PRIVATE RESIDENCE, POLAND
LAURENCE LLEWELYN-BOWEN
TERRA BY MATER
3D PRINTING
Bespoke installation
porcelain ‘birds’, carbon rods, handpainted gold spheres
Enhancing Spaces with Porcelain and Light
www.cordulakafka.de
VOO
Biscuit
WELCOME
Welcome back from what I hope was a sun-filled summer holiday for many! As we enter the next fluctuation of design events of the year, the darc team is already comparing clashing calendar schedules as we aim to check out as many shows and events as we can over the next few months.
After our usual editorial break for the summer issue, 3d, we are excited to be back with our Sep/Oct edition that is jam-packed with inspirational content.
This issue covers an array of topics, some of which we’ve not covered in the past, including insights into residential lighting for our ageing populations. Dive into an in-depth discussion on the topic by Dr Shelley James, where she uncovers lighting solutions that have been tried and tested in a care home environment, and how the developing technology is aiding not only the residents, but also the surrounding personnel and extending healthcare systems.
Now you may recognise a familiar face in this feature... I was lucky enough to sit down with the interior designer turned celebrity Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen to chat about his general approaches to lighting in projects, but also to find out more about his recent role as Design Curator at Rangeford Villages and the projects they are collaborating on.
Turning to our second feature, we look at the world of 3D printing within product design. I was recently asked to be a judge for LumiAdd’s competition to design a 3D printed lighting fixture. I caught up with Jamie Norris Green, Director of LumiAdd and their winner, Effie Polydouli, to find out more about the world of 3D printing and Polydouli’s winning design.
Also, as part of this feature, we hear from Signify’s Leader of 3D printing, Bart Maeyens, about their manufacturing processes in this field and their journey into more sustainable lighting production.
Elsewhere in this issue, we cover a variety of projects from the likes of ROAR and Studio N, Isla James Interiors and Lighting, Żurawicki Design, and Lightsphere and Markus Bischof.
We also delve into the behind-the-scenes of Mater’s beautiful new sustainable collection, Terra, in our Materials Focus, Astep’s collaboration with designer Luca Nichetto on their eco-conscious Upglas collection for our In Focus Q&A, and Tala’s collaboration with Thomas Heatherwick Studio to design and create a suninspired lamp, Wake, in our Design Evolution Part One.
There is heaps more to get your teeth into, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the read.
Now, before I sign off, it’s with regret that I have to announce that this is Rosie’s last issue with darc magazine as she moves on to new adventures and challenges. Rosie was fantastic to work with and such a fun travel companion for the darc team on the road. We will be sorry to see her go, but wish her all the best in her next endeavours! Thank you for all your hard work and day-to-day positive energy, Rosie! At least she’s staying in Manchester, so for us it’s not goodbye, but see you soon.
Sarah Cullen • Editor
FEATURED
016
Materials: Mater
The Danish green-tech furnishing brand has released its first ever lighting collection with Copenhagen-based, OEO Studio. CEO Ketil Ardel and Designer Thomas Lykke discuss the journey and vision of Terra Collection, a series of lights that are simple in form but radical in substance.
022
Interview: Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen British TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen talks with darc about his new venture as Design Curator for Rangeford Villages retirement accommodation, as well as his approach to lighting design within residential projects.
060
On Show: LiGHT 25 Preview
Returning to London in two months’ time, the UK’s only lighting dedicated event will once again be held in the BDC, London, this November. Check out some of this year’s highlights and new additions and plan ahead for your visit.
066
In Focus: Upglas
A new, sustainable lighting collection by Luca Nichetto for Astep.
THE MAGAZINE
Managing Editor | Helen Ankers h.ankers@mondiale.co.uk
Editor | Sarah Cullen s.cullen@mondiale.co.uk
Junior Journalist | Ellie Walton e.walton@mondiale.co.uk
Contributing Editor | Matt Waring m.waring@mondiale.co.uk
International Sales Manager | Rosie Jackson r.jackson@mondiale.co.uk +44 (0)161 464 4750
CONTENTS
PROJECTS
006 Focal Point VLV Headquarters, Cordula Kafka
008
Global Management Consulting Firm, Dubai HQ Roar and Studio N have reimagined the office as an immersive, human-centred environment where colour, texture and light converge to inspire focus, collaboration and wellbeing.
044
Residential Lighting: Private Residence In Bydgoszcz, Poland, a riverside apartment becomes a sanctuary where the spirit of flight meets the comforts of home. Inspired by their clients’ love of gliding, designers Jakub Żurawicki and Joanna Kubiak shaped an airy, light-filled space that balances work, rest, and passion in perfect harmony.
052
Residential Lighting: Radlett London Isla James Lighting creates a luxurious yet homely lighting scheme for this private residence based in London, UK. Founder, Jo Calver, walks us through the project, detailing the lighting considerations and the importance of a thoughtout scheme for a residential space.
INSPIRATION
028
On The Board: Joshua Welch, Hoare Lea
Check out Welch’s take on the importance of giving lighting design the respect it warrants in an interior space.
030
Feature: 3D Printing
Design experts explore the latest developments in 3D printing within decorative lighting product design. We hear from Signify about its product development, LumiAdd and its latest product design competition, plus a fascinating product installation for a historical project in Lichtenstein.
040
Design Evolution Part 1: Wake
Heatherwick Studio has joined forces with Tala, the British lighting brand renowned for its precision engineering and sustainable designled approach, to launch Wake, a new kind of sleep light. Part 1 of Design Evolution looks at the team’s inspirations for the new product.
043
Comment: Residential Lighting
We dive into the world of residential lighting with comment pieces from Tahlia Landrigan of Woods Bagot and Dr Shelley James of Age of Light Inovations.
DESIGN
Artwork | Dan Seaton d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk
Editorial | Mel Capper m.capper@mondiale.co.uk
CORPORATE
Managing Director [d]arc media | Paul James p.james@mondiale.co.uk
Marketing & Events [d]arc media | Moses Naeem m.naeem@mondiale.co.uk
Chairman Mondiale Publishing | Damian Walsh
FINANCE
Finance Director | Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk
Credit Control | Lynette Levi l.levi@mondiale.co.uk
[d]arc media ltd | Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport SK1 3AZ, UK | +44 161 464 4750
Printed by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, UK ISSN 2052-9406
See these products and much more on the Elstead Lighting booths this Autumn Decorex - Stand A16 | Light25 - Stand 32 | HIX - Stand 87/89
Cairo 8 Light Chandelier by Alora
FOCAL POINT
LEAVES - VLV HEADQUARTERS
BREGENZ, AUSTRIA
Studio Cordula Kafka, in collaboration with lighting designer Barbara Gilhaus-Sturn of Archilum, has planned and realised a new large-scale Leaves installation in Bregenz, Austria.
The porcelain leaves unfold across two floors of the new headquarters of Vorarlberger Landesversicherung (VLV) – a regional Austrian insurance provider – designed by the architectural firm Dorner/Matt.
A total of 750 delicate porcelain leaves gently visualise the nature of the work carried out within the building. They stand symbolically for insurance policies – documents that provide structure and security, yet often remain invisible in day-to-day life. Here, they become a visible element, quietly carrying the content and purpose of the institution into the space itself.
The installation begins at the reception counter on the ground floor, from where the leaves seem to “fly” through the hall and continue outwards. The porcelain leaves are carefully illuminated by recessed ceiling spots, which enhance their fragile materiality and create a subtle interplay of light and shadow. This lighting design draws visitors’ attention and emphasises the symbolic significance of the documents.
In the event space on the top floor, the leaves shift direction towards Lake Constance. The room opens up, and so does the view. The installation draws the eye outward – a gesture of openness, perhaps even foresight – while the ceiling lighting gently highlights the porcelain elements, enhancing the spatial experience.
Visible from the outside as well, both installations are part of the building’s overall architectural expression. They form a continuous design element that links inside and out, function and form, content and meaning.
www.cordulakafka.de
PROJECT
GLOBAL MANAGEMENT CONSULTING FIRM, DUBAI HQ
Step inside one of Dubai’s newest offices and you won’t find a conventional workplace - you’ll embark on a journey through the UAE’s diverse landscapes. From tranquil mangroves to coral reefs, rugged wadis and serene desert dunes, Roar and Studio N have reimagined the office as an immersive, human-centred environment where colour, texture and light converge to inspire focus, collaboration and wellbeing.
Stepping into this new Dubai office is like journeying through the UAE itself – from the tranquillity of the mangroves and coral reefs to the mountainous wadi and peaceful dunes. Far from a conventional corporate environment, this workplace boldly reimagines the contemporary office by drawing inspiration from the nation’s natural phenomena, creating a setting that is both immersive and purposeful. The responsibility of bringing this vision to life was given to the hands of
Roar, an architectural and interior design firm that is no stranger to blending functionality with creativity. Together with Studio N, which tackled the lighting challenges, they transform the 2320sqm space into a sensory haven that can serve both the functional needs of an office and the emotional wellbeing of its staff.
The brief was clear but ambitious: create a humancentred office that revolved around flexibility, wellbeing, and integration, working seamlessly with the building’s existing structure. The firm required a workspace that would accommodate agile working styles, with sit-stand desks, comfortable lounge areas, and spaces for video conferencing. In addition, there needed to be diverse meeting areas of various sizes, as well as a café and social hub for informal collaboration. Roar was also determined to create a design that was deeply connected to its roots in Dubai.
“We wanted to create a workplace that makes people feel something. This isn’t a cookie-cutter office; it’s a celebration of identity and purpose,” say Pallavi Dean, Managing Director of Roar.
To achieve this, Roar introduced colour psychology, a strategy where colour-coded themes inspired by the Dubai landscapes foster navigation and functionality.
Cool tones like blues and greens were inspired by the mangroves and sea and used in focused work zones aptly named blue zone and green zone, which promote calm and concentration. Meanwhile, warmer hues like orange and yellow help energise collaborative zones in the pink and terracotta zones. The strategic use of colour-coded zones allowed the spaces to be defined and made navigation effortless, encouraging engagement with the environment in the right ways at the right time. However, the challenge was to ensure all the diverse areas and elements fit seamlessly into a cohesive interior and lighting scheme as well as being practical and warm.
The journey begins with the oasis, i.e. the green zone, a striking entrance lounge that captures the mangroves of the UAE. Upon entrance, a tree grows through the custom-designed collaboration table, serving as both sculptural art and a symbol of growth and collaboration. Green acrylic accents, bronze exhibition pillars, a mosaic floor ground the palette of the design, while a mirrored ceiling amplifies light and movement to create a sense of serenity. Here Studio N’s carefully balanced lighting scheme allows the reflective surfaces to create the right amount of illumination and vibrancy while allowing the symbolism to speak for itself.
In the blue zone, the calm of the Arabian Gulf informs the open-plan workspace. Overhead, gradient acoustic baffles ripple across the ceiling, mimicking the gentle movement of waves while softening the sound. The lighting here is fluid, with reflected light playing across mirrored stretch ceilings to create a sense of openness in areas, even with limited daylight. Private focus rooms and phone booths benefit from carefully calibrated task lighting, while flexible single offices balance functionality with comfort through layered illumination. Studio N’s approach ensured the zone retained a serene, oceanic quality, with cool colour temperatures of 4000K reinforcing the palette of blues and enhancing a sense of clarity and calm for focused work.
The pink zone, inspired by the coral, is a playful yet sophisticated space for collaboration and houses café area standouts with ribbed and gradient mirrors, decorated in vibrant shades of pink, and a ceiling that layers bronze, pink and green elements. Socialising is encouraged in this area, which is deliberately reflected in its design choices, such as varied seating such as bench niches and bar tables. The lighting here is essential in enhancing both the aesthetic and functional aspects of the office. Making use of both architectural and decorative lighting
“We wanted to create a workplace that makes people feel something. This isn’t a cookie-cutter office; it’s a celebration of identity and purpose.”
PALLAVI DEAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ROAR
elements, it brings warmth and humanises what could otherwise feel like a sterile corporate environment.
