical skill—they're lacking in trust. On the soft skills that quietly determine whether a project reaches its potential.

Lighting as a System: Lawrence Lin’s Vision for 82 Healthy the Industry

Current standards measure flicker at the face of a luminaire. But people don't experience light that way. Lawrence Lin of the Good Light Group explains why healthy lighting can't be reduced to a single product—and why the U.S. is largely missing from the conversation.

84

Rep’s Perspective

The Real Work of Value Engineering – A Collaborative Approach

By Darren Luce, LC MIES

There's a difference between value engineering and substitution—and most lighting designers know which one they're usually handed. Darren Luce makes the case for a more transparent, collaborative process, and explains why the rep still in the room when changes are being made may be the most important person on the project.

87 Advertisers’ Index

Hilton Niushoushan Nanjing, China Photo Credit: © Fei Yan

88 Award Competitions

91

People on the Move

DEAN SKIRA CHALLENGES THE DESIGN PROCESS  THE HUMAN FACTOR OF RESIDENTIAL DESIGN  UP CLOSE WITH DAVID SEOK

89 Events

designing lighting

1

VOLUME VI • ISSUE 5

Glow WITHOUT Spectacle:

Lighting Cologne Cathedral with Precision and Respect

2026 IALD AWARD WINNERS  CIRCADIAN LIGHTING AT SEA  TAILORED LIGHT FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE

designing lighting

92 Up Close with David Seok

By Shirley Coyle, LC

12

designing lighting

CAN LIGHTING SAVE RETAIL?  BENYA’S ART & SCIENCE  IALD MEASURES IMPACT OF COVID-19

ISSUE NO. 3

DECEMBER 2020

ON THE COVER LIGHTING

T he Eisenhower Memorial

OFFICE IN THE CLOUDS  THE NEW WORLD OFFICE  UP CLOSE WITH BARBARA HORTON

Cologne Cathedral Photo credit: HGEsch

APRIL 2026

Illuminated with Innovation and Purpose.

Rama area lights and SHUFFLE lights define the Pearl Innovation District’s public realm with clarity and purpose. From open plazas to integrated safety and wayfinding, the district stays connected and vibrant from day into night.

The Pearl Innovation District | Charlotte, NC Rama Area Lights, SHUFFLE Landscape Forms | A Modern Craft Manufacturer

designing lighting

13

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR’S NOTEPAD

It’s LEDucation Time!

In its 20th year, LEDucation continues to evolve in thoughtful ways. This year’s introduction of designer hours on Tuesday—9:00 to 11:30 a.m.—is a smart move. It gives designers space to engage early, before the aisles fill and the pace accelerates. The committee deserves credit for recognizing how people want to experience the show and making an adjustment that should improve the overall flow.

Editorial Director: Randy Reid Publisher: Cliff Smith

Contributing Writers: Shirley Coyle Lead Contributing Editor President, Cree Lighting Canada Principal, RELEVANT LIGHT Consulting Inc. Vilma Barr Contributing Editor

Staff Writers: Bridget Leary Ellie Noblin Smita Shanbhag Published by EdisonReport 1726C General George Patton Dr. Brentwood, TN 37027 Phone: 615-371-0961 designinglighting.com designing lighting is focused on the Business of Lighting Design™ and provides business information to the lighting design community. In addition to the website, designing lighting publishes bi-monthly online magazines featuring original content, interviews within the community and highlights successful award winning lighting designs. While designing lighting is based in the U.S., it has contributors from Europe and is developing a global presence. ISSN: 3066-9111.

Statements and opinions expressed in articles and editorials in dl are the expressions of contributors and do not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of the EdisonReport.

Advertisements appearing in the publication are the sole responsibility of the advertiser.

14

designing lighting

The goal is simple: make the show feel less rushed. Those first two and a half hours should allow people to breathe a bit. To have real conversations. To see products without feeling like they are fighting through a crowd.

At times, LEDucation feels like airport check-in at peak hour—not one long line, but clusters of people shoulder to shoulder, waiting their turn. There’s no structure, just density. You’re not in line, yet you’re still waiting—deciding whether to stay or move on.

The designer hours should soften that effect. Not eliminate it—but ease it.

Looking ahead, the move to a three-day format in 2027 follows that same philosophy. More time. Better flow. Fewer moments where you feel like you’re standing at TSA just to get a closer look at a booth.

We are taking a similar approach with EdisonReport’s 11th Annual Lifetime Achievement Awards.

For years, the challenge has never been finding people to honor. It has been narrowing the list. Each year, the committee can easily identify 30 individuals who have made a meaningful impact on this industry. The list is deep. The contributions are significant. The decisions are difficult.

In past years, we tried to accommodate more. We aimed for 10 honorees and even reached 12 in 2024. But the result was an evening that felt compressed.

Honorees were being celebrated, but the pace worked against the moment.

People were watching the clock. Guests were slipping out early to make dinners or other events. It never felt quite right.

This year, we made a deliberate decision: a firm cap of six honorees.

Not because there are only six deserving individuals—but because there are so many. By limiting the number, we can give each honoree the time and attention they deserve. We can slow the pace. We can let the room settle into the moment instead of rushing through it. A special thank you to our nominating committee: Donny Wall, Nancy Stathes, and Ann Schiffers.

We’ve also moved the start time to 5:00. Many of our honorees and guests are also speakers or participants in LEDucation events, and their schedules are tight. Starting earlier allows us to finish earlier. It respects their time and allows them to enjoy the evening without feeling pulled in multiple directions.

And when the program concludes, the evening continues naturally. By co-locating with WILD, our honorees and guests can step directly into another gathering of friends and colleagues. No rushing across town. No logistical friction. Just a continuation of the celebration.

If LEDucation has found ways to improve flow and reduce the sense of rush, we believe it’s worth doing the same.

We also want to thank our friends at Parsons—The New School for once again providing the perfect setting for this event, and our presenting sponsor, QTL. ■

ONLine Linear

ONLine Linear is designed for elegance and performance, integrating seamlessly into any LSI Track System to deliver smooth, optimal distributions of light.

Fully compatible with all LSI Track Systems

2 FT (23 Watts, 3400 Lumens) or 4 FT (46 Watts, 6800 Lumens)

0-10V, DMX or Phase Dimming Option

40º, 60º, 70º, 110º, 165º Batwing or Wall Wash Asymmetric Distributions

Discover the art of lighting — visit our website or scan the QR code below.

Lighting Services Inc Premier Lighting Manufacturer 800 999-9574

www.LightingServicesInc.com designing lighting

15

IES ANNOUNCES

CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR THE 2026 Industry Progress Report

By MEGAN CARROLL

IES Director of Marketing and Business Development

DENVER, CO — The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) has officially opened its Call for Entries for the 2026 IES Industry Progress Report, inviting lighting manufacturers, researchers, and innovators to submit their most forwardthinking products, systems, and research. The annual report showcases significant advances that demonstrate meaningful progress in the lighting industry.

The program is open to organizations and individuals involved in lighting design, manufacturing, product development, and research. Submissions must represent innovations commercially introduced or completed after the 2025 reporting cycle and should show measurable advancement in performance, efficiency, design, or application.

Eligibility categories include: •

Luminaires, lamps, and lighting equipment

•

Controls, sensors, and integrated systems

•

Optical, thermal, or material innovations

•

Research studies, methodologies, and data contributing to lighting science

Key Dates •

Submission Portal Opens: April 13, 2026

•

Early Bird Deadline: April 26, 2026

•

Submission Portal Closes: May 8, 2026

All submissions must include a detailed description, technical documentation, high-resolution imagery, and any optional supplemental materials such as test data, videos, or case studies.

Entry Fees •

NonMember Early Bird (until April 26): $250

•

Member Early Bird (until April 26): $200

•

NonMember (after April 26): $350

•

Member (after April 26): $300

Fees must be paid at the time of submission through the IES online entry portal.

The Industry Progress Report is presented annually during the IES Conference and highlights innovations shaping the future of the lighting sector. Selected entries receive global visibility and recognition among lighting designers, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, and educators.

How to Submit Full entry guidelines and access to the submission portal are available on the IES website.

For questions, applicants may contact the IES Industry Progress Committee through the portal.

Inside the IES Progress Report Committee: The IES was established in 1906. This column will showcase some of the more than 45+ committees of the IES; what they do; what their mission is; why they do it. These volunteer members serve their peers, competitors & colleagues, making the IES truly a member driven community.

The IES Progress Report Committee

16

designing lighting

What is the Progress Report?

The first Progress Report was published in 1910.

The Committee’s mission is to keep in touch with developments in the art and science of lighting worldwide and prepare a yearly report of these significant achievements for the Society.

Hello, Perfection.

All In One Downlight Adjustable, Wall Wash

Over 2000 Delivered Lumens

Actual Size

3" Aperture , Under 4” Tall

Up to 2" Thick Ceilings

Fire-Rated System

Up to 40° Vertical Tilt

Small In One - Mini TM

Install-from-Below Reinvented

Learn More

Copyright 2026 USAI Lighting. All rights reserved. USAI Lighting 1126 River Road, New Windsor, NY 12553 usailighting.com

designing lighting

17

The unique qualifications, diverse professional experiences & intellect of the committee members provide the rigor, discipline & objective analysis required for the arduous submissions review process. Members’ areas of expertise include educators, manufacturers, lighting designers, sales representatives, researchers, optical engineers

The Progress Report is not an Awards Program. Submissions are not scored or ranked.

Acceptance into the Report is based on an impartial evaluation process used by the Committee to assess each submission on its uniqueness, innovation, and significance to the lighting industry.

The Committee: average tenure is 16 years. Why? Serving on the Committee broadens and deepens my professional experience by connecting me with industry leaders, offering realtime insight into innovation, and helping me stay current with emerging lighting technologies and practices.

Gregg Adams, IALD, IES, LEED AP BD+C Jacobs Sr. Lighting Designer IES Industry Progress Report Committee – Chair

My involvement has allowed me the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of engineers, architects, lighting designers, and manufacturers—gaining a unique perspective on how each discipline evaluates emerging products. This engagement has provided a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the rigor, discussion, and critical thinking behind every submission, deepening my understanding of the balance between innovation, application, and performance across the lighting community.

Shelly Prew Specification Sales Manager, Cooper Lighting President – IES Detroit Section 2025-26

Being part of the Committee has been one of the most meaningful things I’ve done in my career.

Every year, I spend hundreds of hours with the smartest people in lighting, reviewing the newest ideas and technologies shaping our industry. It’s intense, but the conversations and level of innovation are genuinely energizing. More than anything, it’s the people—thoughtful, generous, and deeply committed to the profession—that make it so impactful. There’s a reason so many of us stay involved for decades.

18

designing lighting

2026 Committee Members Anthony Serres Mark Benguerel Dyke Riffle Edwin Rambusch On navigating UV technology during the pandemic: The committee faced a genuine reckoning when germicidal and near-UV technologies surged during the pandemic. We had substantive discussions about whether recognizing these advances might be read as a blanket endorsement — and, critically, how to safeguard against misapplication. The result was a dedicated seal and disclaimer for germicidal technology, underscoring that a qualified lighting designer must be involved to ensure proper use. It was the committee at its best: thoughtful, responsible, and consequential.

Shaun Fillion RAB, NYSID Educator

Howard Lewis Jay Eissner Jered Widmer John Green Kenneth Schutz Kristin Bernick Markus Earley Michael Lunn Paula Ziegenbein Richard Leeds Robert Cilic Shaun Fillion Shelli Sedlak-Mejia Tejal Thakur Basar Erdener Mark Lien

Ardra Zinkon, CLD, IALD President I Director of Lighting Design Zinkon Creative Studio

Hundreds of members have volunteered thousands of hours over the past 120 years to the IES, contributing to the Society’s recognition as the technical and educational authority on illumination. We are deeply grateful for their contributions. Their volunteerism makes an impact worldwide. That’s a legacy!

To learn more about the many committees of the IES, visit us here: https://ies.org/about/ committees/ designing lighting

19

YEARS

TRADE SHOW AND CONFERENCE

20

designing lighting

designing lighting

21

LIGHT AND HEALTH

Tailored morning light

to improve sleep, fatigue, and everyday living in Parkinson’s disease — A follow-up study

By MARIANA G. FIGUEIRO, PHD Light and Health Research Center at Mount Sinai

Figure 1. Light’s effects on the circadian system by day (left) and by night (right).

Sleep disturbances are among the most common nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD), affecting up to 90% of individuals living with the illness. These difficulties—ranging from trouble falling asleep and frequent awakenings to restless legs and vivid dreams—often coexist with fatigue, a pervasive physical or mental exhaustion that is not relieved by rest. Importantly, fatigue and sleepiness are not the same 22

designing lighting

thing. Many people with PD report profound fatigue even when they do not feel sleepy, and the consequences for everyday living and overall health can be substantial.

At the center of these challenges is the body’s internal clock— the circadian system—which coordinates timing of sleep and waking alongside daily rhythms in hormone release, body

LIGHT AND HEALTH Figure 2. Examples of the table and floor lamps used to deliver the TLI to participants in the LHRC’s studies.

brightness and dedicated “lightbox time” (Figure 2). The participants in our study received two hours of morning light, scheduled to turn on at their preferred time within two hours of waking, allowing the TLI to become part of their normal home environment rather than an extra task to perform.

This work extends earlier findings showing similar lighting benefits in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and in a small PD cohort, reinforcing the idea that getting the right amount of light at the right time can help reset and strengthen circadian rhythms.

What we did

temperature, and numerous other bodily and behavioral processes. When the circadian clock is misaligned with the outside world, sleep and daytime functioning suffer. Light is the primary signal for synchronizing this clock; too little light by day or too much light at night can disrupt circadian timing and amplify sleep problems and fatigue in people living with PD (Figure 1).

A low-burden lighting approach: Circadian-effective morning light Conventional bright-light therapy often requires patients to sit in front of a light box, which can be uncomfortable and burdensome. In contrast, our tailored lighting intervention (TLI) uses plug-in ambient lamps engineered to deliver circadian-effective light that is tuned to optimally stimulate the eye’s circadian photoreceptors, thus avoiding high

We enrolled 43 participants with PD, objectively measuring their sleep with wrist-worn actigraphs (activity-tracking devices that resemble a smartwatch) and collecting their subjective assessments of sleep quality, fatigue, mood, and anxiety via questionnaires both before and after a four-week TLI.

What we found The participants showed a statistically significant (p = 0.012) ~26-minute average increase in total sleep time following the TLI (Figure 3A). Average fatigue scores improved significantly (p = 0.0033), suggesting that the intervention not only extends sleep but also alleviates the debilitating sense of exhaustion that is common in those living with PD (Figure 3B). We also observed a significant (p=0.034) reduction in depressive symptoms (Figure 3C), consistent with the interconnectedness of circadian rhythms, sleep, and mood.

Figure 3. Sleep duration (A), fatigue (B), and depressive symptoms (C) recorded before and after the four-week TLI for the study’s 43 participants. Their average total sleep time (in minutes) and average fatigue scores were significantly greater (see p values) post-TLI compared to pre-TLI. Participants’ depressive symptoms also significantly declined over the same period. Fatigue was assessed via the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue Scale, which is a standard measure of fatigue and its impacts on daily activities in chronic illnesses. Depressive symptoms were assessed via the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, which is widely used in clinical and experimental settings.

designing lighting

23

LIGHT AND HEALTH

Figure 4. The lighting characteristics affecting the circadian system that have been puzzled together from theoretical, laboratory, and field research.

The lighted environment is central to health In closing, we at the LHRC offer the following design principles and practical guidelines, which are rooted in the lighting characteristics needed to affect the circadian system and puzzled together from theoretical, laboratory, and field research (Figure 4). Together, these points underscore that lighting should be considered an integral part of healthcare rather than a supplement or afterthought.

