Illuminating Intent REP'S PERSPECTIVE
By SIMA TAWAKOLI
sixteen5hundred
How Lighting Reps Bridge Vision and Reality Lighting design is an art of intention—not repetition. It is an art of precision, a form of empathy, and a discipline that shapes experience of spaces. Behind every successful, and sometimes unsuccessful, lighting design is a less visible support system and collaboration. In the vast network of individuals and teams making a design project possible, the rep agency is one of the important partnerships. As a lighting designer, application engineer, architect, and an educator working in California, I have found that this partnership between designers and lighting reps can either illuminate or obscure a project’s intent.
Project: Benchmark Capital, San Francisco, CA | Agent: sixteen5hundred Specifier: Lundberg Design / Banks Landl Lighting Design | Brands: Eureka | Photographer: Thomas Kuoh
Today’s lighting reps are more than sales professionals. They bring a practical vision to the table that supports the designer’s vision. The rep’s vision is built on the reality of budget, technical feasibility, and design aspiration. Reps have a deep knowledge of technical specifications and an understanding of current regulations and codes to help align the project’s creative goals and performance standard. The early-stage design conversations start with quality, creativity, aesthetic, and form, the way that the lighting will shape the application. The designer taps one of their most important resources— their lighting rep.
Project: Ireland House, San Francisco, CA | Agent: sixteen5hundred | Specifier: William Duff Architects, Inc. Brands: Eureka | Building Certification: LEED Gold | Photographer: David Wakely Photography
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As the project evolves, so does the role of the rep. Conversations expand to exploring ideas, availability, technology, energy