Manoeuvring into the terracotta zone, drawing inspiration from the wadis, creates a sense of drama and intimacy in the workplace. Defined by its floating staircase with a base made of bronze and glass balustrade creates a dramatic focal point. The area is designed for both collaboration and quiet reflection. Lighting in this zone was carefully choreographed: ambient and accent layers by the likes of Flos, LEDFlex and Intra Lighting highlight the staircase and lounge areas, while decorative fixtures by Vibia and Flos bring warmth and character, reinforcing the natural, earthy palette.
The final zone in the journey, evokes the serenity of the desert, offering a haven for focused work and quiet reflection. Soft beige tones, subtly layered across walls and furnishings, are complemented by overhead acoustic baffles that mimic the gentle contours of dunes.
Workspaces are adaptable, with sit-stand desks, custom finishes, and thoughtfully chosen furniture that merges form with function. Lighting here is understated yet purposeful: warm ambient layers and carefully directed task lights from Flos, LEDFlex and Intra Lighting create a calm, even illumination, while decorative fixtures by Marset and Foscarini add subtle visual interest without disrupting the tranquil atmosphere.
Commenting on their role in unifying these spaces, Lama Arouri Managing Director at Studio N, says: “Roar envisioned a unique decorative lighting language for each area, which was carefully chosen to accentuate the theme of that space in terms of colour, finish, and form. Our challenge was to integrate these decorative pieces with the architectural lighting elements, ensuring a harmonious, visually interesting lighting scheme that was fully fit for purpose. Decorative lighting was also an essential contributer to this.”
Achieving such a layered lighting scheme didn’t come without its challenges, with most of them being structural constraints. The office was part of an expansion, which meant cutting through the existing floor slab to create better connectivity, while the building’s shallow ceilings and tinted glass created a naturally dim space. Studio N was then presented with the task of brightening the space without overwhelming it. Reflective surfaces added more complexity to the mix, leaving the team to carefully consider how light would interact with the surface.
Arouri says: “Roar envisaged an imaginative and vibrant scheme using a dynamic palette, which was further amplified by an eclectic mix of materials, ranging from opaque to translucent, from matte to reflective. We needed to evaluate each colour way to see how it would respond to the lighting, which could dramatically alter the mood of the space, while ensuring that the spaces remain highly functional and visually cohesive.”
While the architectural lighting softened the space with a welcoming tone and needed practicality, decorative lighting was added to combat the corporate feel but also improve visibility. The key considerations for this were to ensure task lighting for workspaces while creating pockets of mood lighting in the lounges and social spaces. A dramatic bespoke chandelier in the terracotta zone added a visual focal point and a dash of luxury to the design.
“In a workspace, the lighting must be tailored to its purpose – clear visibility for focused tasks, balanced with the need to foster collaboration and creativity. Unlike hospitality or residential environments, workspaces must cater to a wide range of activities, from high-energy meetings to quieter, more reflective moments,” explains Dean. “We considered the natural circadian rhythms of the people who would be using the space, ensuring the lighting would adapt throughout the day to support productivity, reduce eye
“We considered the natural circadian rhythms of the people who would be using the space, ensuring the lighting would adapt throughout the day to support productivity, reduce eye strain, and promote wellbeing.”
PALLAVI DEAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ROAR
From the publishers of:
Lighting the way from concept to creation
LiGHT 25 is the UK’s only trade show dedicated to high-end lighting specification
Featuring the… ARCHITECTURAL ZONE DECORATIVE ZONE and new for 2025, the… TECHNICAL ZONE
Scan the QR code for future announcements and registration
strain, and promote wellbeing. We also had to integrate lighting with the building’s acoustic features to create a harmonious, non-disruptive environment.”
The completed office is a testament to the power of collaboration and a shared design vision. For Roar, it was about creating a space that celebrated culture while redefining what a workplace could be; for Studio N, it was about using light to translate that vision into something both functional and atmospheric. The result is an environment that feels rooted in Dubai yet looks firmly to the future, a workspace that is flexible, expressive, and deeply human. As Dean reflects: “The lighting and colour strategy came together beautifully, and the integration of natural elements really brought the whole design to life. It feels like the perfect blend of functionality, creativity and a bit of curiosity - exactly what we set out to achieve.” In this project, curiosity is sparked at every turn, with colour, texture, and light working together to transform the everyday into an experience.
www.designbyroar.com
www.studionlighting.com
GLOBAL MANAGEMENT
CONSULTING FIRM, DUBAI HQ
Client: Global Management
Consulancy Firm, Dubai
Project Manager: CBRE
Interior Design: Roar
Lighting Scheme: Studio N
Lighting Specified: Flos, Foscarini, Intra Lighting, LEDFlex, Marset, Vibia
in
Designed by Roar, with lighting expertise from Studio N, the new Dubai office draws inspiration from the UAE’s natural landscapes. The office is divided into distinct coloured zones each shaped through colour psychology. Studio N’s carefully layered lighting scheme played a central role
uniting these diverse spaces, balancing decorative and architectural elements to ensure functionality, mood, and cohesion.
MATERIALS
TERRA BY MATER
The Danish green-tech furnishing brand has released its first ever lighting collection with Copenhagen-based, OEO Studio. CEO Ketil Ardel and Designer Thomas Lykke discuss the journey and vision of Terra Collection, a series of lights that are simple in form but radical in substance.
Sustainability, durability, and conscious design - these are the buzzwords dominating today’s design discourse. As the world grapples with the environmental consequences of overproduction and overconsumption, the design industry is finally catching up with its responsibilities. The cynics of today may dismiss the authenticity behind some brands’ sustainable initiatives as nothing more than rebranding marketing ploys or fleeting trends - yet, Mater, the Danish green-tech design brand, has quietly and consistently embodied eco-conscious innovation since its inception in 2006.
Decades before the rise of eco-friendly design, Mater was laying the groundwork for its patented material, Matek – a waste-based material – that it integrated into stylish furnishings. This year, Mater took that commitment a step further by introducing the Terra Collection, where Matek has been integrated to create a series of strikingly crafted lamps.
Designed by Copenhagen-based OEO Studio, Terra offers versatility for both indoor and outdoor settings, comprising a pendant lamp, a wall lamp, and a portable lamp. Its material blend is as innovative as it is responsible: recycled post-consumer e-waste from discarded electronics combined with coffee waste.
Thomas Lykke, designer and co-founder of OEO Studio and early investor in Matek, drew inspiration directly from the new material. “The inspiration comes through
the material itself, which has a very natural, almost earthy quality. That’s why we chose the name Terra, meaning soil or earth. I have a fascination with stones, their colours, shapes and textures – this fascination also heavily inspired the Terra,” explains Lykke.
The lamp’s form is deliberately simple and understated with a utilitarian edge. However, the intrigue that Terra creates does not lie in its silhouettes but in the materials themselves. The material manages to feel both rooted in nature and unlike anything in the conventional material vocabulary. This is what Lykke refers to as ‘compelling minimalism’, when a design may take on a simple yet familiar form, such as a traditional bedside table lamp, yet the eye is drawn to its depth and the tactility of the material.
The colour palette, coffee waste black, coffee waste red, and a neutral tone, is closely tied to Lykke’s passion for stones. “The red, for example, is directly inspired by a specific stone I found on the Danish island of Anholt,” he explains. “It took a lot of experimentation to get the tone right. It couldn’t be just any red - it had to be that red!”
The three shades complement each other beautifully, offering flexibility across different interiors and pairing seamlessly with Mater’s broader portfolio, especially its wood furniture. They are colours intended to endure visually and stylistically, while the material’s texture adds to its appeal. Unlike the uniform surfaces of
MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
The fibre comes from coffee waste... while the binder is derived from recycled e-waste such as discarded keyboards and electronic componenets. The reresulting compound is heated around 200°C and the press moulded using a thermo-kinetic process.
Once moulded, each lamp is handfinished: it’s sanded to smooth out any surface roughness, assembled with its lighting components, and carefully packaged. From start to finish, the process involves a significant amount of handcrafting, reflecting Mater’s commitment to both material innovation and tactile, human-centred design.
glass or metal, Matek’s finish subtly shifts in tone depending on light and shadow, creating a living, changeable surface.
The production of the Terra, at its core, is Matek, a patented material composed of a unique mix of fibre and binder. The fibre comes from coffee waste, specifically the silver skins discarded during the roasting process, while the binder is derived from recycled e-waste such as discarded keyboards and electronic components, which are processed into pellets. These two elements are combined using Mater’s proprietary recipe, developed through extensive testing and refinement, and known only to a select few within the company. The resulting compound is heated to around 200°C and then press-moulded into shape using a thermo-kinetic process, a technique that differs from conventional injection moulding by applying heat and pressure simultaneously. Once moulded, each lamp is handfinished: it’s sanded to smooth out any surface roughness, assembled with its lighting components, and carefully packaged. From start to finish, the process involves a significant amount of handcrafting, reflecting Mater’s commitment to both material innovation and tactile, human-centred design.
The development of the Terra Collection was not easy and took some convincing on Lykke’s part to Mater’s CEO Ketil Ardel, who was apprehensive about creating a lighting collection.
“Initially, I didn’t want to go into lighting. I could see too many challenges. The big question was, ‘can we really make this material work for lighting?’” says Ardel. “For us, it wasn’t just about making a shape and adding conventional elements like metal frames or reflectors, which felt too traditional and against our ethos as a company. Instead, we wanted the material itself to be the star, to carry the light.”
The project began with no formal brief other than a goal to push the material further. The aim was to create something more intricate and reduce the need for extra components such as screws and frames, relying on only on Matek’s ability to handle the structure and detail. “That meant refining it to a level of finesse we’d never attempted before,” adds Ardel. Making a light is always complex, for the Terra there was no exception on that either, from its inception to the manufacturing process. There were two main challenges the manufacturing process faced: the first was creating a mould with extremely fine detail, and the second was achieving natural organic colours
without compromising the performance. Even the smallest addition or raw pigment - one or two percent – could completely alter how the material behaved, making the process as much science as it was design. Beyond this, the team challenged the conventional method.
“Traditionally, you would make a mould, then press one piece for the top and one piece for the bottom of the product, meaning two moulds for one lamp. This would prove to be time-consuming and expensive. So, together with [Lykke], we created a new technology similar to an ice cube tray. That way we could create multiple in one press,” explains Ardel. “The mould itself was more costly, of course, but it pays off if you can produce in scale and scale matters, because if you want to have a real positive impact, you need industrialisation.”
While Terra marks a milestone for Mater, it is far from the final destination. The next step is to adapt Matek for outdoor use. At present, the portable lamps can be carried onto balconies terraces, but they cannot yet withstand elements such as rain and frost. For Mater and OEO Studio, this challenge is less of an obstacle but an opportunity to transform the Terra collection into a durable range of lights and much of the Matek material. “If we make Matek truly outdoorsafe, it opens a completely new dimension of what we can achieve with the material, and that is a project that we are also working through our material innovation roadmap to ensure, okay, how do we solve that? Is it do-able? Yes. Then we just have to find a way,” says Ardel.
This future-thinking approach reflects Mater’s broader innovation roadmap: proving Matek’s viability in lighting, expanding its applications, and ultimately scaling production to make a measurable impact. New lighting collections are already in the works, not simply extensions of Terra but entirely fresh explorations of form and material. For both Mater and OEO Studio, the goal is clear: to continue advancing sustainable design through innovation that is not only functional but enduring, not only aesthetic but transformative. Terra may have begun as an experiment in pushing a material’s limits, but it now stands as the first chapter in a much larger story – one where waste is reimagined as a foundation for the future of design.
www.materdesign.com
www.oeo.dk
Images: Mater, Thomas Lykke
INTERVIEW
LAURENCE LLEWELYN-BOWEN
British TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen talks with darc about his new venture as Design Curator for Rangeford Villages retirement accommodation, as well as his approach to lighting design within residential projects.
Laurence Llewlyn-Bowen is an internationally acclaimed interior designer and television presenter, who is well-recognised for his beautifully outlandish wardrobe of patterned blazers and British rom-com-esque mop of dark hair. In the 1990s and Noughties, his design expertise played a large role in creating a movement in British interior design that encouraged personal expression and confidence in exploring colour and pattern in an era that had a tendency to lean into neutral chromes and greys.
Llewelyn-Bowen has graced the British TV screens since the mid1990s, featuring on iconic interior design shows, including Changing Rooms, which became a staple household viewing.