•

Design principles

Practical guidelines

•

•

24

lighting (e.g., 3000 K) can be circadian effective, but lamp (or bulb) light output should total at least 3000 lumens. Make sure to hide the source with translucent diffusers.

Timing matters! Providing ample circadian-effective (i.e. bright) light shortly after wake time (preferably within two hours, at the latest) will reinforce morning alerting signals and anchor the biological clock. Lights should be dimmed as twilight approaches and rooms should be dark for sleep. The light-dark pattern, and not just the light itself, is crucial for circadian system timing.

Make it effortless! Automate the lighting to align with wake and sleep times. Simple, scheduled controls that energize the lighting every morning at the same time and lower it in the evening will reduce users’ effort and improve their consistent compliance with the TLI. Choose solutions that “live” in the environment so the therapy happens without needing to sit in front of a device or having to remember to turn on the lights.

•

Think beyond the ceiling! Ambient plug-in lighting provides light “at the eye” (i.e. vertical illuminance, as opposed to horizontal illuminance) more efficiently than hardwired ceiling lights. It is economical to install, easily positioned close to users’ eyes, and readily integrates with existing décor. It also helps to avoid the user burden and discomfort glare often caused by conventional light therapy boxes or by very bright lights coming from the ceiling.

•

Light level matters more than spectrum! Warm

designing lighting

Proximity matters! Position the lamp (or fixture) no farther than an arm’s length from the eyes. Proximity ensures that users receive a sufficient dose of light at the eye.

•

Start with the morning light. Open the window shades upon waking, drink your first cup of coffee on the porch, turn on lights around you when reading your morning newspaper. Prioritize light at the eyes.

•

Keep it regular. Regularity is very important for the circadian system. Plan to receive bright days, dim evenings, and dark nights daily. Automation helps to establish a reliable routine, but controls don’t need to be complex. Try to wake up and go to bed at the same times every day.

•

Get a dog. A dog will keep you on a consistently timed schedule and force you to venture outdoors first thing in the morning.

•

Benefits go beyond sleep. Improvements in sleep and fatigue may also support mood and daily engagement, amplifying quality-of-life benefits.

Passively and consistently integrating circadian-effective light into daily routines can transform anyone’s living space into a circadian-supportive, therapeutic lighted environment, whether they are a patient or otherwise healthy person in a clinical care setting or living at home.

After all, very few of us are entirely free of the nonmotor symptoms our research targeted in this PD patient population, and all of us can reap the TLI’s substantial benefits for the quality and timing of sleep, daytime energy, and mood. ■

designing lighting

25

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL PUREEDGE LIGHTING REPRESENTATIVE OR26VISIT PUREEDGELIGHTING.COM designing lighting

Where Light Shapes Every Moment designing lighting

27

COVER STORY

GLOW WITHOUT SPECTACLE: Lighting Cologne Cathedral with Precision and Respect

By RANDY REID

28

designing lighting

Photo credit: HGEsch

COVER STORY

On certain evenings, just after dusk, the Cologne Cathedral does not so much light up as it reveals itself. The towers emerge first, then the layers beneath—columns, tracery, and deep recesses— until the vast Gothic structure appears to glow from within. The effect feels inevitable, as if it had always been there.

That sense of inevitability is precisely what earned Licht Kunst Licht AG the prestigious IALD Radiance Award for Excellence in Lighting Design. Presented at Light + Building in Frankfurt, the award recognized a project that does more than illuminate—it redefines how heritage architecture can be experienced at night. The new system reduces energy consumption and light pollution significantly while revealing roughly 50 percent more architectural detail than the previous installation.

I had the privilege of interviewing Andreas Schulz, CEO, and Philipp Schmitz, Lighting

Designer at Licht Kunst Licht, in the EdisonReport studio at Light + Building in March. Both designers reflected on the years-long process behind the project and their personal connection to one of Germany’s most iconic landmarks.

“The lighting design for Cologne Cathedral represents the pinnacle of what our profession can achieve,” said IALD Awards Co-chair Colin Ball. “This project demonstrates how contemporary lighting technology can enhance both the spiritual presence and civic identity of a historic monument while meeting modern sustainability standards.”

For Andreas Schulz and Philipp Schmitz, that outcome was never about spectacle. It was about respect.

“It needs a more sensitive approach,” Andreas said of the cathedral’s previous lighting. “That was clear immediately.”

designing lighting

29

COVER STORY

A Project Shaped by History and Chance

A Personal Connection to Place

The commission itself reflects the complexity of the cathedral. The lighting had long been managed by the city’s utility, while the Dombauhütte oversaw the building’s preservation. As Andreas explained, the cathedral effectively belongs to itself—not to the city, the church, or the Archbishop.

For Andreas, the project was deeply personal.

“You have to work with both,” he said, referring to the overlapping authorities.

A shift in leadership opened the door. A new decision-maker recognized that the existing lighting lacked nuance and sought a different direction. “He found out immediately that it needs a more sensitive approach,” Andreas said. “And he looked for who he could work with. He recommended us.”

“When I was a kid, one of the Sunday destinations with my family was to go to Cologne,” he said. “Visiting the cathedral was part of my childhood.”

From Bonn, 20 kilometers away, the cathedral’s twin spires were visible on clear days. Later, as a student in Cologne, Andreas studied under a professor who had shaped the building’s lighting for decades.

“I became a witness to what was going on,” he said. He watched as the lighting evolved—from halogen in the 1960s and ’70s to mercury, then metal halide, and eventually LED. The most recent system, however, fell short. “Color

The cathedral’s twin spires emerge first, guiding the eye upward through layers of illuminated detail.

Narrow and wide beam distributions work together to address the cathedral’s complex geometry.

Mounted without drilling, over 600 projectors preserve the integrity of the historic stone.

30

designing lighting

COVER STORY temperature, color rendering—everything was, let’s say… shocking,” Andreas said.

The problem was not only the light source. It was the distance. “The cathedral was illuminated from surrounding rooftops,” he explained. “Very flat. So we said we had to get closer.”

“My first working day was actually the kickoff meeting for the Cologne Cathedral project,” he said. “So I’ve essentially been working on it for six years.”

Philipp brought a different lens. He had spent 15 years in film lighting, working as a gaffer in Germany and in Hollywood. “I looked at the cathedral like a film set,” Philipp said. “In film, you always target something with light. You tell a story.”

A First Day That Changed Everything

That storytelling approach became central to the design.

That shift in thinking found an unexpected partner in Philipp Schmitz. “I took a new guy and said, ‘Okay, this is your new project,’” Andreas recalled. “That says a lot about him—and the project.”

Learning the Cathedral

For Philipp, it was day one.

The team, which also included two of their most senior designers, Stephan Thiele and Thomas Möritz, began with observation, not calculation. “We went there for days and nights,” Philipp said. “We climbed the towers. We walked

Light and shadow work in harmony, emphasizing the cathedral’s sculptural geometry rather than flattening it.

designing lighting

31

COVER STORY

through the geometry of the façade.”

What they discovered was a building defined by depth. Gothic architecture is not flat—it is layered, sculptural, and complex. At the same time, a strict constraint governed every move.

“You can’t drill holes,” Philipp said. “Whoever drills into the stone gets fired.”

32

designing lighting

The previous lighting strategy relied on floodlights from afar.

It made the cathedral visible, but not expressive. “It gave it a presence,” Philipp said. “But it was not really refined.”

The solution was a reversal. “We want to illuminate it from the inside out,” he explained. “We want it to glow from within—but not become a lantern.”

COVER STORY

Nights of Testing

The solution was a reversal. “We want to illuminate it from the inside out,” he explained.

“We want it to glow from within—but not become a lantern.”

Proving that idea required time—and physical effort. “Bonn is close to Cologne, so we could go anytime,” Andreas said.

“We even had a key.”

The team carried equipment up narrow staircases, often working through the night. Younger designers joined, learning how to evaluate light in real conditions. “It was a very beneficial process for the office,” Andreas said. “We taught them how to observe and discuss.”

Philipp described a hands-on, iterative process. “We moved luminaires around, went down, looked at it, and said, okay, let’s try something else.”

Over roughly 12 major mockups, they established a hierarchy of light and shadow. “You first have to define what’s bright and what’s dark,” Philipp said. “That’s the foundation.”

Color, Material, and Restraint Color was carefully considered—and ultimately restrained.

“We were worried it would become a spectacle,” Philipp said of early RGBW ideas. “Like Las Vegas.” They tested it anyway. The result confirmed their instinct.

“It’s not the right thing to do for a cathedral of that magnitude.” Instead, they focused on white light and the character of the stone. The cathedral’s sandstone responded best to warmer tones. “It reveals the character of the stone,” Philipp said of 3000K. “At 4000K, it always looked a little bit odd.”

Andreas emphasized unity.

The new lighting design reveals approximately 50 percent more architectural detail than the previous installation.

designing lighting

33

COVER STORY “The cathedral was built over six centuries,” he said.

“Different materials react differently. We didn’t want to emphasize those differences.”

The final solution balances both views—a warm base with subtle variation to create depth.

“You can create depth through color temperature,” Philipp said. “Not just brightness.”

Engineering Without Impact The greatest technical challenge was mounting the system without damaging the building.

“Not one of the 600 projectors is drilled,” Andreas said.

“Everything is mounted with clamps.” The team developed approximately 50 custom mounting solutions. In many cases, the structural design exceeded the complexity of the luminaires themselves.

city was burning, people stayed on the cathedral with sand buckets to protect it,” he said. “That shows what it means.”

For Philipp, the connection is more personal. “I was born in Cologne,” he said. “Seeing it every day—and knowing we worked on it—it’s a huge honor.”

Andreas, after 35 years in practice, places the project among many significant works. Yet even for him, it stands apart. “It’s a very important project,” he said. “And a very enjoyable one.”

Philipp sees it not as a finished work, but as an ongoing relationship. “I think this will be a project for the rest of my life.”

And as the cathedral continues to stand—layered, complex, and quietly luminous—that sentiment feels exactly right. ■

“The steelwork was more sophisticated than the projectors,” Andreas said. A soft lead interface allows the clamps to grip securely while protecting the porous stone.

The entire system is fully reversible.

“Future generations can remove it without any trace,” Andreas said. “I’m very proud of that.”

Precision and Flexibility The luminaires, supplied by WE-EF, provided the flexibility required for such a nuanced design. “You can integrate different light distributions into one projector,” Andreas explained. “Narrow beams for distant elements, wider beams for closer ones.”That flexibility proved critical when working within the cathedral’s layered geometry.

The system evolves throughout the night.

Controlled via DALI, the lighting dims to 50 percent at 1:00 a.m. and remains there until sunrise. Seasonal adjustments subtly shift color temperature—warmer in summer, slightly cooler in winter.

“It’s very subtle,” Philipp said. “But it helps to create more depth.”

The cathedral is never finished, and neither is the lighting. “It’s a living object,” Philipp said. “So the lighting is something we need to review constantly.”

Living in Cologne, he sees it every day.

“If something is not correct, I call them,” he said. “We adjust it.”

Meaning Beyond Design For Andreas, the project connects directly to the city’s identity. “In 1945, when the 34

designing lighting

A warm 3000K glow enhances the natural character of the sandstone, revealing texture without overwhelming the structure.

E

E

Visit us at Booth 4601/4603 in the Americas Hall 2

Axis recessed spotlights Light as if from nowhere 11/16” (17mm) light head fc/W

Powerful accent lighting Interchangeable lenses

Light is the fourth dimension of architecture designing lighting

35

2026 Presentations TUESDAY, APRIL 14

BABA, BAA, and Tariffs: Tools for Executing in a Complex and Changing Landscape

Paul Kennedy and Veena Cagle, U.S. Outdoor Lighting Location: Sutton South Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 9:30 am - 10:30 am ET Credits: 1 LU | Elective | Intermediate

Rugged ITS: Deployment in Rural and Remote Locations Matt Pollard, Leadsun, Inc. Location: Nassau Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Introductory

Future of LED Drivers

Michael Kulkarni, Sintel Power Systems (Division of Sintel Inc.) Location: Sutton North Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 10:30 am - 11:30 am ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Introductory

Lighting to Support Human Health and Wellbeing

Dr. Mariana Figueiro is the Mount Sinai Professor of Light and Health Research and Director of the Light and Health Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Location: Sutton South Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 11:30 am - 12:30 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Introductory

Beyond Illumination: Smart Lighting in the 2030 Smart Building Environment

Beatrice Witzgall, In3Design (Siemens) Location: Nassau Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

Lighting’s Blurred Lines: Where Design Ends and Consultation Begins PANEL DISCUSSION

JP Bedell, SDA Lighting | Scott Hay, Reveal Design Group | Michael Hennes, Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design | C. Brooke Silber, Borealis Studio – BR+A | Dorothy Underwood, KGM Lighting Location: Sutton North 36

designing lighting

Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET Credits: 1.5 LU | Elective | Intermediate

Lighting in Trauma-Informed Design

Mariel Acevedo, ALR and Amanda Schaneman, ETC Location: Sutton South Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

Egos, Intuition, and Lumens: Decoding the Architect’s Mind

Brian Maite, ALW, an LMPG Brand and Katie Hawk, FSA Lighting Location: Nassau Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | Elective | Intermediate

Whose Daylight Is It Anyway? Scope, Money, and Control Across the Design Team PANEL DISCUSSION

Doug Kafka, Lutron | Ryan Merluza, M Moser Associates Brian Stacy, Arup | Michael Mehl, LightBox Studios Location: Sutton North Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET Credits: 1.5 LU | HSW

Bright Ideas Need Safe Spaces – Building a Culture of Creativity Rebecca Mintz, Peak Wavelength Strategies George Mason University and David Seok, The Lighting Practice Location: Sutton South Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | Elective | Introductory

More isn’t Always Enough: Light and Perceived Safety of Subway Platforms

Hyesoo Chun, The Lighting Practice Location: Sutton South Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

Seeing Like a Cinematographer: Lighting That Shapes Emotion

Tal Lazar, Latent Images Location: Sutton North Tuesday | April 14, 2026 | 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | Elective | Introductory

2026 Presentations WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15

Integrating VR into Lighting Design: Vision and Application

Xiaoxiao Cui, Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers Location: Nassau Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 9:00 am - 10:00 am ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

Sustainable Lighting: A Perspective from the Value Chain

PANEL DISCUSSION

Maurice Loosschilder, Signify | Migda Colón-Dieppa, Columbia University Facilities and Operations Beth Brenner, Signify Location: Sutton North Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 9:00 am - 10:30 am ET Credits: 1.5 LU | HSW | Introductory

Exploring Emerging Battery Technology PANEL DISCUSSION

Sima Tawakoli, Renee Borg, and Todd Judd, sixteen5hundred Location: Sutton South Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 9:30 am - 11:00 am ET Credits: 1.5 LU | HSW | Intermediate

Specifying Networks for Streaming Lighting Protocols

Nick Gonsman and Kirk Starks, ETC, Inc. Location: Nassau Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 10:30 am - 11:30 am ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

21st Century Lighting Technology and Historic Artifacts, Fine Art, Ancient Infrastructure PANEL DISCUSSION

Megan Carroll, IES | Amy Nelson, The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Naomi Miller PNNL, FIES, FIALD, Naomi Miller Lighting Design Location: Sutton North Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 11:00 am - 12:30 pm ET Credits: 1.5 LU | HSW | Intermediate

The Broken Windows Theory as Applied to Lighting: Designing Environments that Signal Care

Francesca Bastianini, Sighte Studios Location: Sutton South Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 11:30 am - 12:30 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Introductory

Next Level Lighting and Controls: A Guide to Lighting Features in WELL

Scott Garrett, Lutron Electronics Location: Nassau Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

Beyond the Blueprint: Navigating ASHRAE and IECC 2024 Codes with Measured Success

