INTERVIEW
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IALD as Immediate Past President. “This allows for
“Younger designers should embrace the new, learn
“There are also a number of committees on which I
but never forget the core tenets of design. We
continuity on the Board and in the role,” he said.
serve, but even after these roll off I am certain that I will be an active citizen of the IALD. It is central
to my beliefs and ethics as a professional lighting designer.”
Outside of his work with the IALD, Ghatan added that he’s looking forward to getting back to his
work with CM Kling + Associates. “As 2020 begins, I plan to take some time to thank my team for
their tireless efforts over the past few years,” he
said. “CM Kling and Pixelumen Lab have both seen growth and development during this time. Now
we will take some time to look at what we do, how we do it, what we want to be doing, and what our customers want from us. I think this effort will
allow us to provide a better ultimate design effort.” During Ghatan’s time as President of the IALD,
he has seen membership figures nearly double, and he has offered some advice for the next
generation of lighting designers: “This is an
amazing time to be a lighting designer. We are at
a unique moment in time where anything we can
think up is technologically able to happen. It takes imagination, storytelling and skill.
everything they can about emerging technologies, are designing for people, we have to have their interests and needs in mind.”
Finally, he believes that it is through this constant
development of new technologies that the lighting industry, and lighting design, will continue to
evolve. “We are headed to a world of personalised lighting where individual interaction with your
1. The Watergate Hotel in Washington DC features a vast Whisky Wall, featuring 2,450 individually uplit bottles that cast a warm, amber light into both the hotel bar and lobby. (Pic: Laura Arnold, CM Kling + Associates) 2. Ghatan hosting the IALD Education Trust Benefit Dinner and 35th IALD Awards, held during Lightfair 2018 in Chicago. (Pic: IALD) 3. One of the first projects Ghatan worked on after joining CM Kling + Associates, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC was notable for its scale and amount of coordinated drafting, according to Ghatan. (Pic: Brian Gassel/ tvsdesign)
lighting will be standard,” he said. “However,
this requires a lot of thinking and design on what is controlled, how it works, and what exactly interconnects to it.
“We must be careful that the technology does not lead the design, but that quality light and quality techniques founded in knowledge and facts are the leaders. This to me ensures the future of architectural lighting designers.
“As I said previously, we are at the first moment in our history where technology outpaces our
creativity. If we can think it up it is doable. It is on us to push for greater and better.” www.cmkling.com www.iald.org
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