Nowadays, Llewelyn-Bowen splits his time between escaping the claws of Bear Grylls’ treacherous Bear Pit (“Celebrity Bear Hunt”, Netflix 2025) and designing a new generation of retirement living accommodation.
darc’s editor, Sarah Cullen, had the unique opportunity to sit down with the designer to discuss his relationship to lighting as well as one of his most recent projects for Rangeford Villages and the role that lighting plays in creating a safe and comfortable space for our older populations. In July last year, LlewelynBowen opened his first Rangeford design offering in its stunning Siddington Park residence in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. As the appointed Design Curator, LlewelynBowen brings his creativity, maximalist approach and fresh style to Rangeford’s developments, offering a sophisticated touch to the brand’s luxurious living spaces in their first collaboration. His passion for design innovation aligns with Rangeford’s vision to redefine retirement living and a mutual aim of setting a new standard for luxury and design in the retirement sector. Throughout the residential spaces, the majority of fabrics, upholstery, furniture, artworks and accessories are handpicked and sourced from the Llewelyn-Bowen’s brand and patents. “As you get older, you must not stop being brave, you must not compromise, and you must not assume, ‘I’m old now, so I’d better turn down the volume’,” he explains.
Siddington. “Working on a retirenment accommodation project is not something I sought out to do. I was intrigued by it and really went in to play devil’s advocate more than anything. Here I am, a 60-yearold squire of Siddington,I’m not going to be forced into some sort of beige/oatmeal trailer park. I saw the Sex Pistols live! I want to go down fighting, with the ship!” And from those initial discussions with the Rangeford team, it was apparent to Llewelyn-Bowen that wasn’t the case for these later-in-life residences. Instead, Rangeford drew design inspiration from boutique hotels, which was what appealed most to Llewelyn-Bowen. “I said to the Rangeford team I wouldn’t be their poster boy; I’m not going to be involved in this unless I’ve got skin in the game. I want to be part of the design process. If they want my name, the cost is that they have to trust me as a designer. I think this is why the project became so big, because there’s a natural affinity there that you can’t license, you can’t franchise, you can’t manufacture.”
“Direct overhead lighting is something that will never be flattering to the room and deeply unflattering to anyone who occupies it as well. Try and create an environment where you are using as many points of light in as many different ways as possible.”
Llewelyn-Bowen’s initial interest in retirement living began when the Siddington complex was being built on the edge of his village,
CEO of Rangeford Villages, Howard Nankivell, adds: “Laurence is the undisputed king of wild, spectacular and adventurous design. At Rangeford, we strive to really raise the bar for retirement living, creating thriving new communities that promote healthy, active lifestyles, hobbies, friendships, and wellbeing, so we are absolutely delighted with this partnership.”
As the Creative Curator for Blackpool Illuminations for 15 years, Llewelyn-Bowen knows a thing or two about fun lighting. But when it comes to considering its role in a residential setting, and especially for those who may be hard of seeing, it was important to address suitable illumination considerations for Siddington Park.
“I still think people are not properly, thoroughly, and creatively getting to grips with the absolute basics of lighting a room, which is that it’s a very simple thing. It was drummed into me in the 1980s; lighting should be in at least three, if not four, corners. Direct overhead lighting is something that will never be flattering to the room and deeply unflattering to anyone who occupies it as well. Try and create an environment where you are using as many points of light in as many different ways as possible.”
Looking more closely at the Siddington Park project, Llewelyn-Bowen
“One of the things I’ve seen is that people are getting more and more interested in anti-tech interiors. Six, seven, eight years ago, interiors were very much about slinky lighting solutions that were hidden in troughs with tech that meant you could click your fingers and it all changed colour.”
explains that they completed all of the lighting schemes in-house. “I didn’t want the scheme to become too contrived because ultimately, these residents need to be able to live there.
“We’ve got a number of projects at the moment where we are working with a variety of lighting companies, which are all lovely and marvellous. In contract setting, lighting for shops and restaurants etc. you can use as many solutions as you need. In the B2B market, you’re dealing with professionals. But I think, when you are creating spaces for people to live in, presupposing that they’re going to have a cupboard with eight or nine different shelves, each of which is labelled with a specific light source in various colour temperatures, is something that’s never going to work.
“So, one of the things I’ve seen is that people are getting more and more interested in anti-tech interiors. Six, seven, eight years ago, interiors were very much about slinky lighting solutions that were hidden in troughs with tech that meant you could click your fingers and it all changed colour. All of these are becoming less interesting to people. They’re wanting an end result now. An indicator of this is the way that the television has now become something that is incredibly discreet in most people’s lives. It is disguised as a picture or a mirror or just left as a television, but it’s not dominating the room in the way that it did in the 1990s.
“So, I think that it’s about trying to achieve schemes that feel organically unlit in many ways and feel as if they are creating an ambience and an atmosphere,
predominantly, rather than showing off that we are using lighting in a clever way.”
To achieve these lighting levels, Llewelyn-Bowen references the use of low-level light fixtures, such as table and floor lamps, as a key. Particularly for the Rangeford retirement projects, he was keen to interject a 1970s vibe through the low-level lighting; something he feels his generation will be able to connect with through a sense of nostalgia and familiarity. One way he has incorporated this is through the use of table lamps within cabinetry and display shelves as opposed to track or linear LED lighting. The act of switching a lamp on manually rather than through a connected automation system is something he believes the residents will appreciate more in a world that is taking a step back from technology. “I think people want design to stop being so technocentric and desire interiors that feel less like Big Brother, less digital,” he explains. “Particularly, a lot of our younger clients feel a lot of the big, showy tech that occurred in the 20th century has led to a lot of environmental issues that we witness today. When you look at the classic Noughties, spaces were enormous and minimalist with great big windows with concealed lighting. These spaces are incredibly heavy on resources, whether that’s heating or cooling. All of that glass is allowing for the energy that’s being expended on behalf of that room to escape. It makes you feel embarrassed for it. They’re terribly wasteful spaces.
“Look back at the Renaissance era when the super wealthy would express their wealth through ornamentation,
IMAGES: SIDDINGTON PARK BEDROOMS
14 - 17 October 2025
Pelangi Beach Resort + Spa Langkawi, Malaysia
5 - 8 May 2026
Mangia’s Brucoli, Sicily, Italy, Autograph Collection
Asia Europe Americas
2 - 5 June 2026
Kempinski Hotel, Cancun, Mexico
decoration, gold leaf, and classical statues. Nowadays, people express their wealth solely by how much empty space they have.
“For a lot of people, it feels politically, socially, ecologically, and spiritually wrong to own a lot of space that you’re doing nothing with other than spending planetary resources making it comfortable for you on your own.”
Turning the conversation to the topic of natural daylight at the Rangeford’s retirement villages, Llewelyn-Bowen explains that a main ethos is very much about outdoor spaces. “Every apartment has incredible access to visual space, so you don’t get that feeling of cheekby-jowl. Outdoor spaces are a very important part of the sociability of the Rangeford lifestyle. And this is all linked with the idea of preserving lifespan by creating interest, diversion, and excitement, while also creating easy-going access to outdoor spaces.
“One thing I can’t bear is over-lighting exterior spaces. You can end up with these golf course-type spaces with different coloured lights springing up through conifers, randomly dotted around. Instead, I like light sources to be visible in outdoor spaces, and to treat these areas in the same way I would an indoor space, with occasional table lamps and chandeliers hanging from trees.”
Another key ethos for the residential brand is one that isn’t about downsizing, but instead about rightsizing. It’s about providing a stimulating environment in which you can continue to be yourself, while minimising the physical frictions that come with ageing, for example, difficulties in climbing stairs.
It removes any worries or concerns about the upkeep of old English houses and instead puts the focus back into a community that you
can choose to opt in or out of. “It’s about harnessing design, treating it seriously and using it as an important part of making people feel that they are still valued. They’re allowed to be surrounded by things that interests them rather than the traditional attitudes, which see the dial turned right down and next thing you’re shuffling along a beige corridor in your carpet slippers, passing pictures that were in shades of euphemism. This sense of literally sucking the life out of an interior, and in turn sucking the life out of the inhabitants of that interior.
“Our work is about doing the absolute reverse; this is about breathing fire, life, chilli, excitement and rock and roll into areas that are occupied by people that are all about that.”
When asked whether imposing such a strong sense of design, colour and pattern into a space that needs to cater for all tastes, Llewelyn explains how it is important not to like some things. “It’s always going to be marmite, isn’t it? It’s all about the fact that if you had absolutely everything in an interior, the right shade of pink, that shade of pink would be devalued. You need to have dissonance. You need to have some spice in there that makes if feel slightly different.”
Some of the ways in which this spice and flair were incorporated into the residences were through the decorative lighting fixtures. The LlewelynBowen brand has thousands of patterns, colours and paintings created by the man himself. In addition to the specification of his in-house fixtures, Llewelyn-Bowen also worked closely with Soho Lighting and Pooky to interject added colour and points of interest. “We use Soho Lighting a lot, which I think is wonderful. I think there’s a real swing back to being physically engaged with technology. The idea of the Siri control and the Lutron controls etc. are less favourable. There’s something
“One thing I can’t bear is overlighting exterior spaces...Instead, I like light sources to be visible in outdoor spaces, and to treat these areas in the same way I would an indoor space, with occasional table lamps and chandeliers hanging from trees.”
really nice about a light switch, and when it’s being configured to work and feel perfect - it’s something Soho do so well. Also, I think for too long in Britain we’ve been settling for these clumpy bits of white plastic on the wall. Something like a light switch is an incredibly important part of that wall; it’s part of the pictures that you see, it’s part of the vase that you might be displaying on a table. So we’re building Soho Lighting into our schemes more and more.
“I’ve also had a really strong affinity to Pooky Lighting. I think they’re arty, crafty, 1960s/70s aesthetic chimes very well with what we’re doing in terms of pattern and colour. One of the best ways of making a real difference to the way that a space feels when it’s lit is putting a pattern on lampshades. And I think particularly when you are dealing with the LED lights nowadays, they do have a very flat light because they’re so diffused. A pattern shade, which is about light and colour, is a bit of a stained-glass window that brings some of the romance, some of the mystery back to lighting that was lost with the change to LED. Also, doing things like using foil inside a lampshade also makes a big difference. And, controlling light through lampshades, which literally block the light, so it’s like
a hand in front of the light, making it move off to the sides. All of these things are part of the sculpture of light play that you can be quite theatrical with. And I think this is something that the Rangeford buyers are really responding to; the fact that they’ve got this very high-end, boutique, bougie idea of lighting in the apartments, which is not what you’d typically find in a retirement context. That would usually be a lot of light. There are times when we do need this - such as when picking out the perfect plush velvet tie to go with our flares - but most of the time we don’t. We want to be in a gentle, sultry, sexy environment.
“As you get older, you must not stop being brave, you must not compromise, and you must not think, I’m old now, so I’d better turn down the volume. Rangeford has proven it’s about keeping the volume up, keeping up the rock ‘n’ roll, and keeping the excitement. Design is there to help, it is there to make you feel a lot better about who you are, where you are and how you live - this collaboration is the perfect example of that.”
www.llb.co.uk
www.rangefordvillages.co.uk
IMAGE: SIDDINGTON PARK LIVING ROOM
JOSHUA WELCH
Joshua Welch, senior lighting designer at Hoare Lea, regularly posts thought-provoking and industry-engaging topics for conversations on LinkedIn. darc asked him to expand on one of these popular posts for our next instalment of On the Board. Check out his take on the importance of giving lighting design the respect it warrants in an interior space.
4
YOUR ELECTRICIAN ISN’T YOUR LIGHTING DESIGNER.
You wouldn’t ask your plumber to design the bathroom tiles. Or have your carpenter pick the sofa fabric. So why are we still letting electricians decide where lights go? It happens on almost every project; plans get sent out, someone draws a neat grid of downlights across the ceiling like a game of Battleships, job done. Except it isn’t. Because now every room looks like a Tesco car park at night.
Electricians are brilliant at installing lighting. They make sure your home doesn’t burn down when you switch on the kettle. But design? That’s not their job. And it shouldn’t be.
Here’s the thing. Interior designers obsess over colour palettes, furniture, and flooring, but lighting is what makes it all look expensive. Or not. The same sofa in bad lighting looks like you got it off Facebook Marketplace. Light it properly and suddenly it’s interior goals.