Joe Briscoe and Paul Farris, Leviton Manufacturing Location: Sutton South Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Introductory

Where’s My Money, Lebowski? Lighting Procurement Uncovered

Amer Maleh, DeltaLight Group Location: Sutton North Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | Elective | Intermediate

Lighting the Night Responsibly: Ecology, Beauty and Control

Gabrielle Peace, Lux Botanica Location: Nassau Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Introductory

TM-30 for Designers: A Phase by Phase Approach

Jason Livingston, Studio T+L, LLC Location: Sutton South Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

Meeting NFPA Backup Power Requirements with Central Inverter Strategy | Code Compliance Without Compromising Design John Rimbos, Myers Emergency Power Systems Location: Sutton North Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Intermediate

The Greenest Watt Is the One Never Used: Six Lighting Philosophies for a Sustainable Future

Andy Letwin, EN-POWER GROUP Location: Nassau Wednesday | April 15, 2026 | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET Credits: 1 LU | HSW | Introductory designing lighting

37

Exhibitors Rhinelander + Gramercy (2nd Floor)

Rhinelander + Gramercy (2nd Floor) SOUTH CORRIDOR

GRAMERCY

DLFNY CAFE MURRAY HILL

ELEVATORS

PF 20

PF 21

RHINELANDER

REGISTRATION

PUBLICATION BIN

ESCALATOR TO GRAND BALLROOM

INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURERS

38

COMPANY

BOOTH

COMPANY

BOOTH

COMPANY

BOOTH

3G Lighting A-Emotional Light A.L.P. Lighting Abra Lighting Academy Light Access Lighting Acclaim Lighting ACE LEDS Acolyte Acuity Brands Acuity Brands Life Safety Aculux Adura Advance by Signify Advantage Environmental Lighting Advantage Lighting Solutions AFX Inc. ALA (American Lighting Association) Aldabra USA ALEDDRA LED LIGHTING Aleo Lighting Alight Alto ALUZ ALW American Lighting Amerlux Ams Osram ANOLIS LIGHTING, INC. ANP LIGHTING Apure Aquarii Arancia

GB-712 RH-6339 RH-6335 GB-420 AH1-2223/2221 GB-319 RH-6001/6003 RH-6737 GB-504 RH-6101 RH-6121 RH-6118 RH-6338 GB-925

ARCHIPELAGO LIGHTING Architectural Area Lighting by Current Arcluce Arkalumen Inc. Aron Lighting Artika Asian Lighting Community Assurance Emergency Lighting Atea ATG Electronics Atlantic Lighting Authentic Design Collection: TOOY-CONTARDI Avenue Lighting Avi-on Labs, Inc. Axis Lighting B-K Lighting B-Light BACKLIGHT srl Balancedcare By Axis Lighting Barbican Lighting Barbizon Lighting Company Barn Light - An ILLUMUS Brand Barron Lighting Group Bartco Lighting Baselite Corporation BASO Beachside Lighting Beacon Awards Beacon Lighting by Current Beamever BEGA Beta-Calco Inc. Beulux

RH-6632

Bion Technologies BIOS Lighting Bj Take Lighting Bjb Electric Lp BL Lighting Boca Lighting|Controls Bock Lighting Bodine Bold Lighting Borealux Bover Boyd Lighting Bpm Lighting Brandon Industries Brownlee Lighting Bruck / Alphabet BubblyNet Bullard Bollards Bullard Collection Camman Lighting Canto USA Casambi Technologies cBright Lighting Inc. Cerno Chameleon Lighting, Inc. Cielux Lighting Clarte Lighting Coastal Source Columbia Lighting by Current ConTech Lighting Convey Lighting Cooledge Lighting Cooper Lighting

AH1-2405 RH-6002 RH-6337 RH-6438 GB-519 AH2-4503/4505 AH1-2917 AH1-2113 RH-6211 AH1-2004 GB-212/214 AH1-2301 AH1-2213 RH-6436 GB-406/408 AH2-4504/4506 AH1-3010 GB-1120 GB-1122 RH-6018 AH2-4122 GB-416/418 AH1-2009 GB-412 AH2-4018 RH-6007 GB-317 RH-6434 AH2-4201 GB-520 AH2-4013 GB-916/918 AH1 2809/2810 2811/2812 2813/2814/2815

designing lighting

GB-625 AH1-2010 GB-313/315 PF13 GB-619 AH1-2018 AH1-2017 RH-6111 GB-425 RH-6015/6017 AH2-4001/4003 GB-312 GB-500/502 RH-6735 GB-221 AH2-4022/4020 GB-300 RH-6222 AH1-2501/2503

AH2-4204 AH2-4117 RH-6633 GB-410 RH-6040 PF16 AH2-4219 AH1-2406 GB-823 AH1-2915 RH-6142 AH2-4222 AH2-4904/4906 AH1-2203/2205 AH1-3013 AH1-2214/2216 AH1-2209/2222 AH1-2201 GB-112 RH-6221A AH2-4114 RH-6036/6038 GB-617 AH2-4817 GB-812/814 AH1-2000 PF21 AH2-4205 RH-6133 AH1-2502/2504 AH2-4604/4606 GB-220

COMPANY

BOOTH 2816/2817/28118 2819/2820 GB-415/417 GB-612/614 GB-311 AH2-5024/5025 GB-409/411 AH1-2306 GB-1017/1019 RH-6432 AH1-2111 AH2-4302 AH2-4101 PF2 AH2-4702 AH1-2219 AH2-4701/4703

CORE Architectural Lighting Coronet LED Cosine Lighting Cree Lighting Crestron Electronics Crucial Power Products CSL Lighting CUPOWER Current Fixtures & Lamps Current Lighting & Controls Dado Lighting DALI Alliance Dals Lighting Davide Groppi Day-O-Lite Dcw éditions / 10 HEURES 10 (by Dcw éditions) RH-6140 Delta Light / Delta Light Group North America GB-821/823/825 Derungs AH2-4805 Designplan Lighting, inc. / STRAL AH2-5002/5004 DGA SPA GB-101 Diem GB-816 dmf Lighting AH1-2402/2404 Domino By Satco AH2-4016 Earthtronics, Inc. AH1-2119 Ecosense AH2-5017/5019 Edison Lighting Group Ltd. AH1-2110 Edison Opto Usa Corp.

RH-6430 Edison Price Lighting AH1-2920/2922 Edison Report / Designing Lighting PF5 Eklipse Architectural Lighting (Diversified)

Exhibitors Grand Ballroom (3rd floor)

Grand Ballroom (3rd floor) TO AMERICAS HALL 1 & 2

DLFNY CAFE and IESNYC STUDENT LIGHTING COMPETITION

LOUNGE AREA

PF 13

PF 14

and PF 17, PF 18, PF 19

GRAND BALLROOM ENTRANCE

PF 15

PF 16

PF 1

PF 2

PF 3

PF 4

PF 6

PF 5

PF 7

PF 8

PF 9

PF 10

PF 11

PF 12

INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURERS

COMPANY

BOOTH

COMPANY

Elco Lighting eldoLED / Iota Electric Mirror ElectricalTrends / US Lighting Trends Electrix (The Lighting Quotient) Elite Lighting eLuminaire Emcod Inc Emergensee Lighting EmeryAllen Energio Controls Enttec ENVISION LED LIGHTING Envoy Lighting eos Light ERALUX ERCO Lighting, Inc. ERP-POWER ETC ETI Lighting Euchips Electronics Inc. Eureka Eurofase Lighting Evenlite

GB-119/121 RH-6127 AH2-4820/4822

Evo-Lite AH1-2008 ewo USA, LLC AH2-4027/4028 Extant Architectural Lighting GB-404 F.L.I. Formula Luci ITA U.S.A. INC AH1-2210/2212 Fabbian USA AH1-2921 FC / SSL GB-1012/1014 Feelux Lighting AH2-5023/5021 Finelite, Inc. GB-605/607 Flexalighting North America GB-920/922 Flos GB-400/402 Fluxwerx AH2-4008/4010 Focal Point GB-600/602 Focus Industries RH-6530 FOLIO USA INC GB-1013/1015 FSC LIGHTING RH-6037 Fulham Co Inc RH-6239 Functional Devices, Inc. AH1-3018 G Lighting GB-622 Gaggione RH-6435 Gammalux Lighting Systems AH2-4214 Genlyte Solutions - a Signify business GB-913 915/917/919 921/923 GigaTera Lighting RH-6143

PF11 AH1-2914 GB-419/421 GB-125 RH-6241 GB-122/124 GB-624 RH-6220 RH-6439 AH1-3017 AH2-4303/4305 AH2-4216 AH1-2112/2114 AH2-4601/4603 GB-1100 RH-6214/6216 AH2-4224 RH-6539/6537 RH-6104/6106 GB-1114 AH2-4901/4903

BOOTH

COMPANY Global Lighting Perspectives (GLP) GM Lighting Goldeneye Inc. Goodlite Products Inc Gotham GREEN CREATIVE - An ILLUMUS Brand Griven GVA Lighting, Inc. H.E. Williams, Inc. Halco Lighting Hapco Healthwerx Helium Lyte Hemera Heper USA Hera Lighting HercuLux Optics HessAmerica Hevi Lite, Inc. Hinkley HK Lighting Holectron Hubbardton Forge

BOOTH AH1-2016 GB-924 RH-6538 RH-6230 RH-6103/6105 AH1-2105 RH-6225 GB-401/403 AH2-4602 AH1-2102/2104 RH-6437 AH2-4813/4815 AH2-4123 AH2-4704/4706 RH-6131 GB-205 RH-6330/6332 AH2-4209 AH2-4705 AH1-2806 GB-818/820 RH-6431 AH1-2919

COMPANY

BOOTH

Hudson Valley Lighting HUNZA AND LUXR LIGHTING Hydrel HyLite LED Lighting i2Systems iGuzzini ILP - An ILLUMUS Brand Impact Architectural Lighting LLC Inciseon Innovation Factory Inside Lighting Insight Lighting Intense & Birchwood Lighting Intertek Intra Lighting Inventronics (under Bill Brown Sales) Inventronics (under International Lights) IR-TEC America Isolite JADEMAR LIGHTING JESCO LIGHTING GROUP, LLC JLC-Tech

GB-1025 AH1-2006 RH-6108/6110 AH1-2026 GB-508/510 GB-713/715 GB-1024 RH-6137 RH-6536 RH-6631 PF8 AH2-4914/4916 GB-518/GB-522 RH-6531/6533 GB-817/819 RH-6334 AH1-2602 AH1-2019 GB-507 GB-1000 RH-6004/6006 AH2-4910/4912

designing lighting

39

Exhibitors Americas Hall 1 (3rd floor)

Americas Hall 1 (3rd floor)

ESCALATOR TO AMERICAS HALL 2

AMERICAS HALL 1 ENTRANCE GRAND BALLROOM

INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURERS

40

COMPANY

BOOTH

COMPANY

Juno Keelux Technology Co., Ltd. Kelvix Kenall Manufacturing Keystone Technologies Khatod North America LLC KIM Lighting by Current Kirlin Lighting KKDC KLIK USA Klus Design Kreon Kurtzon Lighting Kuzco Lighting / Alora/ Alora Mood / Auroralight L&L Luce&Light srl LA Lighting Lamar / Clear-Vu Lighting Landscape Forms LANTANA LED LD+A/Sage Publications Ldpi Inc. Leadsun LED Linear USA LED Luks LED NER Ledconn Corp Ledflex LEDiL, Inc. Ledrabrands LEDScape Lighting LEDVANCE Legion Lighting Co., Inc Lehigh Electric Products Co Lena Lighting S.A Leotek Electronics Usa Llc Leviton Certolux Visioneering

RH-6119 GB-100 AH1-3012/3014 GB-608/610 GB-314/316/318 RH-6535 AH2-4202 AH2-4103 GB-501 RH-6126 GB-512/514 AH1-2303/2305 RH-6039/6041

Leviton Manufacturing GB-516 Light Efficient Design GB-1128/1130 Light Engine Technologies, Inc. GB-405/407 LightArt RH-6010/6012 Lightheaded AH2-4215/4217 Lighting Services Inc. GB-601/603 lightly RH-6009 Lightnet USA Inc. RH-6210 Lightnow PF3 Lightstanza PF17 Ligman Lighting AH2-4816/4818 Lindsley Lighting RH-6130 Linea Light (Inter-lux) AH2-4406 Liteco Lighting RH-6223 Litecontrol by Current AH2-4206 Litelab AH2-4819/4821 Liteline / A-Line GB-308/310 Litetronics RH-6141 Lithonia Spec RH-6122/6124 Liton/ModuLED GB-521/523 Lodes Usa GB-302 Lotus LED Lights AH1-2001 Loupi AH1-2220 LSI Industries AH2-4211/4213 LTF Technology / Sunlite2 AH1-2013/2014 Lucent Lighting GB-209/211 Luceplan AH2-4909 Lucetta / Diode LED AH2-4210/4212 Lucifer Lighting Company AH1-2202/2204 Luciole Lighting RH-6005 Lumascape AH1-2302/2304 Lumato / American Linear Lighting AH1-3019 Lumecon GB-323 Lumenpulse AH2-4004/4006 Lumentender Controls Solutions Inc. RH-6028 Lumenture AH2-4110/4112

designing lighting

GB-509/511 AH2-5006/5008 GB-1003 GB-223/225 AH1-3009/3011 RH-6016 PF9 GB-720 RH-6534 GB-723 RH-6034 AH1-2215 RH-6021 RH-6000 RH-6238 AH2-4502 GB-117 AH1-2804/2802 AH2-4024/4026 RH-6032 AH1-2012 RH-6237 AH2-4911/4913

BOOTH

COMPANY

BOOTH

COMPANY

Lumenwerx Lumetta Lumien Luminaire LED Lumination by Current Luminii Corp / Senso Luminis Luminos Global Lumos Architectural Lighting Lumoscielo™ By Baganti Lumux Lighting Lutron Electronics Co LUX dynamics Lux Illuminaire LUXAM Luxrite/Aklow Luxxbox USA Luxycon M2O Magnitude Lighting Magtech Industries Corp Manning Lighting Inc. Mark Marset Matrix Mirrors Maxiled Lighting MaxLite Mercury Lighting Products METEOR LIGHTING MINIMIS MODA Light Modern Forms Smart Fans + Luminaires Modular International, Inc. Modular Lighting Instruments MOJO Illumination Morelux Lighting (USA) LLC

AH2-4809/4811 AH2-4015 RH-6532 RH-6120 AH1-2109 AH2-5009/5011 RH-6114/6116 RH-6635 GB-306 AH1-2822 GB-222 GB-813/815 RH-6031 GB-217/219 RH-6637 AH1-2020/2022 AH1-2505 RH-6433 AH1-2101 GB-423 RH-6232 AH2-4918 RH-6100/6102 RH-6208 AH1-2821 RH-6139 GB-322/324 GB-307/309 AH1-2604/2606 AH2-4105 GB-1116/1118

Moss Objects RH-6639 MP Lighting AH1-2401/2403 Musco Lighting RH-6336 mwConnect AH1-2103 Myers Emergency Power Systems AH1-3020/3022 NACLIQ PF15 Nanometer Lighting GB-912/914 National Lighting Bureau (NLB) PF4 National Specialty Lighting AH2-4124 Nemo Lighting Inc./Reggiani USA RH-6203 NEO Architectural Lighting RH-6732/6734 NERI North America AH1-2704/2706 New Star Lighting RH-6132/6134 Niche GB-822 Nichia RH-6736 Nicolaudie America Inc. RH-6236 NICOR Lighting GB-1001 Nightingale RH-6115/6117 nlight RH-6123/6125 NLS Lighting GB-704/706 No. 8 Lighting RH-6024/6026 Nora Lighting GB-722/724 North Star Lighting, LLC GB-718 Nova Flex LED GB-1016/1018 Nuckolls Fund PF1 Nulite Lighting RH-6023/6025 Nuura RH-6730 NX Lighting Controls by Current AH2-4304/4306 NYControlled PF20 NYSID PF10 OCL GB-604/606 Omnify Lighting RH-6014 Omnilight, Inc. AH2-4113/4115 ONE A AH1-2211 Optique Lighting / Alloy LED AH2-4017/4019 Orion Energy Systems GB-621 Oxygen RH-6207/6209

AH2-5020 RH-6136/6138 GB-413 AH1-3021 RH-6331/6333

BOOTH

Exhibitors Americas Hall 2 (Access from 3rd Floor)

Americas Hall 2 (Access from 3rd Floor)

AMERICAS HALL 1

TO AMERICAS HALL 2

ESCALATOR TO AMERICAS HALL 2 GRAND BALLROOM

INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURERS

COMPANY

BOOTH

COMPANY

BOOTH

COMPANY

Pa-Co Lighting Inc Pablo Designs PAL Paradigm LED Pariah Lighting Parsons School of Design Peerless PENTA LIGHT - AURALIS Perfect Power Systems Performance iN Lighting Pexco Pharos Architectural Controls Phoenix Lighting Picasso Lighting Pinnacle Architectural Lighting PMC Lighting PoleLed Flagpole Lights PreciseLED Premier Custom Lighting And Decor Prescolite by Current Prima Lighting Primus Lighting Promotech Italia Srl Prudential Lighting PureEdge Lighting QTL QuantaLight Quattrobi Inc. RAB Lighting Radiant Architectural Lighting RAGNI Lighting International, LLC Rayhil RAYON LIGHTING RBW Red Sky Lighting Renova Lighting Systems

AH2-4009 RH-6204 AH1-2115/2117 GB-203 RH-6205 PF6 RH-6107/6109 GB-304 AH2-4605 AH2-4118 RH-6235 RH-6218 AH1-2805 AH1-2206 AH2-4109/4111 RH-6135 AH1-2023 AH2-4920/4922

Revelite Richard Kelly Grant Roger Pradier SABIN SALIOT Lighting Satco/Nuvo Lighting Schnick-Schnack-Systems Gmbh Schonbek Scout Lighting SEBCO Industries, Inc Selux SENSORWORX SGM Lighting Sistemalux Siteco Sky Factory SLG Lighting Snowball Lighting Solais Lighting Solas Ray Lighting SOLAVANTI LIGHTING & ETi Handrail Systems SONNEMAN Sosen USA, Inc Specialty Lighting Industries Spectrum Lighting SPI Lighting SPJ LIGHTING Spot on Lighting Starco Lighting StarTek Lighting America STEINEL AMERICA INC. Sternberg Lighting / Lumca Stoane Lighting (Inter-lux) Structura, Inc. Sunled Industries Llc Synapse Wireless

GB-414 PF19 RH-6206 RH-6033 AH1-2918 AH2-4012/4014 RH-6733 AH2-5022 GB-714/716 GB-320 RH-6202/6200 AH2-4812/4814 RH-6221 GB-717/719 AH1-2021 AH2-4501 AH2-4119/4121 RH-6638 GB-114/116 RH-6035

TAG Lighting Brands - Blackjack Lighting / TAG Lighting Brands - RGB Lights TAG Lighting Brands - LLIA Lighting Targetti / Duralamp / 3F

RH-6233 AH2-4203 AH2-4405 AH1-2002 AH1-2217/2224 GB-513/515 AH1-2904/2906 GB-213/215 RH-6634 RH-6019 AH1-2801/2803 GB-207 GB-218 GB-1020/1022 GB-708/710 AH2-4804/4806 AH2-4301 GB-824

AH2-4919/4921 GB-1021/1023 RH-6636 AH1-2916 AH1-2506 AH2-4102/4104 AH2-4021/4023 AH1-2121/2124 AH1-2601 AH1-3023 AH2-5013/5015 GB-113/115 AH2-4404 AH2-4915/4917 GB-321 GB-506

TCP Lighting TECHNILUM Corp Terzani THE LIGHTING QUOTIENT The Smart Lighting Company Timberlab Times Square Lighting Tivoli TLS Architectural Lighting by Media-Graph inc.

TMB TMS Lighting Toggled Tokistar Lighting Trans Globe Lighting Traxon e:cue Tridonic US Tweener Lighting Systems Twice Bright / Puraluce Two Parts U.S. National Committee of the International Commission on Illumination (CIE-USNC) U.S. Outdoor Lighting Universal Fiber Optic Lighting USA, LLC. University of Colorado Boulder USAI Lighting (Little One's / Armstrong / USAI Integrated Solutions)

BOOTH

GB-616/618 GB-620 AH1-3002 3004/3006 RH-6231 RH-6013 RH-6029 AH1-2910/2912 GB-721 AH1-2218 RH-6227 AH2-4221/4223 AH2-4401/4403 RH-6226 RH-6224 RH-6030 AH1-2003 GB-224 GB-201 RH-6738 AH1-2015 GB-1124/1126 AH1-2702 PF7 AH2-4810 AH2-4802 PF12 GB-613/615

COMPANY

BOOTH

Utopia Lighting GB-120 Valmont Industries GB-216 Valriya Lighting AH1-2701 Vantage Lighting GB-422 Veroboard RH-6240 Verozza Lighting GB-517 Visa Lighting GB-503/505 Vision3 Lighting AH2-4120 Visionaire Lighting Llc AH1-2116 Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting AH2-4220/4218 Visual Comfort & Co. (1 booth) / Element Lighting (2 booths) AH1-2909 2911/2913 VIZULO SOLUTIONS SIA GB-524 Vode Lighting AH2-4000/4002 WAC Architectural AH2-5014/5018 WAC Lighting AH2-5010/5012 Wagner Architectural AH1-3015 Waldmann Lighting AH2-4801/4803 Wattstopper GB-609/611 Wave Lighting AH1-2024 WE-EF LIGHTING USA GB-725 Westgate Manufacturing GB-525 Whitegoods (Inter-Lux) AH2-4402 WILD PF14 XAL AH1-2703/2705 XICO Lighting AH1-2901/2903 Zaneen Architectural & Zaneen Design GB-301/303 Zaneen Exterior GB-305 Zaniboni Lighting GB-700/702 Zeplinn GB-424 Zhaga Consortium PF18 Zilux GB-325 Zledlighting GB-123 Zuma Lighting GB-118 Zumtobel Lighting Inc AH1-2603/2605 designing lighting

41

43RD ANNUAL IALD

INTERNATIONAL LIGHTING DESIGN AWARDS

2026 IALD

RADIANCE AWARD

FOR EXCELLENCE IN LIGHTING DESIGN Cologne Cathedral: Exterior Lighting Cologne, Germany LIGHTING DESIGN Licht Kunst Licht AG Lighting Designers Philipp Schmitz; Stephan Thiele; Andreas Schulz, FIALD, CLD; Thomas Möritz, IALD** ** formerly with Licht Kunst Licht AG

CLIENT RheinEnergie AG, on behalf of the City of Cologne ADDITIONAL CREDITS Kölner Dombauhütte, Metropolitankapitel der Hohen Domkirche zu Köln (Construction Management); Elektro Baeth GmbH (Electrical Engineering) PHOTOGRAPHY © HGEsch 42

designing lighting

The lighting design for Cologne Cathedral's exterior represents a breakthrough in combining heritage conservation with environmental responsibility, using over 700 carefully positioned LED fixtures to illuminate the Gothic masterpiece without drilling a single hole in the historic structure. The project showcases the firm's guiding principle of "light follows architecture," where directional lighting, grazing techniques, and shadow play emphasize the cathedral's vertical dynamics and complex details rather than simply flooding the building with light. The innovative mounting system protects the historic masonry while remaining fully reversible, thereby meeting the strict conservation requirements of this UNESCO World Heritage site. "The discreet integration of the light fittings into the stonework is exceptionally well done," remarked one judge.

The lighting design achieves remarkable results across environmental performance and visual clarity. Energy consumption is now 80 percent lower than under the previous system, while light pollution has decreased from 80 percent to 10 percent. The sophisticated tunable white LED system operates at 2,700 K and includes a "sleep mode" that reduces energy use to only 10 percent after midnight. Visitors can now see 50 percent more architectural surface and details than before, with the twin towers visible even from across the Rhine River. The design team spent extensive time testing different color temperatures to achieve the perfect warm spectrum that highlights the cathedral's ornamental architecture, pinnacles, flying buttresses, and tracery with three-dimensional clarity.

The project demonstrates how contemporary lighting technology can enhance both the spiritual presence and civic identity of a historic monument while meeting modern sustainability standards.

2026 IALD

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Al Mujadilah: Center & Mosque for Women Doha, Qatar LIGHTING DESIGN Buro Happold LIGHTING DESIGNERS Gabe Guilliams; Chris Coulter; John Sloane; Aida Maron; Elias Gomez ARCHITECTURE Diller Scofidio + Renfro CLIENT The Qatar Foundation PHOTOGRAPHY © Iwan Baan; © John Sloane; © Evan Tribus; © Maha S. Al-Khalifa

Al Mujadilah is a groundbreaking achievement; the first purpose-built contemporary mosque designed specifically for women in the Muslim world.

The lighting design centers on the dynamic qualities of daylight filtered through nearly 6,000 conical skylight perforations embedded in the building's signature undulating roof. These small apertures, wider at the ceiling than at the rooftop to minimize heat gain from Qatar's intense sun, create a diffuse, almost heavenly luminosity throughout the 9,400-square-foot prayer hall. The lighting concept draws directly from Islamic tradition, where light serves as a metaphor for spiritual guidance, creating an atmosphere that is both uplifting and contemplative.

The design skillfully balances natural and artificial illumination to maintain the spiritual ambiance throughout the day and night. As daylight fades, dynamic white LED fixtures integrated into the roof apertures seamlessly continue the same quality of ambient light, ensuring visual and spiritual continuity.

The Qibla Wall, which extends away from the roof plane and directs worshippers toward Makkah, is bathed in focused daylight through a dedicated skylight at the mihrab niche, clearly identifying it as the primary architectural and religious focal point. The LEED Gold-certified project demonstrates how lighting can honor tradition while elevating women's role in Muslim society. designing lighting

43

2026 IALD

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE Grand Hyatt Kunming: Public Areas & Rooms Kunming, China LIGHTING DESIGN The Flaming Beacon & Isometrix LIGHTING DESIGNERS Andrew Jaques, IALD, CLD; Imelda Hutagalung; Gabriele Gunady; Nelson Ng; Hanna He ARCHITECTURE MQ Studio CLIENT Hang Lung Properties PHOTOGRAPHY © Derryck Menere 44

designing lighting

The Grand Hyatt Kunming showcases a refined lighting approach that reinterprets the natural beauty of Yunnan province through contemporary design while avoiding cultural clichés. The lighting concept creates a series of distinct experiences throughout the hotel's public spaces, each telling a story connected to the region's heritage. The 10-meter-high arrival hall features an illuminated parabolic ceiling that references the traditional rice fields of Yunnan, where the sky's reflection in waterfilled terraces has been a defining visual element of the landscape for centuries. This dramatic entrance sets the tone for the entire property, using light to create a sense of place that is both grand and intimately connected to local culture.

Throughout the hotel, the lighting design employs shadow play as an important storytelling element, particularly in the ballroom, which honors the traditional practice of cliff honey collecting. The reception hall draws inspiration from Yunnan's coppermining heritage, with warm metallic tones that create a rich, welcoming atmosphere.

Color is used with restraint, limited to woven bamboo reflectors at guestroom entries programmed to represent Yunnan's colorful seasons.

The project demonstrates how lighting can create layers of meaning and cultural resonance without relying on obvious decorative elements; instead, it uses light quality, shadow, and carefully considered color moments to evoke the spirit of place.

Dual Hub | 107 One Hub. Three Profiles. Limitless Light.

Experience design flexibility with the 107 style’s new Dual Hub mounting option — now available across the Box, Race, and Wing families.

This innovative option seamlessly combines two rail types into a single, streamlined fixture, empowering you to create new lighting solutions tailored to the most complex applications with unparalleled style and performance while reducing component and installation costs.

Features & Benefits Dual Rail Integration

Rotational Control

Complex lighting designs are

Each fixture can rotate up to

simplified by combining 107 rail

360 degrees, allowing precise

types into one minimal fixture.

beam control.

Versatility

Familiar Fixtures

The Dual Hub enables creative

Utilize any of the 107 fixtures to

combinations by allowing you

suit any application.

to mix and match fixtures.

vode.com/dualhub

designing lighting

45

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT

At-Turaif Diriyah, Saudi Arabia LIGHTING DESIGN Speirs Major Light Architecture LIGHTING DESIGNERS Keith Bradshaw, IALD, CLD; Adrien Flouraud, IALD, CLD; Iain Ruxton; James Fuentes McGreevy CLIENT Diriyah Company

At-Turaif, the 15th-century UNESCO World Heritage site and first capital of the Saudi state, has been transformed into a luminous tapestry of rose-gold light through the design team's sensitive and scholarly approach. Each evening, the ancient mud-brick city comes alive with lighting that evokes the historic buildings, streets, and courtyards as they once were, creating a "step back in time". The design uses 3,200 fixtures, with extensive 3D modeling employed to preserve the site's fragile fabric while revealing its extraordinary spirit.

The lighting scheme balances epic scale with exquisite detail, addressing both the site's role as a major focal point and the 46

designing lighting

ADDITIONAL CREDITS Martin Professional (Installation and Equipment); Enpro (Installation and Equipment); DAR (Engineering) PHOTOGRAPHY © Allan Toft; © Martin Professional

intimate experience of wandering through the ancient streets and courtyards. Drawing on their experience with similar sites, the design team used light as a narrative tool to reveal the stories and memories embedded in the architecture.

The design includes special programming that reflects the importance of the lunar calendar in the Muslim faith, shifting the exterior to silvery-blue tones during the full moon each month while maintaining warm lighting in interior spaces.

The project connects people, place, and history in an unforgettable way, serving as both a tourist destination and a living national monument.

designing lighting

47

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates LIGHTING DESIGN Studio Lumen LIGHTING DESIGNERS Vinod Pillai; Siddharth Mathur Sumit Sharma CLIENT BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha PHOTOGRAPHY © AJPG

The Hindu Mandir represents the first traditional Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates and is a symbol of cultural diversity and interfaith harmony. The lighting design approach required both technical discipline and a deep understanding of spiritual narrative, drawing from sacred Hindu principles and cosmology to create a transcendent experience. Light embodies the Five Great Elements of Hindu philosophy, animating ritual spaces and revealing the temple's intricate craftsmanship with care and restraint. The design team ensured that every lighting decision supported the sacred nature of the space while celebrating the architectural detail.

Through precise optical control, low-energy LED systems, and intelligent dimming strategies, the lighting design minimizes light pollution while maximizing longevity. This approach has a spiritual purpose, with lighting becoming a sacred language.

The sustainable systems ensure the temple can maintain its visual impact for generations while respecting the desert environment and the night sky. This project exemplifies how lighting design can honor religious traditions and create atmospheres of worship while employing contemporary technology and environmental consciousness.

48

designing lighting

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT Chongqing Science Hall Chongqing, China LIGHTING DESIGN Beijing PRO Lighting Design Co., Ltd. LIGHTING DESIGNERS Li Hui, IALD; Fu Li ARCHITECTURE POWERCHINA Huadong Engineering Corporation CLIENT POWERCHINA Huadong Engineering Corporation PHOTOGRAPHY © TOPIA Vision

The lighting design for Chongqing Science Hall explores concepts of diversity and commonality through a sophisticated approach that transcends simple addition or subtraction of light. The project mirrors the interplay between unity and multiplicity, using lighting to create spaces that support both collective gathering and individual discovery.