Good lighting design thinks about mood, focus and function. Mood is how a space feels warm, cool, cosy, and dramatic. Focus is what you want people to actually notice. Function is about making sure you can cook, read, or work without shadows or annoying glare in the wrong places. Which isn’t the priority for an electrician.
And the default layout they fall back on? The downlight grid. Perfectly spaced, mathematically neat, visually dead. It kills atmosphere. It flattens everything out. It gives you one kind of light, everywhere, all the time.
That’s why so many open-plan kitchens feel like dentist waiting rooms after dark. Bright but lifeless.
A living room needs layers: soft ambient light for evenings, accent lighting for artwork or shelving, and task lighting where you read or work. Without layers, spaces feel flat and cold no matter how much you spend on furniture. So what should happen instead? Interior designers should take control early. Mark on the plans where you want light and - more importantly why. Think about walls, furniture, and people. Not just the ceiling.
Renovators should spend one evening looking at lighting ideas before handing plans to a builder. Decide what mood you want in each space. Cosy? Bright? Flexible? Write it down.
Then give that to the electrician. They’ll still handle all the technical magic - cables, circuits, switches but now there’s a plan that makes sense for how you’ll actually live. Because when the lighting works, you don’t just see the difference. You feel it every time you walk through the door.
www.hoarelea.com
THE FUTURE OF PRODUCT DESIGN?
DIVING INTO THE WORLD OF 3D PRINTING
3D printing is rapidly gaining traction in the world of product design, and specifically decorative lighting fixtures.
British manufacturer, LumiAdd, recently launched a competition for designers to create a brand new decorative fixture that would be suited to 3D printing. [d]arc media’s editors Matt Waring and Sarah Cullen were part of the initial judging rounds before the shortlists were opened to the wider lighting industry for voting. Find out more from co-founder Jamie Norris Green below.
LumiAdd is proud to announce the successful conclusion of its inaugural 3D Unleashed design competition, a bold initiative created to give lighting designers, architects, and interior designers unprecedented creative freedom. The competition underscored LumiAdd’s commitment to two defining principles: sustainability and design freedom.
Sustainability has always been central to LumiAdd’s mission - powered by plantbased polymers and additive manufacturing. The 3D Unleashed competition provided a unique opportunity to highlight not only the environmental benefits of 3D printing, but also the extraordinary design freedom it makes possible. Freed from the constraints of traditional tooling, designers can explore intricate geometries, textures, organic forms, and one-off creations that would be impossible or prohibitively expensive with conventional manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing can quickly turn imagination into reality, not only enabling fast concept realisation but also accelerating development and refinement. We ran 3D Unleashed to spread word of this new design freedom we are offering
and see what the designers could come up with.
We believe 3D printing will have a transformative effect on the lighting industry. It fosters local manufacturing, speeds up innovation, and minimises creative constraints.
There are still perception hurdles to clear though, many have the mindset that heavier luminaires made from lots of aluminium (much more than needed for heat dissipation) are better, while for some luminaire types this may be true, in general we don’t agree, its overkill. We prefer to use the right amount of carbon intense materials and choose more sustainable materials where we can, incorporating more freedom over colours, textures and finishes along the way. Whenever there is a new technology, material or approach in industry it’s met with some resistance, it is for us to prove it’s the future.
The competition invited entrants to submit initial concepts without the constraints of trying to develop a realised idea. LumiAdd wanted imaginative ideas that were not polished, which resulted in a remarkable array of imaginative proposals that embraced both form, texture and the versatility that 3D printing can provide.
LumiAdd is now focused on bringing the winning concept ‘Flames of the Aegean’ from Interior Architect and Lighting Designer - Effie Polydouli to life, with the ultimate goal of launching the winning design as a new product range.
LumiAdd will be running the competition every year, with the aim of building a ‘creator series’. www.lumiadd.com
THE WINNER EFFIE POLYDOULI: FLAMES
OF THE AEGEAN
Effie Polydouli is an interior and lighting designer with an artistic and sustainable approach. Inspired by nature, art, history and ancient architecture, she aims to create designs that always hide a story.
In recent years, she pivoted her creative path and started her research on new sustainable materials and how they could be combined in an artistic way within product and lighting design. She believes that comprehensive design must be based not only on the unique design but also on the sustainability and the daily experiences and stimuli of the user.
Her winning design for the 3D Unleashed competition is based on the reckless use of raw materials, the exploitation and destruction of our natural resources, and unnecessary over-consumption. These sparked a volcano of despair, which unleashed the central idea of the luminaire series, Flames of Aegean.
“The idea came from the sound of the word ‘explosion’. Essentially, the metaphor of the screaming volcano is the echo of Earth’s suffering, representing the unexpected and explosive despair. Subsequently, the sign of the volcano was connected with Aegean Sea’s Greek volcanoes, which were distinguished by their forms and unique natural, geological elements.
“The original idea was to transfer all these elements, even down to the material of the collection, which was designed in detail in a 3D programme, as well as the forms of each luminaire. The uniqueness of the final form of the luminaires, and my aim to design sustainable lighting fixtures, led me to 3D printing, a method which has no boundaries. The use of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing process works in horizontal layers, following a 3D model that we created and inserted into the printer. The result is a unique lighting sculpture that would be difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing methods.
In this process, I chose to use PLA material, a biodegradable and thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from corn starch and sugar cane. As a final result, the creation of a unique sustainable table/wall lamp named Milos is created with a special and unrefined character and a unique flavour of Greece.” www.pd4design.gr
PRINCE JOHANNES HALL
Lichtenstein’s government buildings have undergone a large renovation. As part of this, the Prince Johannes Hall features a brand new, 3D printed chandelier that brings a contemporary flair to the historic space.
At the end of the 19th century, there was a growing demand for new government buildings in Lichtenstein due to the country’s rapid development in the preceding decades. As a result, a new development was created to house the state parliament, the government, and all public offices. The aim of the development was to express the state’s new self-confidence and represent the centre of political life and administration.
Applications were submitted to Prince Johann II, who, in turn, commissioned architect Gustav von Neumann in Vienna to draw up plans for the new space. In July 1900, plans and cost estimates were presented to the members of the state parliament, discussed and agreed upon. Taking great care of the design, von Neumann created a functional yet beautiful plan for the new building. Unfortunately, shortly before construction was set to begin, drastic changes to reduce costs were implemented. The vaulted corridors were considered superfluous, the offices too high, and the staircase too luxurious. The architect argued that the state should invest in a design that would be suitable for future generations, and should the cost-cutting changes go ahead, he would not accept responsibility for the project.
The architect approached the prince, who quickly agreed to cover the additional costs in order to avoid the changes required by the building commission. After two properties on the site had to be acquired and
“For this project, it was only natural to combine our different areas of expertise in order to achieve the highest possible level of technology and aesthetics.”
JULIA HARTMANN, FOUNDER LIGHTSPHERE
demolished as a preliminary step, construction of the government building could begin in the summer of 1903 and lasted until the end of 1905.
The cost of constructing and furnishing the site amounted to 377,528 crowns, significantly exceeding the state budget at the time. Prince John II contributed 100,000 crowns, and the “Landschaftliche Sparkasse” granted a loan of 260,000 crowns. The state’s total income and expenditure amounted to just over 306,000 crowns in 1905 and approximately 240,000 crowns in 1906. Tax revenues in both these years amounted to just under 38,000 crowns each. This comparison demonstrates the importance that authorities at the time attached to the development.
A centrepiece of the site is the former state parliament hall, the Prince Johannes Hall. Across 2024 and 2025, this hall underwent a contemporary renovation. Part of this was switching to an energy-efficient lighting scheme. A central part of this redesign is a new chandelier, which was created by Lighting Designer Julia Hartmann of lightsphere and Product Designer Markus Bischof. The new fixture takes inspiration from the movement of a spinning top, which maintains stability through rotation, symbolising the interplay of tradition and progress that guides the government’s actions. darc’s editor Sarah Cullen spoke with the designers to discover more about how they became involved in the project and how a 3D printed design was the winning choice for the space.
“When I received the enquiry, I knew immediately that a standardised solution would not do justice to this project – at least not to any great extent,” describes
IMAGE, BY JULIAN KONRAD REGIERUNG: JULIA HARTMANN, RC DANIEL RISCH, MARKUS BISCHOF
Hartmann. “Markus and I have known each other since our student days at the University of Applied Sciences Coburg and have been close friends ever since.
For this project, it was only natural to combine our different areas of expertise in order to achieve the highest possible level of technology and aesthetics. In doing so, we constantly challenged each other – driven by the desire to achieve the best possible result for the space and the building.”
The original chandelier was unfortunately beyond repair, which encouraged the new design direction.
The pair’s concept for the new fixture took inspiration from von Neumann’s original fixture’s proportions and symbolism. With a goal of capturing its historical design and bringing it into the modern day, they created the new fixture with new manufacturing technology: 3D printing.
“Unfortunately, only fragments of the
original chandelier remain, meaning that the missing parts could only be reconstructed based on photographs. But that wasn’t the point from the outset: the aim was to create a contemporary solution. Initially, there was the idea of installing two chandeliers, but we quickly rejected this approach. Our goal was to create a powerful and central light source – an object that would define the space and at the same time be visible from the outside through the three arched windows.
“There was no requirement to use additive manufacturing to produce the chandelier. Rather, this approach resulted from an analysis of the historical chandelier, parts of which are now housed in the National Archives of the Principality of Liechtenstein. From the outset, we asked ourselves the fundamental question of how craftsmanship is defined in the 21st century and how this understanding
can be applied to a core lighting element in such a significant space.
“We spent a great deal of time examining the symbolism and architectural background of the building. This resulted in a large number of internal designs and intensive discussions, both about design details and the overall execution of the chandelier. It was important to us to present only one design that we were 100% convinced would meet all requirements, support every design decision, and ensure that this chandelier alone would be the new centrepiece of the historic hall.”
According to Hartmann, this project was marked with challenges from the very beginning. “The material challenged us throughout the entire process. The original chandelier was made of forged iron, so it was clear to us that its successor should also be made of metal. We therefore looked for a 3D printing process that would meet both the structural and design requirements and allow for dimensions of 2.2-metres, without losing sight of the costs, of course. After a considerable number of production samples and a few setbacks, we opted for a special aluminium alloy that enabled weight and time optimisation and the necessary precision. The situation was similar with the lens: here, as well, we tested various processes, carried out light tests and optimised geometries until we achieved the desired lighting aesthetics and illumination.
“Under the given circumstances, it was not possible to conduct a final trial run – we only had one attempt to bring all the components together on site. The schedule, choice of materials, coordination with suppliers, customs clearance, restricted access to the government building, coordination of the final hanging, and, last but not least, adherence to the deadline were all factors that had to be precise with disciplined coordination in order to achieve the desired quality and stay within the planned budget.”
The final, installed fixture provides a powerful visual impact as well as a functional light source. It defines the ambience of the hall and contributes to ensuring the space remains a central location for official events and receptions.
Reflecting on the experience, Bischof says: “Being able to work on such a meaningful project is a special privilege in itself. As I was unable to be present at the hanging, the head of government invited us to Liechtenstein a few weeks later to share his enthusiasm for the result with us.”
Hartmann adds: “The moment when the chandelier was switched on for the first time was particularly impressive for me. You could literally feel how all the elements of the room came together in harmonious unity. For a moment, there was absolute silence –almost reverential – before a soft, collective murmur of enthusiasm swept through the room.”
www.lightsphere.ch
www.markusbischof.de
IMAGES: A COMPARISON OF HARTMANN AND BISCHOF’S NEW CHANDELIER (IMAGE BY MARTIN WALSER) AND THE ORIGINAL FIXTURE BY VON NEUMANN.
3D PRINTING IN LIGHTING: MAKING A SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE
Bart Maeyens, Leader for 3D printing at Signify, dives into the world of additive manufacturing and takes us through the process and creation of Signify’s new, sustainable fixtures.