The design responds to the building's role as a center for scientific education and public engagement, where lighting must serve varied functions from dramatic presentations to quiet contemplation.

The lighting concept creates an environment that encourages curiosity and learning while maintaining visual comfort and flexibility. By carefully balancing ambient and accent lighting, the design team created spaces that can adapt to different programs and activities throughout the day.

The project demonstrates how lighting in educational and cultural buildings can support institutional goals while creating memorable experiences that inspire visitors of all ages. designing lighting

49

Coming Soon Don't Miss the Light Justice NOW Awards Winners Announcement at IES2026 THE LIGHTING CONFERENCE

Where: Denver, CO When: 13 - 15 August 2026

50

designing lighting

Introducing Dyna Drum Gen 3 Extreme Output. Zero Downtime.

E3

S3

H3

CoreSwap technology

CoreSwap technology

Patent-pending CoreSwap™ technology allows all fixture electronics to be removable and replaceable with just a few screws, driving sustainability.

technology

technology

ColorSync

digital calibration technology

V V

ColorDrive

digital calibration technology technology

V V

V V

The very first area floodlights on the Acclaim Modular Systems platform , proudly assembled at our Los Angeles headquarters.

Color Drive Color ColorSync Drive ColorSync digital calibration technology

W I R E L E S S

D M X

Powered by our ultra-reliable ColorDrive, ColorSync calibration, and Aria Wireless technologies.

Fully IP67-rated, delivering up to 26,000 lumens, achieving an output increase of up to 80%.

Scan the QR code to experience Elevated Illumination. www.AcclaimLighting.com

Rhinelander Hall Booth 6001-6003 designing lighting

51

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT Four Seasons Tamarindo Costalegre de Jalisco, México LIGHTING DESIGN Artec Studio LIGHTING DESIGNERS Maurici Ginés, IALD, CLD; Jose Cardona; Tannia Vivar Andrea Pérez; Estefanía Sánchez ARCHITECTURE Legorreta + Legorreta; Taller de Arquitectura CLIENT Paralelo 19 PHOTOGRAPHY © Rafael Gamo; © Four Seasons Tamarindo

Four Seasons Tamarindo is a beachfront resort on México’s Pacific coast, nestled within a 3,000-acre private nature reserve where jungle meets the sea. The lighting design was conceived to harmonize with the protected setting while preserving balance and darkness. From this premise, lighting became an exercise in restraint: façades remain unlit, large planes of brightness are avoided, and illumination emerges only through recesses, edges, and reflections.

As night falls, absence defines the architecture, while 52

designing lighting

discreet glows guide circulation and reveal lived areas.

Through containment and precision, the hotel integrates with its environment, allowing light to inhabit voids, elevate shadow, and transform restraint into identity.

Tamarindo reveals how light, when contained in emptiness, gives value to shadow, supports architecture, and safeguards the night. Here, lighting is not an accessory but an essential presence, one that breathes with the environment and proves that containment can be as powerful as expansion.

ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTINGSOLUTIONS KEPLERO QUANTUM

JEDI NOVA

VADER SOLO

designing lighting

53

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT Desert Rock Resort Saudi Arabia LIGHTING DESIGN Delta Lighting Design LIGHTING DESIGNERS Ziad Fattouh; Mohamed Medani ARCHITECTURE Oppenheim Architecture CLIENT Red Sea Global ADDITIONAL CREDITS Raluca Dascalita; Daniela Meneghelli; Dimitris Theocharoudis; Anthony Salas; Vivian Salas; Joshi George; Adeel Hameed (Additional Design Team) PHOTOGRAPHY © Alex Jeffries; © Red Sea Global

In a secluded Saudi Arabian valley, Desert Rock Resort offers a retreat where architecture and geology converge, effortlessly merging rugged rock formations and sophisticated structures into a timeless sanctuary. The lighting design does not dominate; instead, it reveals the raw beauty of mineral textures and shapes through carefully positioned low-level lighting.

Building cores are softly animated through controlled contrast, adding depth and liveliness, enhancing the contrast between interiors and exteriors, and deepening perception within the facades.

Interiors glow from within, turning buildings into large-scale lanterns nested among the stone contours.

Bespoke decorative lanterns on the terraces complement the site's natural character, each housing two independently controlled light sources: a functional layer for practical illumination, and a candlelike source to evoke warmth and intimacy.

Judges noted, "The project’s commitment to dark sky protection integrates harmoniously with the surrounding nature and preserves the ability to enjoy stargazing."

54

designing lighting

designing lighting

55

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT Hilton Niushoushan

ARCHITECTURE KKAA

Nanjing, China

CLIENT Nanjing Niushou Mountain East Hotel Management Co., Ltd.

LIGHTING DESIGN Brandston Partnership Inc. LIGHTING DESIGNERS Sony Wang; Shuai Yun; Chuanwei He; Yang Zhou; Kejun Liu

ADDITIONAL CREDITS Yang & Associates Group (Interior Design) PHOTOGRAPHY © Fei Yan

Guided by the philosophy that "light, in stillness, rules all," the Hilton Niushoushan creates a sanctuary for the soul and senses through masterful control of light and shadow. Beneath the hotel's lofty ceiling lies a "Zen Garden under the eaves" where warm walls harmonize with stone, water, and trees in carefully choreographed balance.

The lighting design highlights textured surfaces without causing glare, leveraging the visual interest of the materials. Luminous marble tiles glow softly at night, gilding the dome before gradually fading into darkness in a choreographed sequence that marks the passage of evening into night.

No fixtures are visible; only the calm presence of light remains. A faninspired artwork glows with etched sutras as a cool accent against the warm surroundings, with text that appears to float like whispered poetry. Corridors breathe in shadow with gentle guidance lighting that provides orientation without disrupting the meditative quality of the spaces.

The project demonstrates how lighting can support well-being through careful attention to quality, placement, and the deliberate use of darkness as a design element.

56

designing lighting

designing lighting

57

Li Shutong Park & Baoben Pagoda Pinghu, China LIGHTING DESIGN SUNLUX Lighting Design Co., Ltd. LIGHTING DESIGNERS Claudia Fangfang, Design IALD Chun Xu, Design IALD Jingming Shen, Design IALD

At the center of Donghu Lake, the new lighting for Li Shutong Memorial Hall and Baoben Pagoda weaves a singular nightscape that honors both cultural heritage and natural beauty. The lotus-shaped memorial hall is illuminated by eight large petal structures, each containing four distinct floodlights whose combined glow evokes the moon-kissed purity of a blooming lotus floating on the water.

The adjacent Baoben Pagoda receives a different treatment that respects its historical character, with precise light projections cast by fixtures featuring low color temperature and high color rendering index. These specifications ensure that the pagoda's weathered details appear in soft clarity, revealing the texture and patina of age without creating harsh contrasts or unnatural colors.

The combination of the glowing lotus and the warmly illuminated pagoda creates a fresh nocturnal atmosphere around Donghu Lake, establishing a cohesive lighting identity that serves both structures while respecting their individual characters and the natural setting they share.

ARCHITECTURE Cheng Taining | CCTN Architectural Design Co., Ltd.; Hangzhou Landscape Design Institute Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang Zhongrui Environmental Design & Engineering Co., Ltd. CLIENT Pinghu Urban Development Investment (Group) Co., Ltd.

2026 IALD 58

AWARD OF MERIT designing lighting

PHOTOGRAPHY © Liu Guowei | Daily

A Lighting Designer’s Dream!

L-MAX

Linear Architectural Luminaire

Introducing the new L-Max Linear Architectural Luminaire... a compact, high-performing solution for architectural and commercial interiors.

The DLC Listed L-Max Linear Architectural Luminaire provides a sleek and modern aesthetic to offices, retail spaces, supermarkets, stairwells, and other applications that demand high-quality, cost-competitive lighting.

FEATURES AND OPTIONS

3 Sizes: 2’, 4’, 8’

X, T, L Illuminated Connectors

Pendant, Surface/ Wall, Recessed or T-Grid Mounts

Up/Down Lighting

Wattage & CCT Selectable

Press Fit Connectivity

10 • Controls Ready Option • Component Configurator Available • Lumen Output: 1,100 - 8,800lm • Wattage Range: 10W - 80W • EM Available on 4ft and 8ft Models • Also Available in Black

LEARN MORE

Control Your Vision...

with c-Max, a true plug-and-play lighting controls platform that offers multi-tier solutions without the need for wiring!

• Muti-tier system from basic to advance network controls • Multi-step dimming, schedules and scenes • Ease of commissioning with App • Personal wall controls • Acheive code compliance and improve occupancy comfort

www.maxlite.com/cmax

Future Ready Patented USB-C Port designing lighting

59

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT

The Brumadinho Memorial serves as a space of ethical commitment and symbolic reparation for the 272 fatal victims of the 2019 dam collapse at Córrego do Feijão Mine, an environmental and human tragedy where the release of 12 million cubic meters of mining waste affected 26 municipalities. The lighting design is highly sensitive, creating an immersive atmosphere that conveys information, brilliance, and presence while honoring the victims' memory by illuminating messages, symbols, and architecture. The approach balances content legibility with the emotional need for a contemplative, respectful environment for visitors to reflect on loss and environmental devastation.

Here, light reveals the stories of those affected while fostering reflection and emotional engagement. The careful calibration of brightness, color temperature, and distribution ensures the memorial fulfills its dual purpose as an information resource and a space for personal contemplation and collective remembrance. The design demonstrates how lighting can support difficult narratives and create environments for processing grief and understanding while maintaining dignity and respect for those memorialized.

LIGHTING DESIGN Beijing PRO Lighting Design Co., Ltd LIGHTING DESIGNERS Li Hui, IALD; Fu Li ARCHITECTURE Signyan Design

CLIENT China Travel International Investment Hong Kong Ltd. PHOTOGRAPHY TOPIA Vision

Lugu Lake Lanyue Hotel Lijiang, China The lighting design of Lugu Lake Lanyue Hotel embraces the principle of "quality over brightness," using restraint connecting travelers to the nature and culture of its remote mountain setting. Recognizing that over-illumination can disconnect guests from the environment they come to experience, the design team used carefully calibrated lighting to enhance appreciation of the natural surroundings and the hotel's architecture. Light levels are intentionally kept low, allowing eyes to adapt to natural darkness and appreciate the subtle beauty of moonlight and stars reflected on the lake.

The lighting design supports the hotel's role as a gateway to local culture by highlighting materials, textures, and architectural details that reflect regional building traditions without overwhelming them with brightness. Fixtures are positioned to create pools of warm light in gathering spaces while allowing transitional areas to remain in relative darkness, creating a rhythm of light and shadow that encourages mindful movement through the spaces.

The approach respects ecological fragility and the local cultural traditions, using lighting to connect people to place rather than separate them.

60

designing lighting

Memorial Brumadinho Brumadinho, Brazil LIGHTING DESIGN Atiaîa Lighting Design LIGHTING DESIGNERS Mariana Novaes; Pedro Ferreira**; Bárbara de Oliveira (intern) **; Elisa Campos (intern)** ** Formerly with Atiaîa Lighting Design

ARCHITECTURE Gustavo Penna Arquiteto e Associados CLIENT AVABRUM (Associação dos Familiares de Vítimas e Atingidos pelo Rompimento da Barragem Mina Córrego do Feijão) ADDITIONAL CREDITS Gustavo Penna Arquiteto e Associados (Interior Design); Medra Paisagismo e Arquitetura (Landscape Design); Greco (Signage); Olhar 360 Projetos e Gerenciamento (Project Management); Júlia Peregrino (Exhibition Design: 'Memory and Testimony Spaces'); Cesar de Ramires (Exhibition Lighting Design: 'Memory and Testimony Spaces') PHOTOGRAPHY © Pedro Mascaro; © Leo Drumond | NITRO; © Jomar Bragança; © Mariana Novaes

2026 IALD

AWARD OF MERIT

NX Budokan Tokyo, Japan LIGHTING DESIGN Sirius Lighting Office, Inc.

Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd.; Umezawa Structural Engineers

LIGHTING DESIGNERS Hirohito Totsune, Design IALD; Shuhei Kobayashi; Sayane Nagata

CLIENT Nippon Express Co., Ltd.

ARCHITECTURE Archivision Hirotani Studio; Sumitomo

PHOTOGRAPHY © Fumito Suzuki

The newly built NX Budokan martial arts hall demonstrates how lighting design can enhance the traditional Japanese Bushido spirit through modern technology and meticulous attention to detail. The project aimed to create an environment where athletes can concentrate in an open yet comfortable space that supports focused practice and competition.

The design team conducted extensive three-dimensional simulations of the space to develop the resulting lighting scheme. LED tape lights integrated into the wooden latticework overhead illuminate the ceiling uniformly with soft, indirect light that eliminates shadows while maintaining the material warmth of wood. This approach creates an even, diffuse illumination that reduces visual distractions and supports the concentration required for martial arts practice.

The lighting design addresses the psychological aspects of athletic performance by reducing the noise from artificial lighting. The result refines the hall into a space of tranquil beauty, with lighting that supports the traditional martial arts values of discipline, respect, and focus. designing lighting

61

Top 10 MUST SEE Products of LEDucation New architectural lighting products available for specification

F-Drive RX LED driver Booth: 6214, 6216 The F-Drive RX LED driver solution delivers a modular, centralized approach to controlling diverse LED luminaires. It offers accessible driver cards and power supplies for easier installation and service, reduced system complexity, and lower costs. With higher wattage, more outputs, advanced control, and UL924 emergency bypass with load shedding, it ensures reliable performance.

MicroTrack Recessed Lighting System Booth: 2904, 2906 PureEdge Lighting’s MicroTrack plaster-in system delivers a minimal, integrated look in standard drywall without structural modifications.

It offers flexible layouts with customizable lengths, connectors, and paintable slot covers. Featuring high lumen output, 93+ CRI, and remote power compatibility, it supports various finishes, optics, and field-cut channels for tailored designs.

tambient® ona // Booth: 2910, 2912 tambient® ona advances human-centric workplace lighting with tunable-white, low-glare uplight, integrated task and videoconference lighting. It offers circadian-effective and near-infrared energy features to support well-being, plus dynamic spectrum controls and CCT matching. Designed for seamless integration, it aligns with WELL Building Standard and UL 24480 guidelines.

62

designing lighting

True 1 Booth: 2402, 2404 Delivering over 1,000 lumens with precise glare control, the True 1 downlight features a 1-inch aperture, modular optics and CCT adjustments, serviceable driver, and Fixed or Adjustable modules with multiple beam angles and 93+ CRI for high-quality, flexible illumination.

AERO Light Booth: 213, 215 AERO redefines cantilever display lighting with a minimalist, architectural design and high-performance output. It offers precise, low-glare illumination with static, warm dim, and tunable white options.

With concealed mounting, flexible placement, and aimable stems for walls, ceilings, or counters, AERO delivers a refined, adaptable solution in premium finishes.

Solar 360 Booth: 3009, 3011 360 Solar by Landscape Forms redefines off-grid lighting with a cylindrical solar array that captures sunlight from all angles for year-round performance.

It offers intelligent, selfoptimizing energy use, a sleek architectural design, and easy installation without trenching— delivering reliable, highperformance illumination anywhere it’s needed.

Roll-K // Booth: 512, 514 Roll-K redefines linear illumination with a refined architectural form and discreet adjustment points for flexible design. It offers concealed power feeds for a clean, uninterrupted look and supports both surface and suspended installations. Customizable in length, finish, and configuration, it gives designers a versatile solution for contemporary lighting compositions.

KEPLERO QUANTUM Booth: 3002, 3004, 3006 Keplero Quantum redefines in-ground lighting with precise beam control and external adjustability for easy on-site aiming. It offers scalable performance in three sizes within a durable, corrosion-resistant, sealed design. With compact forms and flexible installation options, it delivers reliable, high-performance lighting for a wide range of applications.

SDLA70 Adjustable Downlight Booth 4103, 4105 Lumenture’s SDLA70 Adjustable Sphere downlight sets a new standard with precise, toolless tilt adjustment and effortless optic changes. It offers a clean, symmetrical design and versatile installation options—including trimless, pinhole, and standard styles. With a shallow plenum and flexible configurations, it adapts seamlessly to a wide range of projects.

Axis Recessed Spotlight Booth: 4601, 4603 Axis recessed spotlights deliver precise, nearly invisible illumination ideal for museums, hospitality, and residential spaces. It offers glare-free optics, tight beam control, and exceptional shielding, along with flexible configurations, interchangeable accessories, and precise aiming—achieving up to 23fc at 2m from just 1W with high-efficiency, CRI 97 light. designing lighting

63

Circadian Lighting at Sea: Human-Centric Design for Offshore Control Rooms

By RANDY REID Late at night, far from shore, the work never stops. Inside a control room monitoring offshore wind farms—one in the United States, another in the Baltic—operators sit before walls of data, tracking performance, responding to alerts, and maintaining constant vigilance. The architecture is minimal.

The screens dominate. And the lighting, if done correctly, almost disappears.

That was the challenge presented to Erlend Lillelien of 64

designing lighting

Photo credit: Glamox

Asplan Viak. Speaking with me in March at Light + Building, Erlend described a project that sits at the intersection of ergonomics, human biology, and precision engineering— where light is not decorative, but operational.

“We were not part of the full project team,” Erlend explained.

“We were asked to do a lighting study for the people designing the control room screen systems. Their concern was that the screens are visible in the correct manner—and

that operators have the best possible visual environment.”

risk further disrupting sleep cycles.

Designing for the Operator, Not the Architecture

“We don’t necessarily need to go to 6500K,” Erlend said. “We usually stay closer to 5000K. The flexibility is there, but it doesn’t mean you should use it.”

Unlike architectural projects where lighting enhances form, the control room begins with function. Screens must remain legible at all times. Glare is unacceptable. Visual fatigue is a constant risk.

“They are very concerned that operators are given the best ergonomic visual environment they can have,” Erlend said.

The project operates 24/7, most likely on a two-shift system.

That alone introduces complexity. Lighting must support alertness during long hours while also respecting circadian rhythms that are, by definition, disrupted.

“It’s always a little difficult,” Erlend admitted. “Do you maximize performance? Or do you protect sleep cycles? You can’t fully optimize both.”

A Layered Lighting Strategy The proposed solution is deceptively simple. A suspended, direct-indirect linear system runs above each control desk—one row per station—creating a consistent visual framework across the room. “We are using a suspended direct-indirect lighting system,” Erlend said. “A linear luminaire above each control desk, hanging right at the edge.”

Each control room contains four to six desks. At each position, the lighting becomes personal. “We’re suggesting that each operator controls the direct light over their desk,” he explained.

“But the indirect light—the room—remains controlled by overall settings.”

This distinction is critical. It allows individual preference without compromising the shared environment.

“They can choose their own little bubble,” Erlend said.

The luminaires—specified from Glamox—feature tunable white capability, ranging from 2700K to 6500K, with separate control of uplight and downlight. The selected fixture, the C88-P, incorporates a micro-prismatic lens to reduce glare while maintaining efficiency.

Control and Autonomy Control is central to the design philosophy. Operators are not passive recipients of light—they are active participants. “We always include the option for override,” Erlend said. “If the operators don’t like the setting, they should be able to change it.”

The preferred interface integrates lighting controls directly into the workstation touchscreen. If that is not feasible, a secondary solution uses wireless switches based on EnOcean technology—battery-free and easily integrated into the DALI system.

“They can adjust light level and color temperature,” Erlend explained. “But the most important adjustments are done through the indirect light.” That emphasis reflects a key insight: lighting the surrounding surfaces—ceilings and walls—has a greater impact on circadian response than task lighting alone.

“It’s more effective when you light the whole ceiling,” he said.

“Adjusting the color of that gives you the real effect.”

Balancing Consistency and Change While indirect lighting shifts throughout the day, Erlend prefers stability at the task level. “Personally, I prefer that the objects on my desk look the same all the time,” he said. “So I would keep the direct light more or less constant—around 3000K.” This balance—dynamic ambient light paired with stable task lighting—helps maintain visual comfort while still supporting biological rhythms.

A Study, Not a Final Build At the time of the interview, the project remained in the study phase. Asplan Viak’s role was advisory, providing recommendations that the broader project team may or may not implement.

“We could have gone wider with the C95,” Erlend noted, “but then it becomes more of an architectural element. Here, we wanted something more discreet.”

“We’re not part of the final decision,” Erlend said. “We provide suggestions. It’s up to them to follow.” That uncertainty extends to documentation. Images and renderings, if available, require client approval before release.

Human-Centric Lighting in Practice

Still, the concepts are clear—and increasingly relevant.

At the core of the design is human-centric lighting—though Erlend is quick to point out that the terminology is evolving.

“It’s now defined by the CIE as ‘integrative lighting,’” he said. “Not many people are aware of that yet.” Regardless of terminology, the intent remains the same: align light with human biological needs.

Lighting as Performance Infrastructure

The system follows a programmed cycle, adjusting both intensity and color temperature throughout the day. “In the morning, you boost the light,” Erlend explained. “You help reset the circadian rhythm—wash away the remaining melatonin.”

For Erlend, the goal is straightforward, even if the execution is complex. “It’s very important to give operators the possibility to control their own work environment as far as possible,” he said.

Control rooms represent a growing typology where lighting is inseparable from performance. As renewable energy infrastructure expands, so too does the need for environments that support human operators over long durations.

During peak work periods, the lighting stabilizes around 4000K, supporting alertness without excessive harshness. As shifts progress toward their end, the system gradually warms.

In a space defined by data, screens, and constant attention, that control may be the most valuable form of light design— one that does not call attention to itself, but quietly enables everything else to function.

“You reduce the color temperature a couple of hours before the shift ends,” he said. “That helps the body prepare for rest.” Night shifts require even more careful calibration. While higher color temperatures can improve alertness, they also

And in that sense, the project reflects a broader shift in the discipline. Lighting is no longer just about what we see. It is about how we work, how we feel, and ultimately, how we perform. ■ designing lighting

65

The Green Card Roadmap: A Guide for Lighting Firms

By BRIDGET LEARY

The lighting industry runs on international talent. Two immigration attorneys and two lighting professionals break down the path to permanent residency and what employers must do to support their teams.

Lighting design is a global profession. Walk into any prominent studio in New York, Seattle, or Miami, and you will find designers who trained abroad, bring international perspectives, and have built careers across continents. But behind every international hire lies a complex, years-long immigration process that can make or break both a career and an employer's investment.

In a recent webinar hosted by Business of Light, immigration attorneys Amy Peterson and Charles Mosher of Wear Immigration joined lighting professionals Amy Ruffles, a principal at The Lighting Workshop in Brooklyn, and David Seok, a studio leader at The Lighting Practice in New York, to walk through the employer-sponsored green card process. What emerged was a candid picture of a system that rewards preparation and punishes complacency.

The Three-Step Path to Permanent Residency Employment-based green card sponsorship follows three distinct legal stages. Each stage builds on the last, and a 66

designing lighting

misstep at any point can require starting over from scratch.

Step 1: Labor Certification (PERM). The employer must demonstrate to the U.S. Department of Labor that no minimally qualified American worker was available for the position. This involves a regulated advertising campaign, including Sunday newspaper ads and a state unemployment website posting, followed by a formal application. The labor certification is specific to a single job title, location, and employee, and is not transferable.

Any substantive change to the job during the process—a new city, altered duties, or even an undocumented skill requirement—can invalidate the application entirely.

Currently, the DOL is taking roughly 17 months just to process a PERM application, pushing the total time for this first step to approximately two years.

Step 2: Immigrant Visa Petition (Form I-140). Once the PERM is certified, the employer has 180 days to file an I-140 petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

(USCIS). This filing establishes the employee's "priority date"—their place in line—and requires the employer to demonstrate they have the financial ability to pay the prevailing wage at the time the green card is approved.

Supporting documentation may include tax returns, audited financials, or a CFO letter for larger firms.

Step 3: Adjustment of Status. This is the employee's personal green card application, and it can only be filed once a visa number is available for their country of birth and sponsorship category. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 can be included as derivatives. The employer's role here is limited, but the employee must gather medical exams, police records, and biographical documentation. This step typically takes 12 to 18 months to adjudicate.

Backlogs: The Uncomfortable Truth About Wait Times The employment-based immigration system caps annual green card issuances at 140,000 across all categories, with no single country allowed to exceed seven percent of that total. For employees born in high-demand countries like India or China, the resulting backlogs are staggering. A professional born in India may face a wait of 16 to 17 years from the initial PERM filing to receiving their green card.

For most other countries, the total timeline from start to finish currently runs around three and a half years.

Throughout that entire period, the employer must also maintain the employee's non-immigrant work visa, typically an H-1B, through renewals and extensions. "You have to remember," Mosher noted, "that even though you're sponsoring someone for permanent residence, you still have to maintain their work authorization. And it might be many years that you're going to have to do that."

filings for temporary work authorization or travel documents add additional costs.

Ruffles, who went through the process herself before founding her own firm, noted that employees are often at a disadvantage: "The employer is typically engaging the attorney, and you're sort of behind a wall. You don't have access to the attorney yourself as the employee." Her advice to sponsored employees: educate yourself on the basics before the conversation starts.

Practical Tips for Lighting Firms The panelists offered several concrete takeaways for firms navigating this process: •

Front-load your homework. The job description used for the PERM must be airtight from day one.

If a required skill cannot be documented two years into the process, the application is void and the clock restarts.

•

Don't change the job mid-process. Promotions, relocations, and duty changes can invalidate a labor certification that took years to build.

Increases in salary are acceptable; structural changes to the role are not.

•

Understand portability. Once an adjustment application has been pending for 180 days, employees can change jobs or employers and still receive their green card — as long as the new role falls within the same general occupational classification. Firms should be aware that years of investment do not guarantee retention.

•

Have the conversation early. Seok emphasized that mapping out immigration pathways during the hiring process — not after — benefits both parties.

It helps firms budget accurately and signals to prospective hires that the firm takes their future seriously.

•

Use an attorney who represents both parties openly. The best outcomes, the panelists agreed, come from transparent communication between attorney, employer, and employee throughout the process.

What Employers Are Required to Pay One area that causes consistent confusion, and sometimes exploitation, is who pays for what. The law is clear: employers are required to cover all costs associated with the PERM labor certification, including attorney fees and advertising. In major cities, just the two required Sunday newspaper ads can cost $3,000 to $4,000. These costs cannot be passed on to the employee or recouped later.

Costs for the I-140 and adjustment of status stages can legally be shared with or charged to the employee, though many employers choose to cover them as a retention incentive. Government filing fees currently run $715 plus $300–$600 for the I-140 (depending on company size), and $1,440 per adult for the adjustment application. Optional

The path to permanent residency is long, precise, and unforgiving of errors. But for firms that navigate it well, the reward is a more stable, loyal, and empowered international workforce — and a competitive edge in a profession that depends on global talent. ■ designing lighting

67

68

designing lighting

BRILLIANCE & EXPERTISE ON DISPLAY COMMERCIAL LIGHTING EXPO AND CEU PLATFORM

SEPTEMBER 15-16, 2026 Complimentary CEU Access Use VIP Code: DMCM26

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS

designing lighting

69

Opening the Edge:

By RANDY REID 70

designing lighting

Lighting a Community Back Together

The first time Kate Hickcox saw the space, it wasn’t really a place at all. It was a fencedoff void in the middle of the Lillian Wald New York City Housing Authority campus—green, technically, but inaccessible, unlit, and unused. Paths around it fell into shadow at night. Residents passed by rather than through. What had once been a social landscape had been erased decades earlier, replaced by absence.

Eleven years later, that same site has become something entirely different: a community-designed plaza that feels open, legible, and inhabited. The lighting is subtle but intentional. It neither floods nor dramatizes. Instead, it supports a sense of comfort—an atmosphere shaped as much by restraint as by illumination.

Kate, who served first as a lighting fellow and later through her own practice, describes the project as less about lighting a space and more about learning how a community defines safety, identity, and ownership.

The project began in 2014 through the Design Trust for Public Space. Artist Jane Greengold had observed a condition common across many public housing developments: green spaces enclosed by fencing, with no invitation to enter. Her proposal was disarmingly simple—remove the fence. The initiative became known as “Opening the Edge.” But as Kate recalls, “it got a lot bigger.”

By the time Kate joined in 2015, the work had already begun to expand beyond a physical intervention into a participatory process. Alongside phase-one fellows – Jane Greengold, landscape designer Rebecca Hill, community-focused collaborators Destiny Mata and Emmanuel Oni, Kate entered a long series of meetings with residents from the Lillian Wald and Jacob Riis Houses. These conversations would ultimately shape every aspect of the project.

Tameek Williams for Design Trust for Public Space

Residents arrived with photographs— images of the site decades earlier. Brick plazas. Seating areas. Architectural forms that supported gathering. Then came the turning point in the 1980s. As safety concerns escalated, these features were systematically removed. Benches were broken apart. Plazas were demolished.

Open areas were replaced with fenced lawns. The strategy was blunt but effective: eliminate places to gather, and you eliminate the perceived risks that come with them.

What remained was not neutral. It was a landscape defined by absence.

“And then it just stayed that way,” Kate says.

The new project set out not simply to reverse that history, but to reimagine

it through a contemporary lens—one grounded in participation. Over years of workshops, site walks, and informal conversations, the design team learned to shift their language. Early questions about color temperature or fixture types were met with blank stares. Residents were not interested in technical specifications. They spoke instead about feeling.

“We just want to be safe,” they told Kate.

They wanted openness. Visibility. Beauty.

They wanted a place they could be proud of—something that signaled to others that their community had value.

Lighting, then, became a translation exercise. Kate and the team used large boards and iterative sessions to map emotional responses to physical conditions.

What does the space feel like now? What should it feel like? Where else feels right?

Why? The answers rarely pointed to brightness. In fact, one of the project’s central challenges was resisting it.

The site itself—approximately 4,000 square feet—was surrounded by poorly lit pathways.

Introducing a brightly illuminated plaza risked creating stark contrast, amplifying the darkness beyond its edges. At the same time, NYCHA’s lighting requirements called for a minimum of one footcandle across the space, a standard that can produce significantly higher localized levels when applied with a limited number of fixtures.

With only six luminaires ultimately installed, achieving compliance without overlighting required negotiation.

Kate and her collaborators developed comparative studies. One scheme adhered strictly to a one footcandle minimum, resulting in hotspots and a perceptible glare. The alternative proposed a one footcandle average—allowing for variation while maintaining overall visibility. More importantly, it aligned with how the space connected to its surroundings.

“We showed them what each approach would look like,” Kate explains. “And how it would feel.”

The distinction proved persuasive. NYCHA approved the revised approach.

The final installation uses six pole-mounted luminaires from Forms + Surfaces, each at approximately 12 feet in height, with Type V distributions. The fixtures are Dark Sky compliant and intentionally understated.

Their placement, however, was anything but simple. Beneath the surface lay layers of infrastructure—remnants of older buildings, drainage systems, and utilities—that constrained every decision.

“There was a lot going on under the site,” designing lighting

71

Kate notes. “We had to find locations that worked structurally and hydraulically, not just visually.”

or officials who stood at the center, but the community members themselves.

If the technical resolution was complex, the conceptual goal remained clear: create a space where people feel comfortable staying after dark. Not exposed. Not surveilled.