The UK and European Union, like all global communities, grapple with the pressing challenges of environmental degradation and resource depletion. There is a growing imperative on manufacturers, government, and consumers to understand and minimise the environmental impacts associated with the products they produce, regulate, and consume. This pursuit of environmental sustainability has sparked a heightened demand for sustainable and environmentally conscious choices. For stakeholders and customers of the lighting industry, the situation is no different. Manufacturers, designers, installers, and specifiers are all looking for solutions that can help further the sustainability agenda while ensuring lighting can speak to both style and utility. Lighting has surely moved leaps from just illumination. Enter 3D printed lights.
3D printing is a form of ‘additive manufacturing’ that creates 3D objects from a digital file. Additive manufacturing is a process where an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is fully formed. Each layer is therefore a thinly sliced layer of the total object.
3D printing is the opposite of ‘subtractive manufacturing’, which is the process of cutting out or hollowing out a piece of material. 3D printing lights enables manufacturers to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods. It is believed that 3D printing can have a similar revolutionary impact on the lighting market as LED did. A large part of this impact is achieved by producing products more sustainably.
3D printed luminaires make a strong case for sustainable business innovation. Let’s dive in.
Part of a circular economy: 3D printing is a highly flexible, more sustainable form of manufacturing, in which luminaires can be made with raw material that has already been recycled, tailored to the customer’s exact needs and recycled at the end of their life. In 3D printed luminaires, nearly every component may be reused or recycled – thanks to a consistent disassembly concept –supporting the concept of a circular economy, which means moving away from linear production and consumption models, models where things are used for a short time and thrown away after use. Moving to 3D printing can, arguably, help us accelerate the shift to an economy that reuses resources wherever possible.
Good for the environment: An elementary component of ecological sustainability strategies is to move away from the use of virgin materials to produce goods. Using fewer fossil resources – and more recycled and bio-circular sources instead. 3D printing, be it constructing a house or printing lights, is the response. The answer lies in the transition to the exclusive use of mass balanced bio-circular, post-industrial recycled and post-consumer recycled material. The combination of these three sources will be required to meet the demand for sustainable raw materials.
At Signify, for instance, we produce all printed parts with at least 65% recycled or massbalanced bio-circular plastics. This includes the use of recycled materials as well as biocircular materials. For bio-circular materials, the entire supply chain is ISCC³ Plus certified. For example, sheets for car ports, swimming pools or illuminated advertising from the PIR waste stream. Or plastic bottles, aluminium cans, packaging material, CDs, and nylon recycled
from fishing nets from the PCR waste stream. In fact, it is possible to use least 55% renewable or recycled content as input for the 3D printing process.
All printed parts are reusable and recyclable. We use no paint, no potting, no glue, and fewer screws for easy disassembly and to simplify recyclability. We cooperate with Collection & Recycling Operations (CRO) for end-of-life management. At the end of the product’s lifecycle, the materials can be easily broken down then simply shredded and recycled. What’s more, when compared with traditional luminaries, these innovative circular designs use no paint as the lamps are already pigmented, as well as less parts, and fewer screws.
Producing on demand instead of on stock: Make-to-stock (MTS) is a manufacturing method based on forecasted product demand. Once manufactured, products are kept in stock until they are sold. The alternative is called Maketo-order (MTO) which allows consumers to purchase products that are customized to their specifications. No inventory of finished goods is required, as only non 3D printed parts such as drivers or LEDs need to be stored – being able to use them for different products. This plays a huge role lowering CO2 emission rates and in designing a sustainable supply chain. 3D printed lights for the specifier community
As well as benefits relating to sustainability, a further benefit of 3D-printed luminaires is that the solution can be tailored to your project, whether that be the shape, colour or texture of the product. Allowing co-creation and customisation of products providing design freedom. This flexibility allows for an almost unlimited number of different luminaire shapes – an impossibility with traditional production methods, which is always restricted by the mould release. With 3D printing there is no such limitation.
Individualisation and Tailoring:
Designing luminaries to suit personal tastes is one of the most alluring features of 3D printed products. With 3D printing, you can create a luminaire that features a specific theme or one that matches your decor style.
Business case: Today, customers want to work with businesses and designers that design projects with sustainability in mind. By now, we know that 3D printing is a more environmentally friendly option and choosing these lights for
any projects can make any practice one of choice, while also helping a business with its sustainability agenda.
Drive brand identity: Lighting can play a crucial role in creating an enjoyable shopping experience and a memorable recall for any store/location.
3D printed lights can be uniquely designed with a bespoke design for any location be it a retail store, a gym, showroom, a hotel or even an airport, bringing alive what a brand stands for, from luxury to mass appeal use.
Scalable solution: Customers can order products at a minimum quantity of just one luminaire, or scale up into the thousands for deployment across various locations, making this an even more attractive offer.
Winning by practicality: 3D printing can allow architects or specifiers to design a space by using unique fittings, but it can also offer a functional use too. For example, when organisations try to switch from conventional lighting to LED, what can sometimes occur is that the fixture being replaced may not be the same size as an LED alternative. This can mean that additional items are required, such as adaptation rings or expensive changes to the ceiling. Using 3D printing, this problem can be solved. The size of the housing can be changed at the point of ordering, meaning you can be sure it will fit the exact measurements of what you’re replacing. This can also help shorten the time an installation takes because there are no further adaptations to be made on site, which will, in turn, minimise the disruption to your organisation and save on labour costs.
In conclusion: Sustainability is by far one of the most important issues of our time. The fostering of long-term economic growth must not have a negative impact on other systems such as social or environmental. To achieve this goal, companies must address strategic and operational challenges. The message is clear: Future economic success must go hand in hand with sustainable thinking and action.
3D printing technology opens up unprecedented simple, sustainable, and fast possibilities. This enables every company in every industry to illuminate their spaces as smartly, special and sustainable as possible today. Creating a unique brand and customer experience.
www.signify.com
DESIGN EVOLUTION
WAKE BY TALA X HEATHERWICK STUDIO
Heatherwick Studio has joined forces with Tala, the British lighting brand renowned for its precision engineering and sustainable design-led approach, to launch Wake, a new kind of sleep light. Part 1 of Design Evolution looks at the team’s inspirations for the new product.
Bringing together natural materials, careful craftsmanship and cuttingedge sleep science, Wake offers a serene way to wind down and wake up. Its advanced LED system simulates sunrise and sunset, shifting gradually from warm to bright light, while curated soundscapes such as rhythmic alphorn tones and rainforest recordings replace jarring alarms. “We were inspired by the rhythm of sunsets and the rising sun over rippled water, that feeling of light gently filling a space,” says Josh Ward, Co-Founder at Tala. “In conversations with circadian neuroscientist Professor Russell Foster, he described morning light as a “photon shower,” a cue that resets our internal clocks. Wake sets out to embody that sensation, a beautiful volume of light rising in your room.”
Crafted from hand-spun ceramic and pressed glass, Wake features a tactile rotating dial for intuitive control. From the outset, the team wanted to work with natural, tactile materials. In a category so often dominated by injection moulded plastics, they deliberately took another path, testing many options before settling on hand-glazed ceramic for the rippled body and glass for the base and light source. The reactive glaze on the rotary dial proved especially rewarding, turning the act of adjustment into a deeply satisfying, palm-led gesture.
Thomas Heatherwick, founder and design director of Heatherwick Studio, says: “In the realm of sleep, the digital revolution has been
wreaking havoc. Instead of your bedroom being a calm, intimate place for recuperation, your entire world of messaging, news and entertainment, is right next to you, beckoning for your attention. Wake is our attempt to re-establish the sacredness of sleep and bring back analogue calm into the digital age. It is an alternative form of bedside light and alarm, made from natural materials, that uses light, touch, and sound to rid ourselves of yet more plasticky tech devices, and instead conjure up nature to help restore sleep to its rightful place in our lives.”
www.tala.co.uk
www.heatherwick.com
12 – 14 January 2026
Dubai World Trade Centre
REGISTRATION
OPENS SOON
COMMENT
WOODS BAGOT
Tahlia Landrigan is an Associate at Woods Bagot, an Australian-based global design studio. Below, she discusses the topic of how light shapes our emotional connection to home.
Light is more than illumination - it’s the invisible thread that binds us to place. In interior design, understanding light’s psychological impact is essential to creating spaces that truly feel like home. Designers have long considered its functional aspectsbrightness, energy efficiency, visual comfort - but the most transformative spaces use light as a tool for emotional connection.
The relationship between light and place runs deeper than aesthetics. Light fundamentally shapes how we experience space, influencing everything from our circadian rhythms to our sense of safety and belonging. When used with intent, lighting can transform even the most utilitarian environments into spaces that feel personal and alive.
As homes become more fluid - doubling as offices, retreats, and social spaces - interior designers are rethinking how light supports these shifting functions. A growing majority of homeowners now see the design of their home as more important than ever. Around a quarter of workdays in the USA are still spent at home, and demand for flexible layouts - from wellness zones to home offices - continues to rise.
Philosopher O.F. Bollnow described the emotional difference between “dayspace” and “nightspace” - the transition that light helps us navigate. Natural and artificial sources, layered and timed with care, influence how we arrive, how we rest, and how we reconnect. The emotional dimension of lighting is no longer a luxury - it’s foundational to feeling at home. Light and the Making of Place
In interior design, place is never just physical. It’s a layered experience - part spatial, part sensory, and deeply emotional. It holds memory, evokes feeling, and reflects how people live and move through their environments. Light is one of the most powerful tools designers use to shape that experience, giving space rhythm, warmth, and depth.
Natural light brings a temporal quality to place. Its movement across the day subtly shifts the mood and materiality of interiors - activating surfaces, softening edges, revealing colour in ways no artificial source can replicate. While unpredictable, it can be anticipated and harnessed through spatial planning and material choice.
Artificial light, by contrast, offers precision and consistency. Designers can adjust intensity, tone, and distribution to support how a space is used - whether to energise, calm, focus or rest. Used together, natural and artificial light form an invisible architecture of their own: a shifting overlay
that transforms static rooms into responsive, emotionally attuned places.
This emotional sensitivity has staying power. It prompts new questions for designers - especially when light must respond not just to mood, but to physical limitations.
Layering Light at Emerald Place
At Emerald Place in South Melbourne, a new mixed-use development by Lowe Living, our design addresses varied spatial conditions across 38 apartments, ranging from two to four bedrooms. Constraints such as orientation, sightlines, daylight access, ventilation, and functional layout naturally create differing experiences of natural light.
To counter this variability, each apartment incorporates a curated lighting strategy - an additional layer that deepens the emotional connection to home. In collaboration with lighting designer Adrian Pizzey, the lighting design introduces intentional layering across apartments and shared spaces. Light is treated as a material in its own right: scaled, directed, and modulated to mirror the rhythms of daily life and the memory of returning home.
Adrian describes light as “a quiet but powerful part of the design story,” one that’s often underestimated in its ability to shape how we feel in a space - especially during the winter months, when natural light is limited and artificial light becomes our primary source of connection and comfort. His approach to Emerald Place focused on avoiding generic layouts in favour of lighting plans that respond directly to the furniture and architectural features of each room. By introducing light at various levels - through wall washes, concealed pelmets, lamps and floor-level fittings - the result is a scheme that brings rhythm, intimacy and warmth. The experience begins in the entry lobby, softly illuminated by lamps and concealed pelmet lighting. Inside each residence, light shifts from task-focused kitchen zones to intimate living spaces lit with low-level lamps and directional lighting for artwork. Smart home upgrades offer residents further control and personalisation - ensuring each home feels not only functional, but entirely their own.
Creating Emotional Sanctuary
Light does more than illuminate - it frames a mood and creates space for life to unfold. By treating it as a dynamic material, designers shape how people feel, move, and belong. It’s the final layer that turns structure into sanctuary. www.woodsbagot.com
PROJECT
PRIVATE RESIDENCE
In Bydgoszcz, Poland, a riverside apartment becomes a sanctuary where the spirit of flight meets the comforts of home. Inspired by their clients’ love of gliding, designers Jakub Żurawicki and Joanna Kubiak shaped an airy, light-filled space that balances work, rest, and passion in perfect harmony.
In the heart of Bydgoszcz, Poland, an apartment perched on the Brda River became the home of two young professionals. Active enthusiasts of travelling, gliding and the great outdoors, the pair bought the designed apartment to gain more than just a place to call home but a sanctuary to pause, recharge, and find the balance between constant movement, work life, rest and rejuvenation.
Interior designers Jakun Źurawicki and Joanna Kubiak were tasked with tailoring the apartment to every facet of the owner’s life, from work and studying, to spending quality time with loved ones, in turn creating a multifunctional open plan living area. The pair developed a concept rooted in the client’s passion for the sky, with their main hobby being open-air gliding. Rather than resorting to literal motifs to express the concept, the designers introduced subtle gestures of lightness and flight in the form of soft cloud-like fabrics, airy blue palettes, and above all, a considered lighting scheme that ties all the elements together. Źurawicki and Kubiak were hired through a recommendation from previous clients. The first objective was clear: to create an interior that would reflect their love for flying, while also functioning as a flexible home base. The first step of the project meant expanding the zone of the apartment to achieve an open living area. Ultimately leading to the elimination of a whole room by removing a wall to create the multifunctional space the owner’s desired. However, the space is still defined by a kitchen, a dining area, and a lounge, but is instead defined subtly through furniture arrangement, a shelving unit as a divider and zoned lighting rather than a large physical partition.
Lighting played a crucial role in defining the zones and creating balance between the narrative of sky travel and creating a calming sanctuary. Flos architectural fixtures provide a calm, neutral base of illumination, while decorative lamps bring character, colour, and references to flight. This layered approach allowed the designers to inject the poetic resemblance of the sky without overwhelming the space, adding what the designers would call “the jewels of the décor”. The collaboration with the Flos Poland team was instrumental in achieving this harmony. Their expertise ensured the architectural lighting scheme was both
technically precise and discreet, allowing the decorative layer to take centre stage.
Throughout, the sky became a guiding metaphor. Wisps of clouds are suggested in the round, organic shapes of the furniture and lighting fittings, while shifting tones appear in the palette of whites, beiges, browns and blues, contrasted with bold accents of burgundy, navy and cobalt. In nine months, the pair developed an interior that feels both expansive and cocooning, providing an atmosphere that is shaped as much by light as it is by materials and form.
“In the early stages of the project, we dedicated a lot of time to carefully developing a functional layout that would fully meet the needs of the residents,” says Źurawicki. “As a result, we did not make any changes to the agreed-upon concept in the later stages of the project.”
The overall concept of the sky and lightness came to no exception when selecting the decorative lighting and was in fact a key player in defining the overarching narrative of nature. Delicate, lightweight lamps with soft or spherical shapes in white or muted blue subtly expressed the sky theme. One standout feature was the Halo Edition lamp by Mandalaki Studio, which imitated the northern lights.
To support this poetic layer, architectural lighting was kept deliberately understated. Flos fixtures provide a discreet, high-quality base of even illumination, their hidden LEDs casting soft, non-glare light. “The architectural lighting forms a neutral foundation,” adds Żurawicki. “It allowed the decorative lamps to become the real jewellery of the interior.”
Together, the two systems work in harmony: architectural lighting ensures clarity and comfort, while decorative elements create mood, mark out zones within the open-plan space, and embody the theme of flight through form and atmosphere. The result is a scheme that is at once functional and deeply expressive –translating the sky into light.
Kubiak comments: “We paid particular attention to the design of the decorative lighting. We aimed to create soft, diffused light that would enhance the atmosphere while also helping to define distinct zones within the open-plan space. The careful selection of lighting allowed us to subtly separate yet visually connect the dining, lounge, and home office areas.”
The decorative lighting elements in this project were selected with two equal priorities: technical quality and atmospheric effect. A variety of pendants, floor lamps, table lamps, and accent LED lighting were chosen based on their colour temperature, light quality, and function relative to the layout, while aligning with the overall sky travel concept. A mix of Scandinavian classics and Polish designer pieces were incorporated, adding both international appeal and local character to the scheme. Statement pieces such as the New Works Tense pendant hang elegantly over the dining area with a cloud-like presence, creating a sense of suspension and weightlessness to the design. Meanwhile, &Tradition’s Flowerpot series in cobalt and stone blue echoes the sky palette, while introducing a retro flair in shape, complemented by a Muuto Leaf floor lamp in copper that not only enhances the retro aesthetic but offers gentle, adjustable task lighting for reading or work. The comprehensive lighting scheme includes fixtures from Flos, Halo Edition, &Tradition, New Works, Muuto, Wästberg, Labra, Artera, Chors, and Westwing. Together, this well-balanced mix enables the interior to transition seamlessly between moods – from soft, atmospheric glow in the lounge to brighter, more focused illumination in the kitchen and work areas.
“For us, lighting is always a priority,” says Kubiak. “It not only defines zones and creates distinct scenes but also translates the main theme of the interior – in this case, the clients’ passion for flight – into something tangible. It becomes the jewellery of the space, highlighting textures, colours, and details.”
The effects of the interior feel both calm and energised. Diffused glows of warmth to the lounge alongside the vibrant hues of the Halo Edition lamp
introduce a vibrancy and an element of surprise. The lighting also directly influences the well-being of the occupants, thanks to the carefully selected high-quality fixtures, and close attention to colour temperature and diffusion ensures comfort in its daily use, from focused work to relaxation.
“What truly surprised us in person was how beautifully the materials and lighting came together - even better than we had anticipated. They gained richness in colour, depth, and energy, while at the same time the space offered a sense of calm and balance to those experiencing it,” says Żurawicki.
What makes the project exceptional, and the designers agree, is the collaboration with clients, who were receptive to bold material choices and the seamless integration of Polish and international design pieces. The apartment feels timeless, energetic, and calm all at once, and the clients’ needs, personalities and passions are perfectly met without having to compromise on their original vision. By translating a love of flight into architectural and decorative lighting, furniture, and finishes, the designers created a space that is more than a home: it is a sanctuary, a stage for life in motion, and a story told in light.
As Kubiak notes: “The project is a story about the people living in it –their passions, their habits, their way of experiencing the world. This apartment is exactly that story, expressed through materials, forms, and most importantly, light.”
www.zurawickidesign.pl
PRIVATE RESIDENCE
BYDGOSZCZ, POLAND
Interior Design: Zurawicki Design
Architectural Light: Flos Poland
Lighting Specified: Artera, &Tradition, Chors, Flos, Labra, Mandalaki Studio, Muuto, New Works, Wästberg, Westwing Images: kroniki
In Bydgoszcz, Poland, an apartment overlooking the Brda River was reimagined by designers Jakub Żurawicki and Joanna Kubiak as a sanctuary inspired by the sky and the clients’ love of gliding. Open-plan living, subtle zoning, and a layered lighting scheme balance work, rest, and leisure while evoking lightness and flight. Combining architectural precision with decorative statement pieces, the interior achieves both functionality and atmosphere - an elegant, timeless space where light tells the story of its owners’ passions.
LIGHTING DESIGN FOR OUR FUTURE SELVES
Dr Shelley James, Lighting Designer, Keynote and TEDx Speaker, WELL Light Advisor and Curator, and Founder of Age Of Light Inovations, explores the world of lighting for senior communities, diving into the health benefits of a well-thoughtout lighting scheme for senior living.
Until recently, lighting design for older adults was a gloomy, low-budget niche. Today, housing adapted to the needs of our parents - and our future selves - is considered one of the most dynamic and attractive asset classes for investors, with a 19% increase in independent retirement community units delivered in the past five years alone. [1] That makes sense when you look at the demographics - almost one in five of us are over 65, and the number of people aged 80+ worldwide is set to triple by 2050. [2]
The financial appeal of the sector is clear too: almost two-thirds of over-75s live in medium to high-affluence households, with an estimated £1.8 trillion in housing equity among retired households. The ‘grey pound’ is worth an estimated £320bn in the UK, with older adults accounting for an estimated 50% of consumer spending. [3] Perhaps it’s time to listen to insights from Boomer and Beyond’s research that invites us to rethink our preconceptions about wellbeing in later life, pointing out that this population is as diverse, discerning and demanding as we are, albeit with some unique challenges when it comes to physiological needs. Their recent Grey Matters blog identifies six key pillars of wellbeing that offer a useful framework to lighting design and controls: independence and autonomy, feeling safe and secure, social connections with family and friends, staying active and enjoying hobbies, maintaining a sense of purpose and lifelong learning and being in the right place, which critically includes a low-maintenance home. [4]
But, as our lifespan is increasing, our healthspan is not. [5] So many of us will live longer, but need more physical and mental health support, either through adaptations to our homes, or in community-style developments, with others going on to need more specialist residential care. [6]
Designing for older eyes
From a purely visual perspective, this population poses very technical demands. Firstly, changes in the physiology of the eye and brain mean they require higher brightness levels and better colour rendering to see clearly and comfortably, and communicate with ease.
At the same time, older adults are acutely sensitive to glare, as natural clouding and yellowing of the eye can generate the flares and distortions you might expect looking through a greasy camera lens. This is exacerbated by drugs that make it harder for the pupil to adapt to sudden shifts in light levels, while degenerative diseases such as dementia alter the connectivity between the visual, auditory and vestibular systems that are key to wayfinding and walking safely through a space. Layered schemes that combine diffuse highbrightness ambient lighting with lower-level task lights by the bed or reading area, and fittings that focus on a feature such as an image or a vase without generating a bright point source can offer comfort and variety without creating harsh and confusing shadows. Simple design choices, such as adding a shade to a bulkhead fitting, can create a more domestic look without compromising on technical
performance. The choice of light source is often an afterthought but opting for frosted rather than a clear ‘filament’ style can transform the visual comfort of a scheme.
Although collaboration is essential for any successful project, it’s especially critical to work closely with the client and interior designer to confirm a typical room layout to choose the location of switches, avoid overhead fittings directly over the bed, choosing ceiling finishes with high surface reflectance to bring daylight deeper into the space and choosing colours and textures that meet standards for Light Reflectance Values. These can help with orientation and a sense of safety creating clear contrast and sight lines to vertical elements such as door frames that help to maintain postural stability, linked to risk of falls. [7]
Controls
One recent large-scale study with communityliving adults found that most were living with light levels well below these recommendations, noting that control is as important as the lighting itself. Many participants explained that they do not use side lamps because of difficulty accessing the switch, while curtains and shades often remained closed because of the difficulties reaching over furniture positioned in front of the window. Older adults often experience stiffness in their hands and other joints, making it harder to reach, grip or twist. A loss of moisture in the skin means that touch screens can be hard to use.
While the sector has traditionally focused on controls for lighting alone, a growing number of platforms are integrating automated shading, thermal comfort, and occupancy sensing and security, including alerting loved ones to unusual patterns of behaviour. This has implications for those targeting this population, with the need to design intuitive, integrated user interfaces to meet complex and changing needs while respecting privacy and dignity. While most simply focus on control, the innovators are harnessing this smart infrastructure to harvest data and provide insights similar to an enterprise-level BMS but without the complexity. The software company Baulogic recently worked with an elderly couple to ‘future proof’ their home to allow them to live independently for as long as possible. Considering that assisted living in the UK costs
an average of £1,000 per week, the return on investment is clear for those who can afford the capital cost. [8]
Changing brains
When it comes to the biological or ‘non-imageforming’ effects of lighting, older adults need more support from the lighting too. Not only through a natural decline in hormone signalling, but because older adults, especially those living with mobility issues, anxiety or depression, tend to spend less time outside. Once our loved ones move into residential care, access to sunshine is even more limited - one study suggests that even for those who are physically able, less than one in three get outside more than once per month. [9]
There is growing evidence that a lack of bright light during the day is linked to poor sleep, even in ‘normal’ homes. Low daytime light levels are often compounded by leaving the TV on at night, or routine nighttime checks for those in residential care. Fragmented sleep gives rise to a downward spiral of distress from depression, memory loss and agitation to increased vulnerability to infections. UTIs not only exacerbate confusion, they lead to increased need for bathroom visits, one of the leading causes of falls at night. [10] As well as pain and increased risk of mortality, each hospitalisation costs the health and care system an estimated £21,000. The NHS spends around £2.3bn per year - that’s £6m per day on falls-related care. [11]
Falls management
While the familiar call pendants and cords are common in independent and residential care settings, the evidence for their effectiveness is limited. [12]
A growing number of technology-led solutions are emerging to fill that gap, including mattress sensors and acoustic monitoring, with Nobi Lighting leveraging the lighting infrastructure itself. This system combines a motion-activated night light with a monitoring and call protocol that alerts the care team to an unusual sound or movement. This strategy has not only reduced the number of falls thanks to increased visibility but also slashed the time taken to respond to an incident to less than four minutes at Hartland House in Derbyshire. The ability to review sensor data from the moments preceding the fall also facilitates identifying factors involved, facilitating tailored interventions and prevention.