Not overwhelmed.

“They cut the ribbon,” Kate recalls. “And you could see that sense of ownership.”

That balance—between safety and softness—is particularly relevant in contemporary urban lighting. As Kate observes, many public spaces in New York have trended toward higher illumination levels, often driven by risk mitigation. The result can feel clinical, even oppressive.

Here, the approach is different. Light is used to define pathways, reveal faces, and support activity, but it stops short of dominating the experience. Shadows are present, but they are legible. The space reads as continuous rather than fragmented.

The project reached completion in November 2025, more than a decade after its inception. The timeline reflects not only funding cycles and administrative processes, but also the slow work of building trust.

Throughout, the community remained the constant.

Residents attended meetings year after year. They organized events. They gathered feedback—thousands of responses over time. At the ribbon cutting, it was not the designers

Kate Sweater Hickcox, Dwaal Lighting Design

72

designing lighting

That ownership may be the project’s most enduring outcome. While NYCHA maintains the site, its success depends on continued stewardship from those who use it.

Early signs are encouraging. The plaza has already begun to attract attention from other cities, serving as a model for participatory design in public housing.

For Kate, the experience has reshaped her understanding of practice. Much of her contribution, particularly in later years, was effectively volunteer work—an investment of time sustained by belief in the project’s value.

“I just love that there will be some eyes on it,” Kate says.

In a profession often defined by timelines, deliverables, and metrics, this project offers a different measure of success. It is not the number of fixtures or the precision of photometrics, but the degree to which a space is reclaimed—socially as much as physically.

The fence is gone. In its place is something harder to quantify, but easier to feel: a shared space, illuminated with care. ■

LEDVANCE.COM/EN-US

CHANGE DISTRIBUTION IN SECONDS OPTI-SELECT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS Breakthrough OPTI-SELECT technology lets you change light distribution quickly and easily, with the turn of a switch or twist of the wrist. No lens or reflector swap, no need to open the luminaire or lamp.

Whether you’re installing area lights, bollards, track lights, wall cylinders, post tops, high bays, wall packs, floodlights, sports lights, or PAR38s, you can dial up exactly the right distribution and aiming that each lighting job requires. You’ll not only save time; you’ll also maximize the life of your luminaire or lamp by making sure that moisture never has a chance to get in.

SCAN to learn more about OPTI-SELECT Technology or visit LEDVANCE.COM/EN-US

Visit us at LEDucation, Booth AH1-2802/2804 designing lighting

73

Dean Skira Challenges the Lighting Design Process At a recent VLDC session during Light + Building, Dean Skira stepped onto the stage and addressed a topic the lighting industry has wrestled with for decades: light pollution.

Rather than revisiting familiar critiques, Dean offered a fundamentally new way of thinking about how we design light in cities.

“We all talk about AI lately,” Dean began, acknowledging how artificial intelligence has quickly become part of everyday life. From email filtering to autonomous vehicles, AI is already embedded in modern systems. Yet, as Dean pointed out, the lighting industry has been slower to harness its potential in a meaningful way.

What followed was a challenge to long-standing industry practice.

Rethinking the Urban and Street Lighting Design Process Dean argued that the industry’s current workflow is backward. Today, manufacturers develop luminaires first.

74

designing lighting

Designers then use those predefined products to calculate lighting levels and apply them across projects.

“This is the opposite way,” Dean explained. “We should calculate first.”

Instead of starting with a fixture, Dean proposes beginning with the environment itself—defining the exact lighting needs of a specific space before any product is selected. Only after determining optimal illumination levels should luminaires be designed or chosen to meet those precise requirements.

The implications are significant. Cities are not uniform. A residential street, a city park, and a public plaza each require different lighting responses. Yet too often, similar luminaires are applied across vastly different contexts.

“We cannot treat the residential area and commercial area the same,” Dean emphasized.

Introducing Taman To address this disconnect, Dean introduced Taman, an AI-driven software platform developed over several years.

The future may depend just as much on where we choose not to illuminate. Taman enables this approach to be executed faster, more accurately, and based on context rather than product-first decisions.

Built on his 35+ years of experience in architectural and urban lighting, Taman represents a shift toward performance-based design.

By calculating only the light that is needed, while respecting darkness and required lighting levels, the system reduces spill light, glare, and wasted energy.

The software begins not with products, but with space.

Users input a 3D model of an area, which can be anything from a single street segment to a broader urban zone. The system then applies relevant standards and calculates optimal lighting levels across the entire environment.

A Tool for the Entire Ecosystem

Crucially, this process occurs without selecting a luminaire.

“This is the main feature of our software,” Dean explained.

“We are not using products in the initial process of the calculation.”

Instead, Taman generates ideal light distribution curves tailored to the specific conditions of the site. Only after optimization does the system search a database of available products to find the closest match.

The result is a reversal of the traditional workflow. Design is driven by need, not by product availability.

Precision, Efficiency, and Control Taman’s capabilities extend beyond basic calculations.

The platform allows designers to segment urban areas in three dimensions, apply different lighting classifications such as roadway or pedestrian standards, and set parameters like pole height.

From there, the system automatically positions luminaires and runs an optimization process. Designers can adjust placements manually if needed, then re-optimize to refine results.

The software outputs both numerical and visual data, including detailed illumination values for specific points and compliance metrics for regulatory standards. It also generates rendered images for client presentations and exports documentation for project delivery.

While Taman is positioned as a design tool, its potential reaches far beyond lighting designers.

Dean outlined applications for architects, urban planners, municipalities, and manufacturers. Cities could use the platform to predict energy consumption across districts.

Engineers could streamline compliance with lighting standards. Manufacturers could leverage optimized data to develop more targeted optical solutions.

In future iterations, Dean suggested that Taman could integrate with major design platforms or function as an API, embedding optimization directly into broader workflows.

“Just Right”—and Dark In closing, Dean offered a linguistic insight that captured the philosophy behind Taman. In Croatian, the word “taman” has a dual meaning. It can mean “dark,” but it can also mean “just right.”

That duality reflects the balance the software aims to achieve.

For decades, the industry has discussed light pollution without having the tools to fully address it. Taman is actively enabling this shift through a new methodology.

“We talk about this problem for such a long time,” Dean said.

“But we really didn’t have any tools to approach it properly.”

More importantly, Taman addresses a persistent industry challenge: light pollution.

Now, with AI entering the equation, that may finally be changing. In Taman, AI is not abstract. It is built on Dean’s extensive expertise in urban and street lighting. This knowledge is translated into a system that evaluates key parameters such as glare, distribution, and environmental context, enabling faster, more accurate optimization than traditional workflows.

Dean illustrated the issue with a familiar image—an overlit cityscape glowing excessively against the night sky. “It’s not an image of a beautiful city,” he said. “It’s actually an image of light pollution.”

The future may depend just as much on where we choose not to illuminate. Taman enables this approach to be executed faster, more accurately, and based on context rather than product-first decisions. ■

Dean Skira will presenting Light Where It’s Needed, Darkness Where It Belongs: Rethinking Urban Street Lighting at IALD’s Enlighten Europe in Paris, Friday, 19 JUNE 2026.

designing lighting

75

THE HUMAN FACTOR What Twenty Years in Lighting Have Taught Me About Collaboration

By STACIE DINWIDDY, CLD, IALD, LC, LEED BD+C Associate Director, HLB Lighting, NY 76

designing lighting

FACTO R HUMA N • T HE FACTO R HU M AN • T HE FACTO R H U MAN • TH E H U MAN

FACTOR

FACTO R HUMA N • T HE FACTO R HU M AN • T HE FACTO R H U MAN • TH E FACTOR

T H E

Early in my career, I assumed that strong design solutions would speak for themselves. Over time, experience and more than a few difficult lessons proved otherwise. The most effective lighting designers I know are not just excellent problem

H U MAN

Soft Skills Are Not Soft in Practice

T H E

After twenty years designing and managing lighting for luxury private residences, I no longer believe that successful projects are defined by talent alone.

Technical expertise matters, of course, but people

In a market as intimate and demanding as private residential design, the human factor is not peripheral to the work. It is central to it.

FACTOR

Over the years, I’ve learned that when a project struggles at the finish line, it is rarely because of technical oversight. More often, the tension can be traced back to something far less visible: how the people on the team worked together.

skills, relationships, and emotional intelligence quietly shape whether a project reaches its full potential or simply meets expectations.

H U MAN

There are moments on residential projects when the drawings are complete, the luminaires are installed, and the house is finally illuminated, yet something still feels unresolved.

T H E

Photograph by Nico Zurcher

• TH E

H U MAN

FACTO R

• T HE

HU M AN

FACTO R

• T HE

HUMA N

FACTO R

RESIDENTIAL COLUMN

designing lighting

77

Photograph by Tim Williams @twilliamsphoto, www.twilliamsphoto.com

solvers; they are excellent listeners. They know when to lead, when to adapt, and when to pause long enough to understand what is truly being asked.

Soft skills—communication, empathy, adaptability, and selfawareness—are often discussed as secondary to technical ability, but in residential work they function more like power skills. They influence how design intent is received, how conflicts are resolved, and how trust is built over the long arc of a project.

Unlike software expertise or code knowledge, these skills are not learned once and mastered forever. They are developed through repetition, feedback, experience, and often through missteps. Yet they are also the skills that 78

designing lighting

tend to define leadership, longevity, and influence within a design team.

The effect of good relationships is felt at every stage of a residential project. During early design, trust enables candid dialogue and creative exploration. During documentation and coordination, it allows teams to address issues directly and efficiently. And during construction and commissioning, often the most demanding phases, it helps teams navigate pressure without compromising quality.

Looking for More Than a Portfolio As my role has evolved, I’ve become increasingly attentive to soft skills during interviews and early collaboration

FACTO R HUMA N • T HE FACTO R HU M AN • T HE FACTO R H U MAN • TH E H U MAN

FACTOR

FACTO R HUMA N • T HE FACTO R HU M AN • T HE FACTO R H U MAN • TH E FACTOR

T H E

Many of these groups operate through annual membership dues that resemble sponsorships more than casual affiliations. At higher levels, the value

H U MAN

The growing emphasis on relationships is reflected in how professionals in the luxury residential sector are choosing to connect. Over the last decade, I’ve watched an increase in national and international networking groups tailored specifically to the superprime residential market.

T H E

In residential design, where teams often work together for years and clients remain deeply involved throughout the process, interpersonal skills shape daily experience. Hiring or partnering without

Why Networking Looks Different Now

H U MAN

Do they take ownership of challenges, or assign blame? Can they articulate how they’ve navigated difficult team dynamics? Are they curious, adaptable, and respectful when discussing disciplines beyond their own?

considering these qualities can introduce friction that no amount of design talent can offset later.

T H E

conversations. I still care deeply about design rigor and technical competence, but now I listen just as closely for how someone describes working with others.

FACTOR

• TH E

H U MAN

FACTO R

• T HE

HU M AN

FACTO R

• T HE

HUMA N

FACTO R

RESIDENTIAL COLUMN

designing lighting

79

Residential design is deeply personal. Homes 80

designing lighting

After twenty years in this industry, that may be the most enduring lesson of all. ■

FACTO R HUMA N • T HE FACTO R HU M AN • T HE FACTO R H U MAN • TH E FACTOR

FACTO R HUMA N • T HE FACTO R HU M AN • T HE FACTO R H U MAN • TH E FACTOR

• T HE FACTO R

H U MAN

In a market where excellence is expected, it is often the quality of relationships that distinguishes a good project from a truly successful one. Investing in people skills through hiring, collaboration, and professional engagement is part of the craft.

T H E

The Intimacy of Residential Work

Lighting designers occupy a unique position within the residential design team. Our work touches architecture, interiors, landscape, technology, and, most importantly, how people experience their homes. It has taken me years to fully appreciate that the same sensitivity we bring to shaping light must also be applied to how we engage with one another.

H U MAN

For designers, this shift is instructive. Residential projects are long-term investments shaped by ownership structures, risk considerations, and evolving client priorities. Understanding that broader context strengthens collaboration and positions design teams to add value earlier in the process.

Designing Light, Working with People

T H E

Today, conversations increasingly include owners’ representatives, legal advisors, insurance professionals, property managers, security consultants, and equity managers. These perspectives often enter the discussion well before a property is purchased or a design team is formed.

For established teams, this reinforces the importance of maintaining healthy internal dynamics. Strong relationships are not just good practice; they are a competitive advantage.

H U MAN

Some professional organizations continue to serve specific disciplines—architecture, interiors, lighting, sustainability—and they remain essential. What has changed is the expanding scope of residential-focused networks to include expertise that traditionally sat outside the design team.

• TH E

Beyond Traditional Design Circles

For those entering the market, this can be challenging.

Even highly qualified designers may struggle to break into established teams unless a client is intentionally seeking change. Talent alone rarely opens the door, but relationships do.

FACTOR

What’s often underestimated is the time commitment required. Meaningful participation happens outside billable hours at events, in working groups, and in conversations that don’t have an immediate project attached to them. The return is rarely immediate, but it is enduring.

are emotional environments, and clients tend to gravitate toward teams they trust, often teams that have worked together before. Established rapport, whether with the client or among consultants, carries significant weight.

H U MAN

lies not in volume but in access to small gatherings, curated conversations, and opportunities to engage with peers across regions and disciplines.

T H E

Photograph by Nico Zurcher

HU M AN

FACTO R

• T HE

HUMA N

FACTO R

RESIDENTIAL COLUMN

Showcasing Lighting and Its Impact on Design Join us for Illuminate at NeoCon, a new “show within a show” spotlighting the future of architectural, technical, and decorative lighting. Discover a curated mix of leading and emerging brands, explore innovative technologies shaping the built environment, gain insights through expertled Spotlight Sessions and immersive vignettes, and connect at exclusive events.

Learn more at www.neocon.com/illuminate.

June 8–10 Preview Day: June 7, Noon–4pm The leading event for commercial interior design since 1969 www.neocon.com The Mart, Chicago

NeoCon® is a registered trademark of Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.

Produced by:

designing lighting

81

Healthy Lighting as a System: Lawrence Lin’s Vision for the Industry

At one of the VLDC sessions at Light + Building in Frankfurt last month, Jan Denneman, a physicist and lighting expert who studies how light influences sleep, mood, and overall health, spoke by video about the work of the Good Light Group. Near the end of his presentation, he highlighted a recent milestone: the launch of Good Light Group Asia, chaired by Lawrence Lin. Lawrence Lin then addressed the audience and later stopped by the EdisonReport studio at Light + Building for a one-on-one conversation.

Lawrence explained the importance of managing flicker, human health, and the future of lighting standards. The interview moved beyond traditional lighting metrics to focus on how people actually experience light in real spaces.

Lawrence believes the lighting industry often relies too heavily on laboratory measurements that fail to reflect real-world conditions. Many standards measure flicker and other performance metrics at the face of a luminaire. But in practice, people rarely experience light from that direction.

“In the lab we measure the light one way,” Lawrence explained. “But in the space we feel the light in a completely different direction.”

During our discussion Lawrence demonstrated how flicker readings can change depending on sensor placement and how light from multiple luminaires interacts within a space. The demonstration could not have been more timely. The stand lights rented at Light + Building produce significant flicker, and throughout the show I struggled to understand why some of my videos showed flicker while others looked perfectly clean. Our stand received a large amount of daylight, and on bright sunny days the natural light overwhelmed the flicker. But when clouds rolled in and daylight levels dropped, the LED flicker became very visible 82

designing lighting

in the recordings. It was a real-world example of exactly what Lawrence had just explained.

The Good Light Group aims to raise awareness about gaps in current lighting standards. According to Lawrence, emerging topics such as circadian rhythm, emotional response, and productivity still lack strong measurement models within existing standards.