This solution is being adopted by a growing number of care providers in the USA as well as across Europe and in the UK. [13]
Circadian lighting
While these solutions target falls management, there is growing evidence that circadian lighting solutions can improve the quality and quantity of sleep itself, tackling the root cause of nighttime falls in independent living and residential healthcare settings. Lighting systems engineered to deliver recommended levels during the day, warmer, dimmer light in the evening and darkness at night can effectively support the sleepwake cycle. One Harvard study noted a reduction in falls of up to 43%, reduced agitation and confusion, reduced cognitive decline and improved mood.
The team at Circadacare has developed a retrofit light source that aims to deliver recommended light levels for circadian entrainment, along with humidity and temperature monitoring and a falls detection algorithm, which triggers an alert to a designated contact. The affordability and ease of this retrofit solution is delivering measurable benefits to NHS Partnerships and providers such as Kyndi seeking to keep older adults living at home for as long as possible. [14]
While there are a growing number of ‘circadian lighting’ products on the market, very few manufacturers or care providers have invested in a systematic evaluation of the benefits for residents and staff. Given the powerful biological effects of light, especially for this vulnerable population, a lack of evidence-led design risks causing real harm and undermining confidence in the approach.
Evidence-led design
WCS Care in Warwickshire is one healthcare provider that stands out in the sector for its drive to focus on results in terms of quality of life for residents and staff, working with Coventry University to measure the impact of their first circadian lighting installation over eight years ago.
So when it came to evaluating a recent retrofit programme with lighting designer John Bullock and Commercial Lighting Systems, the WCS team chose a blend of strategies to capture objective and subjective results.
Chief Executive Ed Russell describes the effects he has seen:
Measuring impacts after installation, using Bradford University’s dementia care mapping tool, daytime sleeping dropped by an average of 58% for the residents in the study group, and positive mood increased by 330%, a shift sustained over many months. Negative mood dropped by 94%, and sundowning symptoms stopped – 100%. Russell has also seen a dramatic reduction in antipsychotic medication use.
“It was massive stuff, we saw people chatting, residents chatting, dancing and sociability, less aggression, less agitation, and less sundowning…
Disagreements were much easier to de-escalate. Residents could identify their rooms more easily. Mealtime felt calmer and more pleasant. They had fewer falls and fewer residents at nutritional risk because they were eating better.”
Carers expressed they felt more relaxed and more connected to the people they support. One says: “I don’t go home exhausted, I go home proud.” Another says: “The place feels calmer, residents are more themselves and so are we.”
Russell is clear that the lighting complements and does not replace time outside, and has implemented these changes alongside other interventions such as acoustic monitoring and wide-awake clubs. He’s seeing the benefits to the bottom line, too, calculating that the increased cost can be recouped if it leads to selling just one room for a year.
A successful lighting design takes a systems approach to the environment, integrating visual and non-visual needs as well as the user experience, working with the client to create the ideal optimal blend of simplicity and control.
To summarise, designing for an ageing population is a uniquely rewarding challenge. It demands a sensitive user-led systems approach that balances the needs for increased quality as well as quantity of light, a willingness to engage with the complex operational and financial constraints of a 24/7 setting, and the confidence to seek evidence and fine-tune the solution. It’s time to design for our future selves. www.ageoflightinnovations.com
IMAGES: TOP: CHROMAVISO’S EVIDENCE-BASED CIRCADIAN LIGHTING AT LUNDTOFT CARE HOME, DENMARK, MIDDLE: WCS CARE WOODSIDE EVENING LIGHTING, BOTTOM LEFT: LIGHTING CALCULATIONS FOR WCS CARE, JOHN BULLOCK AND CHRIS FORDHAM, BOTTOM RIGHT: PORTHAVEN CARE HOMES CAVELL PARK CARE HOME AND CARE HOME INTERIORS COMPANY.
1. www.cbre.com/press-releases/senior-housing-sector-poised-for-strong-rental-growth-in-2025-amid-strengthening-fundamentals#:~:text=More%20 than%2063%25%20of%20investors,rate%20indicating%20a%20higher%20value.
2. ww w.ageing-better.org.uk/our-ageing-population-state-ageing-2025
3. ww w.mercieca.co.uk/news/grey-pound-opportunity
4. ww w.boomerandbeyond.co.uk/greymatters
5. ww w.housinglin.org.uk/_assets/Resources/Housing/OtherOrganisation/jll-uk-seniors-housing-report-2024.pdf
6. ww w.ilcuk.org.uk/urgent-paradigm-shift-from-lifespan-to-health-span-needed/
7. ww w.designforsight.com/valuecontrast.html
8. www.baulogic.com/
9. van den Berg, M. E. L., Winsall, M., Dyer, S. M., Breen, F., Gresham, M., & Crotty, M. (2019). Understanding the Barriers and Enablers to Using Outdoor Spaces in Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review. The Gerontologist, 60(4), e254-e269. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnz055
10. Zou, M., Lu, R., Jiang, Y., Liu, P., Tian, B., Liang, Y., Wang, X., & Jiang, L. (2023). Association between toileting and falls in older adults admitted to the emergency department and hospitalised: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 13(6), e065544. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065544
11. https://www.felgains.com/blog/how-much-do-falls-cost-the-nhs/
12. Wen, M. H., Chen, P. Y., Lin, S., Lien, C. W., Tu, S. H., Chueh, C. Y., Wu, Y. F., Tan Cheng Kian, K., Hsu, Y. L., & Bai, D. (2024). Enhancing Patient Safety Through an Integrated Internet of Things Patient Care System: Large Quasi-Experimental Study on Fall Prevention. J Med Internet Res, 26, e58380. https://doi. org/10.2196/58380
13. ww w.nobi.life/en_GB/product
14. ww w.circadacare.com/
RADLETT LONDON
Isla James Lighting creates a luxurious, yet homely lighting scheme for this private residence based in London, UK. Founder, Jo Calver walks us through the project, detailing the lighting considerations and the importance of a thought-out scheme for a residential space.
Isla James Interiors is a UK-based design studio founded by interior designer Jo Calver. In issue 57 of darc magazine, we sat down with Calver to discover her career journey into interior design, which rapidly expanded into a keen interest in lighting design. The studio has since branched into two, with Isla James Interiors remaining in its Pangbourne location, and Isla James Lighting based in London.
We caught up with Calver to discuss one of her lighting team’s more recent residential projects, Radlett London, which features a beautiful blend of architectural and decorative lighting to create an elevated living experience for her clients.
“The value lighting gives to a project is immeasurable - it is literally everything, the very heart and soul,” she tells darc. “It creates everything you feel about the home. Without lighting design (lights evenly over your ceiling), the light is thrust to the floor, drawing the eye to the exact size of the room. We move the lighting to the walls, lifting up the eye, making the room feel even larger than it is and use focused lighting to deliberately guide the eye to the details we want to be seen within the design. By lighting tabletops and surfaces and adding hidden lighting to joinery, we create a warm, lamp-like glow to spaces that need to feel warm and inviting. And then on top of all of this, we control all the circuits so that, like a play on a stage, you can create different moods and different feelings within the same
“The value lighting gives to a project is immeasurable - it is literally everything, the very heart and soul. It creates everything you feel about the home.”
room at different times of the day and based on how you feel. Lighting design is a critical tool that is far too often unrecognised and overlooked. We are trying to educate through our social media platforms just how much we can impact the finish with our designs.”
The team initially became involved in the project after working on another for a construction company in London. “The project was a great success, and the construction company recommended us to their next client, which is how we became involved,” explains Calver.
The brief for this private residence was to create a luxury, contemporary feel with traditional elements, which all combine to make the home feel warm and cosy. An added bonus for the project was the client’s pre-existing interest in lighting design, which meant they placed high value on the changing moods that Calver’s team could bring to the spaces.
“We like to design for every room individually, but with a language that travels across the house,” she tells us.
“This new build home is a Georgian style with grand features, so we wanted to highlight elements such as the sash windows and grand tall doors on the ground floor. We used tight downlights to pool light in front of the doors as a visual invitation to move through the space and invite the user into the next room.
“As you arrive through the front door, the client can see all the way through the house and out to the garden.
The lighting design was critical to this vision from the architect. The eye is meant to travel all the way through but at night glass becomes solid and black, and this is problematic. By adding lighting punctuations through the ground floor, we allowed the eye to travel through the glass screen between the hall and kitchen and then added subtle glowing lighting into the garden beyond the rear glass doors. The result is that the eye moves all the way through the glass, and actually, the effect is that at night, the space outside feels totally integrated with the space inside.”
We asked Calver to walk us through the various rooms in the home that the team paid particular attention to when it came to the lighting.
“In the open plan space – including the kitchen, dining and seated area – it was important to combine these but treat each zone in terms of lighting as a separate room,” she says. “This is because there are often different demands on the lighting required for, say, a kitchen and the seated TV space. The kitchen needs far more task lighting and higher overall levels of light with the ability to turn it into an evening setting, while the seated area demands a softer lighting level with more of a lamp-like glow. Overly lighting areas with TVs can cause reflection and give the wrong feeling to the space.
“Working closely with Isla James Interiors on the project, the approach was to create subtle hidden support for the feature lighting. For example, over the island in the kitchen, the milky glass globe pendants looked fabulous, but did not provide lighting to the surface of the island. By adding carefully placed and controlled beam width downlights, we were able to create the illusion of a warm and inviting surface while providing the option to increase the lighting required to complete tasks at the island.
“When pendants are structurally beautiful on the exterior, I always feel as though, when they are on, the light comes out from the inside and throws the structure into shadow, defeating the object of their placement. I love to add supporting and discreet lighting that actually lights the outside of a feature pendant; the light not only shows its full beauty but also captures intricate details and qualities.
“The library provided a room for quiet reflection. The joinery ran from wall to wall, so we used this to add LEDs to the open shelving to create a warm, lamp-like glow to the room. Wall lights positioned within the sofa and window recesses provided focused warm glows to encourage users to sit and relax. Minimal downlights were required but we did highlight surfaces. Controlled with a computerised system, there are several moods that can be created based around the changing times of day and natural light input.
“We also used a stunning picture light within the joinery but supported this with hidden LEDS and opposite the joinery, we used downlights to deliberately target the centres of the three panels behind the desk. The combination and interaction of these elements provide complexity and interest to the space.
“The drawing room is a formal and architectural space with a central fireplace. Creating warmth within this room was more challenging due to the dual aspect windows, which total four across the walls of the room. The joinery created to the rear wall had two differing sectionals - shelving and two large, tall niches. The taller niches were to house the client’s collection of vases, so we chose two different ways of lighting the shelving. The tall niches we hid vertical LEDs, which ensured an even light to the curved nature of the vases. The remaining shelves were lit with LEDs from the front of the shelves to highlight the accessories that complemented the interiors.
“For the hall and landings (times two, as three-storey), it was important to highlight the architectural features. A curved staircase as a sculptural feature dominates the space. On the ground floor, we used architectural lighting to highlight all door entries, a visual invitation to explore the room beyond. The arch to the cloakroom emulated the shapes from the curves to the staircase, so we accentuated this effect and lit the arch with small uplights picking up the arch’s reveals and meeting at the top. Large pendant lights fall through the centre of the staircase, and above, the natural light circular lantern is lit with a hidden LED to bring a warm glow at night. The lantern pendant, visible from the large first-floor windows of the house, was important to draw attention to. Not only did we control the light emitted from this fitting, but we also added architectural spotlights to illuminate the aged brass chain and frame of
“Delivery of a warm, cosy scheme was critical here, and we designed a holistic scheme that focused on the interplay of feature and architectural lighting with added practical, functional circuits for nighttime movement.”
the pendant fitting. This added another dimension.
“In the master bedroom, there was a focus on ease of technology and combining many different zones. The bedside switches needed to control the lighting via a computerised system, and we added the blinds and curtains onto this so they could get into bed and, at the touch of a button, control the room’s functions.
“We also added low-level floor lights on PIR that guide anyone getting up at night across the bedroom, sitting space, dressing room and into the bathroom so that at no point do the main lights have to be on.
“Delivery of a warm, cosy scheme was critical here, and we designed a holistic scheme that focused on the interplay of feature and architectural lighting with added practical, functional circuits for nighttime movement.”
The decorative lighting fixtures were selected by the Isla James Interior Design team, who also worked on the project. Calver elaborates: “The fitting choices were not just based upon their aesthetics, but upon the light they deliver to complement the lighting plan. For example, in the library, the IJI team chose wall lights within the window seats that had stunning linen shades and sent the light both up and down. The light that travels down is soft and throws light onto the bench seat, encouraging the user to sit but also providing the room with a warm glow. The lighting that travels out of the top (which is less) serves to travel up and around the reveal of the joinery, creating a ‘lit pocket’, which again helps make the window seat feel really cosy.
“Within the landing on the first floor, the IJI team chose wall lights in marble, which have a stunning glow. As they don’t actually provide much light within this double-height space, other feature lights provide support. For example, the three huge linen pendants in the stairwell. These were chosen because we find that exposed light sources can often feel stark, so choosing a fitting that just glowed through curved fabric helped the space stay soft and inviting.”
Lighting controls played a large role in this project, with various scenes highly encouraged by the design team.
“More complex spaces with multifunctional needs have a
far higher demand on mood change. Within these spaces, we created more circuits, giving the client more flexibility for mood-altering. With a computerised system, we are able to set the scenes for the client, which allows them to create the intended design with the touch of one button. For example, in the kitchen, the ‘cooking’ scene would bring the designated task lighting up to higher levels, and the ‘evening’ option would bring all the task lighting down and increase the moodier, lamp-lit look, all at the touch of one button.”
When it came to challenges within the project, an abundance of natural light from various points in the home caused the central part to look much darker.
“We needed to balance this. Feature lighting was an important part of the scheme, but architectural lighting was required to really bring the look together. To combat the darker areas of the ground-floor hallway, we added additional downlight support, throwing light onto the walls centred on the panelling. We used uplights to highlight curved archways and feature openings, and used the study joinery to provide borrowed light through the glass doors, which really worked well. On the firstfloor landing, a huge lantern provided interest.
“Additionally, the client had previously visited a London
project and saw our lighting design capabilities firsthand, so was happy for us to take the lead for this home, where we were able to design without restriction. The only push back we had to overcome was that we would have liked to have computerised all rooms within the home, but a compromise was made at the primary areas only. We were able to modify the switched rooms to bring the number of circuits down to make it more user-friendly. It does mean that in secondary spaces there is a reduction in lighting capability to create differing moods, but given that these spaces are children’s and guest bedrooms, it was a good compromise, as these areas can get away with less complexity.”
Reflecting on the project and general attitudes towards thought-out lighting design within residential contexts, Calver concludes: “I believe awareness is growing rapidly; we are seeing a rise in enquiries from people who appreciate how valuable this tool is. Saying that, there is always room for improvement. At IJL, we are starting a lighting clinic once per month, which is live on Instagram. This is a chance for people to ask questions during the session about their lighting.” www.islajamesinteriors.com/lighting-design
RADLETT LONDON LONDON, UK
Interior Design: Isla James Interiors
Architecture: Dusek Design
Associates (DDA)
Construction: Griggs Homes
Lighting Design: Isla James Lighting
Lighting Specified: Astro Lighting, Flos, Heals, Hübsch, Isla James Interiors Direct, Ralph Lauren Images: Gavriil Papadiotis
Combining the skills of both studios
- Isla James Interiors and Isla James Lighting - the teams have created a stunning, luxurious, yet warm and inviting home for their clients in London. Using a variety of architectural and decorative fixtures that are mostly linked to a controls system, the residence is a practical yet sophisticated space for its residents.
VIBIA PRIVATE RESIDENCE, SPAIN
Clysa interior design studio transforms an urban apartment into a family retreat with the cosy touch of Vibia lighting fixtures.
This urban housing renovation in Barcelona creates spaces that flow seamlessly with the rhythm of everyday family life, featuring a welcoming lighting scheme complemented by pieces from the Tempo, Dots, and Pin collections by Vibia - a home designed for wellbeing.
The starting point for this residential renovation in Barcelona’s Sarrià district was to meet the daily needs of a family, creating a functional yet welcoming home. The result is a space with a refined, elegant, and understated aesthetic, designed for shared experiences and the enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures.
True to its philosophy of holistic design and close client
collaboration, Clysa - with its own studio and three showrooms across Spain - has crafted a bespoke space tailored for modern living and comfort.
The home features a seamless flow between areasinterconnected yet clearly defined - where noble materials and refined finishes engage in harmonious dialogue. Spaces and volumes intertwine subtly, creating pockets of privacy within a functional layout that adapts to the pace of everyday life.
Lighting is essential in this interplay of transitions, adding an extra layer of comfort that feels almost intangible yet profoundly sensory. To accomplish this, Clysa has selected luminaires from Vibia’s Pin, Dots, and Tempo series. These designs enhance the atmosphere with their distinctive “lighting personality” and sleek design.
In the master bedroom, a pair of pendant lamps from the Tempo collection shape the lighting with a delicate contrast of effects.
On one side of the bed, the semi-translucent blown glass lamp casts a soft, diffused glow, while on the other, the reflector-shade version provides intimate, downwarddirected illumination, leaving the upper area in gentle shadow. Both pieces complement each other with their evocative reinterpretation of classic lamp designs through a minimalist lens.
In the entrance hall, the Pin wall lamp traces its slender black silhouette against an oak-clad backdrop. Appearing to float weightlessly above a patch of reflected light, the fixture adds a subtle yet striking decorative accent, enhancing a passageway that might otherwise be overlooked.
Finally, the “heart of the home” unfolds in a spacious communal area where the kitchen, dining, and living spaces merge. Their boundaries are softened by subtle
partition elements. Designed to foster togetherness, this open-plan space adapts flexibly to different moments of the day, even incorporating smart home technology. While it may seem like a minor detail, the Dots wall lamp contributes to this versatility: positioned above the corner of the sofa, its adjustable, directional beam allows for an impromptu reading nook. Its circular design, finished in oak, strikes a balance between geometric precision and artisanal warmth, complementing the surrounding surfaces and furnishings.
Ultimately, this urban home renovation is a masterclass in comprehensive interior design, where every detail has been meticulously considered to optimise space and enhance the wellbeing of its inhabitants. Beyond shaping comfort, the lighting lends character and harmony, enveloping each environment in an atmosphere designed to be lived in and enjoyed. www.vibia.com
Now just two months away, excitement is building for LiGHT 25, the UK’s only dedicated exhibition for lighting specification. Building on the success of the 2024 edition, this year’s event has expanded further, with the addtion of an all-new Technical Zone.
Building on the success of the last four years, this November, the Business Design Centre welcomes back LiGHT 25, the UK’s only trade show dedicated to high-end lighting specification.
Held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, on 19 and 20 November, this year’s show continues to evolve with a dynamic new addition to the layout. To reflect the scale and scope of the lighting industry today, LiGHT 25 will be divided into three distinct zones, helping visitors easily explore the vast range of brands, technologies, and innovations on display.
LiGHT 25 is about far more than just product displays. Alongside hundreds of decorative and architectural lighting brands, attendees can enjoy an array of engaging content, including the return of the dedicated two-day [d]arc thoughts talks programme, which, for another year running, is in collaboration with Lutron. Running alongside its main conference programme is the returning splinter programme held in the Associations Lounge. The [d]arc media editorial
team has lined up some excellent speakers and topics for this year’s offering, with talk titles such as Is True Inclusivity Achievable?, Beyond Light: Multisensory Design in Practice, Bespoke Solutions in Lighting, and True Luxury is Handmade: Crafted for Connoisseurs of Light, to name a few. This programme will bring together some of the industry’s brightest minds to explore the future of design, opportunities to gain fresh insights, and earn recognised CPD credits that support both career development and professional standards.
The exhibition also offers unrivalled opportunities for networking, branding, and social engagement. Visitors can connect with exhibitors directly on their stands, enjoy late-night welcome drinks on the opening evening, and take part in the much-loved LiGHT Lunch on day two. More informal catch-ups can happen over coffee at Jacks, the on-site gallerylevel café, or in the LiGHT WORK co-working space, a quieter area designed for deeper conversations and collaborative meetings.
One of the new developments for 2025 is the introduction of the Technical Zone, located in the Gallery Hall. The new zone will showcase brands such as Casambi, Eldoled, Kvant, ProtoPixel, and TM Technologie, and is designed specifically for companies leading the way in urban and commercial lighting, control systems, OEM components, lamps, gear, and emergency lighting.
A second new addition to this year’s show is an exclusive VIP offering for interior design studios.
A dedicated lighting tour is being held on the first morning of the show before it is opened to general visitors, which will allow a select group of design studios to go on a hosted tour around a chosen lineup of decorative lighting brands. The participating brands will be able to present a more intimate insight into their new products and collections to designers on the tour. This, in turn, provides an efficient way for interior designers to utilise their precious time out of the office to source and collect vital information on some of the newest decorative lighting offerings
currently available to the UK market.
Helen Ankers, Managing Editor at [d]arc media, says: “We are delighted to bring the lighting and design communities together for the most anticipated UK event in the lighting industry for the fourth year running. LiGHT 25 is not just for lighting designers - we value bringing together inspiring leaders and passionate people to share ideas and solutions to grow the future of the entire industry. A common misconception is that trade shows dedicated to lighting specification are just for lighting specialists, yet by bringing together architects, interior designers and other professionals in the community, with innovative brands and suppliers, LiGHT 25 is the perfect opportunity to network and seek inspiration, whatever role you play in a project.”
Completely free to attend, LiGHT 25 continues to set the standard for lighting exhibitions in the UK. www.lightexpo.london
Images: Natalie Martinez Photography
REBEL MINDS WANTED
This November, we’re rewriting the rules of boutique design. Are you in?
darc magazine readers enjoy a free expo pass with promo code DARC100*
*Offer not valid for non-exhibiting manufacturers or manufacturer representatives
What is the concept behind the Upglas collection? When founder of Astep Alessandro Sarfatti asked me to design a lamp made of recycled glass I immediately accepted. Glass is part of my DNA, but this time I wanted to push the boundaries furthermore. So, my research led me to a Venetian start-up working with waste glass that cannot be recycled in the traditional way coming from Murano - the island where I grew up, which is renowned worldwide as the home of glassmaking.
What was the most challenging aspect of producing the products?
The most interesting aspect was going back to the roots, to an artisanal way of working: no renders, direct contact with producers, many tests and risks. I rediscovered that sense of surprise that was typical of my job at the beginning of my career. Working with a new material added that sense of experimentation and innovation that are the engines of my work: when I first saw this new material I got the idea of rolling and spreading it by hand, like you would do when making pizza. Its features definitely influenced the final shape of the lamp.
Tell us more about the 3D printing process. In this process, the paste coming out from upcycled glass can be used when heated at 400°C, much lower than the typical 1200°C needed for traditional glass, making the production easier and sustainable. It can then be shaped through 3D printing, and all waste can be reintroduced into the cycle and therefore reprinted to give new life to upcycled glass.
Why is using recycled materials important?
Half of the glass produced in Murano becomes waste – about 1000 tonnes of non-recyclable glass that ends up in landfills. Using fragments of surplus glass, coming from a variety of products made in Murano, means regenerating value, caring for the environment, celebrating this alchemic tradition with an eye to the future.
What kind of environments and projects is Upglas suitable for?
Upglas is suitable both for private residence and public spaces, such as boutique hotels and restaurants.
It stands out in ambiances thanks to its archetypal shape and when switched on the light is softened by the glass resembling honed stone brightens environments without imposing.
What makes this piece different to others in your portfolio and other lighting products available on the wider market?
The material and the handcrafting production process make each Upglas lamp a unique product.
Please describe the product in 3 words. Craft, innovation, upcycling.
www.astep.design
Upglas
Luca Nichetto Astep
IN FOCUS
The Old Cinema, 5-13 Ashgate Road, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 3BZ
Elli Suspension