He stressed that healthy lighting should be viewed as a system rather than a single product. Comparing lighting to nutrition, Lawrence noted that even beneficial vitamins only work when used properly, with the right dose and timing.

“Healthy lighting is a system,” he said. “It is not a single lamp or a single luminaire.”

During Light + Building Lawrence met with several industry organizations and said there was much interest.

The organization works with scientists, manufacturers, designers, and standards bodies such as CIE and IES, IWBI to promote research and help close these gaps. Lawrence also referenced the WELL Building Standard as an example of a framework that already considers multiple aspects of lighting quality, including glare control, circadian support, color rendering, flicker management, and daylight integration.

Although the Good Light Group has participants from several regions, Lawrence noted that the organization currently has limited participation from the United States. As a result, he expressed interest in expanding the initiative to North America.

If the effort gains traction, the U.S. lighting community could play an important role in advancing research and developing new standards that better reflect how people actually experience light in real spaces. ■

Conference: March 15, 2027 Exhibition: March 16 - 18, 2027 Las Vegas, NV

Where Lighting Design and Technology Come Together.

Explore architectural lighting, control systems, and integrated building technologies redefining how light is specified, managed, and experienced in real-world environments.

Join us in 2027 and see what’s next for lighting design!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

designing lighting

83

REP'S PERSPECTIVE

The Real Work of Value Engineering – A Collaborative Approach

By DARREN LUCE, LC MIES

President, CDm2 LIGHTWORKS

compromise the performance, longevity, or intent of the original design.

When the Context Gets Lost

Photo Credit: Providence Health Care

It’s a situation most lighting designers have experienced: a project you spent months designing comes back with a request to review and accept a VE package. You’ve seen it time and time again, a package of substitutions with a carrot of cost savings and a deadline. There’s no true value engineering offered - only substituion, and that devalues the design.

This distinction matters. True value engineering (VE) is a collaborative process to find cost efficiencies that don’t

84

designing lighting

The most common failure in the VE process is structural.

Contractors weren’t part of the conversation when the owner outlined their operational requirements, or the lighting designer chose a specific downlight for its UGR rating, and its 150,000-hour life.

Without that context, it’s difficult to know which elements of the specification are critical to the design intent and which ones could be considered for cost savings.

That information gap is where projects can get into trouble.

A luminaire with 1,300 lumens gets swapped for another luminaire with 1,300 lumens. On paper, it’s a one-to-one switch, but one luminaire has a UGR of 15 and the other has a UGR of 30. One carries a credible warranty from an

REP'S PERSPECTIVE

established manufacturer with support from local representation you can trust; the other comes with only cost savings.

The costliest outcomes happen when a substitution doesn’t surface until the product is already installed.

At that point, the process stalls, holdbacks are threatened, and timelines are at risk. Without early alignment, a contractor could spend months trying to VE a lighting control system, only for it to fail commissioning. They are then forced to purchase the original system a year later, at a higher price. The process that looked like savings became the most expensive path through the project.

What Real Savings Look Like

On a recent large-scale Design-Build hospital project, we worked with the project team to finetune the specifications of each product to economize supply costs.

We approached this cost-driven process with a keen understanding of the technically complex specifications, including luminaire materials, specific components, and production considerations. Throughout, we ensured compliance with the distinct technical, physical, and quality requirements of the critical healthcare spaces.

Varying savings could be applied to more than 10,000 luminaires. Based on the large quantities of luminaires, even minor savings allowed us to put hundreds of thousands of dollars back into the project.

That’s the real work of VE: not compromising specs, not accepting substitutions that fall short in ways nobody flagged. It’s going deep into the design, understanding what matters, and presenting options that hold up under scrutiny.

It’s alignment versus compromise: the design intent stays intact, the project is within budget - everyone can stand behind the result.

and having the technical depth to evaluate alternatives against multiple criteria at once: not just lumens but optical performance, UGR, life rating, color performance, and more.

It also means being transparent. Some stakeholders hold back, thinking this will protect them from being undercut. But the reality is substitutions are happening anyway, through packages with no line-item visibility. Transparency gives the specifier the information to evaluate VE proposals across all factors.

Contractors who understand what they’re installing become advocates. Early in my career, I watched a contractor call out a lighting specification as “over-designed, you don’t need that” in front of the entire project team. Afterwards, I pulled them aside, and the truth came out: they did not understand how to install what had been specified. Once we walked through it together, their position shifted.

When contractors are brought into the technical conversations early, they install with confidence, and advocate for design in the field. The rep’s role isn’t just to bridge between the designer and contractor: it’s to make sure everyone in the room is working from the same understanding.

Is Your Rep Still in the Room?

The value of the design decision you made six months ago only holds if someone is in the room when changes are being made. You need someone who understands the project's goals and design intent and has credibility with both sides to hold the line where it matters.

Lighting and controls are a critical part of a project’s infrastructure. The decisions made during design, procurement and construction affect energy costs, maintenance cycles, and occupant well-being for years.

The cost of the luminaire is one variable. The long-term installed quality and performance of your design is the goal.

A strong rep partner can help you communicate that in a way that aligns with the construction team's need to deliver a successful project in the best interests of your client.

The goal of every project should be the same for everyone involved: design intent delivered within budget, and an outcome everyone can be proud of -that only happens when there’s genuine trust between the designer, the rep, the distributor, the contractor, and the owner.

Projects that go well are the ones where nobody’s profit depends on somebody else taking a loss, where the savings are real and flow through to everyone, and where the people who did the work can say “that’s what we set out to build.”

Transparency and respect aren’t soft ideals in this business they are how successful projects are realized. ■

The Spec is Only as Strong as Who’s Behind It

For a rep to do this well, they are already in conversation before the VE request comes in. That means understanding the designer's original intent, why each product was specified,

designing lighting

85

ACT23S MOSAIC STUDIO • • •

Sleek Profile - Compact, architectural track head Peak Precision - Multiple beam spreads, filters, and accessories Smart Control - DMX/RDM or Casambi Wireless with 0.1 % dimming

RGB + TUNABLE WHITE. Dynamic Color by Design.

FCT23 RECESSED MOSAIC • • •

Theatrical Precision for Architectural Environments.

Invisible Power - Discreet adjustable downlight Simple design - New construction or retrofit installation Smart Control - DMX/RDM or Casambi Wireless with 0.1 % dimming

The Mosaic Series combines RGB color mixing with high-CRI white light in a sleek, and architectural form. Help bring vibrancy and clarity to exhibits, retail, and immersive environments with this family of downlights, pendants, track heads, and projectors.

C323 MOSAIC INKY • •

Theatrical Edge - Miniature Fresnel Design BEAM CONTROL - Barndoors, filters, and spread lenses.

•

Smart Control - DMX/RDM or Casambi Wireless with 0.1 % dimming

DISCOVER THE MOSAIC SERIES

TSLIGHT.COM

AY TUESD

AY MOND

join WILD in NYC in April The Exchange Soiree!

Monday, April 13th Join WILD and our sponsors Edison Report and Coronet on Monday, April 13th at Parsons - The New School. This event is more than just networking—it's a celebration of legacy and the launchpad for tomorrow.

DAY S E N D WE

Visit WILD at our Booth!

Tues - Wed, April 14-15th Stop by the WILD table outside the ballrooms to meet some of our members.

The WILD Table will be open both days of the show, so stop by and enter our special raffle. On WED at LEDucation, join us for a wild explosion of color to celebrate International Woman's Day by donning your best pink attire and turning your color-changing lights pink.

Become a WILD International Sponsor We are seeking International sponsors at all levels. Please join us in supporting the women of the lighting industry!

Check out our website for more information.

86

designing lighting

@WOMENINLIGHTINGANDDESIGN (IG) @WOMEN IN LIGHTING + DESIGN (WILD) (LINKEDIN)

salutes and thanks its advertisers for their support.

We applaud the achievements of lighting practitioners and recognize the importance of their work in architecture and design.

PAGE 51

PAGE 9

PAGE 35

PAGE 69

PAGE 5

PAGE 81

PAGE 13

PAGE 20

PAGE 93

PAGE 57

PAGE 55

PAGE 2

PAGE 73

PAGE 59

PAGE 26-27

PAGE 10-11

PAGE 21

PAGE 25

PAGE 15

PAGE 83

PAGE 3

PAGE 86

PAGE 6-7

PAGE 47

PAGE 90

PAGE 53

PAGE 17

PAGE45

PAGE 86

designing lighting

87

Light Justice NOW Awards FINAL SUBMITTAL DATE Closed AWARDS PRESENTATION 13 - 15 August 2026

The IALD International Lighting Design Awards 2026 The winners were announced at Light + Building, Frankfurt on 10 March.

IES 26: The lighting Conference, Denver CO

FINAL SUBMITTAL DATE Closed

NOMINATIONS Closed

ANNOUNCEMENT DATE 18 June 2026

ANNOUNCEMENT DATE TBD

Lumen Gala, Pier 60, NYC

LIT Lighting Design Awards 2026

NLB Tesla AwardsTM 2026

10% EARLY BIRD DEADLINE 30 April 2026 ANNOUNCEMENT DATE 16 June 2026 Paris, FR

NLB Lighting Transformation Awards FINAL SUBMITTAL DATE 24 July 2026 AWARDS PRESENTATION NALMCO Annual Convention and Trade Show, 11-14 October 2026 Glendale, AZ

88

designing lighting

IESNYC Lumen Awards 2026

Women in Lighting Leadership Award

FINAL SUBMITTAL DATE Closed AWARDS PRESENTATION 14 April 2026 LEDucation, NYC

IES Illumination Awards 2026 FINAL SUBMITTAL DATE Closed AWARDS PRESENTATION 14 August 2026

IES 26: The Lighting Conference, Denver, CO

EVENTS

14-15 APR 2026

8-10 JUN 2026

17-19 JUN 2026

NEW YORK CITY

CHICAGO

PARIS

13-15 AUG 2026

15-16 SEP 2026

2 OCT - 1 NOV 2026

DENVER

DALLAS

ALINGSÅS

8 OCT 2026

15-17 OCT 2026

8-9 NOV 2026

LONDON

AUSTIN

NEW YORK CITY

18-19 NOV 2026

12-14 JAN 2027

15-18 MAR 2027

TORONTO

DUBAI

LAS VEGAS

*dl is a proud media sponsor and participant of these events.

designing lighting

89

Organiser

Are You Looking To Expand Your Reach In The Canadian Markets ?

Connect, Innovate & Illuminate Be a Part of Canada's Premier Expo on Lighting Solutions

18 - 19

NOVEMBER, 2026 International Centre Toronto, Canada

SCAN TO BOOK YOUR BOOTH NOW

www.canadalightexpo.com Silver Sponsors

90

designing lighting

Official Agency Partners

Knowledge Partner

Official Media Partner

Associate Partner

HLB LIGHTING DESIGN

AVAILABLE LIGHT

Sarah Hoster was promoted to Senior Designer

Garrett Lindner started a new position as Associate

BIELLA LIGHTING DESIGN Molly Stowe started a new position as Senior Lighting Designer| Associate Principal

NEO ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING

Abdirahman Abdi started a new position as Lighting Designer

Charles Selander has started a new position as Director of Market Development, New York

ON THE

INTUITION LIGHTING Tanya Flores started a new position as Senior Lighting Designer

PIVOTAL LIGHTING DESIGN Diana Laura Niño Salas started a new position as Lighting Designer

CANNONDESIGN Barrett Newell was promoted to Associate Vice President, Lighting Designer designing lighting

91

By SHIRLEY COYLE, LC

UP CLOSE WITH DAVID SEOK There was a time when David Seok expected to return to “being an architect ... After all, that was what my degree was in.” But, lighting had other plans for David.

Challenged as a Drexel University architecture student to find an architectural internship during the recession of 2008, he worked reception at the AIA headquarters in Philadelphia, where a lighting design firm based in the building snagged him first.

From there, David’s colleague, Rochelle Spahn, twice played an important role in his full conversion to lighting design, first getting David hired to help her with a three million square foot, thirty-two building project at the University of Pennsylvania campus. David recalled, “Without formal training in lighting, it was a really good way for me to see everything that was out there.”

Rochelle moved on to The Lighting Practice in Philadelphia and reached out to David to recommend he apply. In 2014, David joined the firm.

Moving to The Lighting Practice was “an important transition for me. It really helped me see lighting design as a career. It helped me to understand there’s so much more to the lighting world.” At The Lighting Practice there was encouragement for involvement in IALD and IES. Interestingly, the one (and only) lighting course that David had during his architecture degree at Drexel was taught by Jonathan Hoyle, now a Principal at The Lighting Practice. “Our firm has a pretty long history of teaching that course at Drexel. I taught that course for two or three years while I was in Philadelphia.”

In 2019, David was promoted to Senior Lighting Designer and returned to his hometown of New York City as the firm established an office there. “I’m really grateful for the time I had in Philadelphia ... as a young, working professional, Philadelphia was a great place to start a career, and it helped me to understand the industry and form a relationship with the manufacturers and rep agencies in the area.”

He continued, “Coming to New York was a shock for just how big the industry was!” David recognized the value of getting to work on establishing something new, saying, “I really appreciated being able to sit next to our founder, Al Borden, and our studio director, Tom Bergeron.”

Reflecting on what success looks like, David commented, 92

designing lighting

“Barbara Horton does a really good job in one of her interviews talking about the different parts of running a firm—designing, chasing work, all the administrative stuff that makes the company run. That was very intriguing to me. Success can come in a lot of different forms. I’m really proud of what we’ve built at the Lighting Practice in New York, going from a small WeWork office for three people to having a full team of nine or ten now ... It’s been such an incredible journey.”

Transitioning into his role as a Studio Leader has been a big challenge. He reflected, “I’m involved a lot more with business development—what’s the path to grow, how do we grow when so many of us are thinking just about lighting design—there is so much more to it. I was thinking about those things much sooner. Being part of starting a new office, I got to be involved a lot with recruiting and training new employees. That ties heavily to my founding of the Asian Lighting Community (ALC, along with co-founder Gary Wong from BOLD Architectural Lighting Design). The inequities, and how people are perceived, that really opened my eyes to a lot of things.”

The founding of the ALC is something that David described as coming out of a goal to encourage more visibility and recognition in the industry. “Within the lighting community, we tend to hear the same voices again and again.” It’s an important reminder that we need to be offering opportunities for more fresh faces.

David recognizes that effort is required to get visibility—building a brand, putting yourself out there.

While David notes that making a name for yourself is important for those coming into the lighting community, he offered some additional advice: “You never really know who in your life is going to completely change your life trajectory. Don’t burn bridges, network as much as possible. That’s huge ... I never imagined that lighting would be something I built my career on, and yet, here I am!”

Asked what his world is like outside of lighting, David laughed: “Fun fact about me —I’m married to another lighting designer, so the amount of lighting in our lives is very high. It’s hard to get away from, even on weekends. On date night we go to a restaurant, and we’re constantly analyzing lighting.” Other diversions he cited were “video games, comic books—and board games are huge for us. There’s a board game convention in Philadelphia that we’ve been to for the past four or five years, and we’ve actually found other lighting people there!” ■

NEW YORK STATE

designing lighting

93

EdisonReport.tv serves as a hub for all digital content in the lighting industry. A premier source for critical information surrounding lighting, EdisonReport.tv is dedicated to delivering industry news by way of video and serving its audience by spotlighting product launches and up-to-date educational videos, as well as information about upcoming webinars.

94

PureEdge Lighting Pure Smart™ TruColor™ RGBTW

Landscape Forms | SHUFFLE

USAI Lighting I Small in One Mini

Acclaim Lighting Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Inter-Lux I Orma

Colleen Harper Discusses IES's Shared Resource Plan I designing lighting (dl)

QTL POSH Illuminated Closet Rod Overview

Lighting Services Inc LZFC ZOOM Full Color Series

designing lighting