Lights in Alingsås celebrates 20th anniversary with commemorative book
(Sweden) – Twenty Light Years from Alingsås to include photos from across festival’s history.
Organisers of the annual Lights in Alingsås festival have commemorated its 20th anniversary with a special retrospective book, entitled Twenty Light Years from Alingsås.
The book, comprised of photos from throughout the event’s history, tells the story of the event that put the Swedish town of Alingsås on the map, both locally and internationally.
Since it began, Lights in Alingsås has involved 136 of the world’s best lighting designers, 1200 students, and 400 student electricians, as well as attracting 1.2 million visitors.
Over the years, 80 locations have been illuminated, including local buildings, yards, streets, bridges, parks, tunnels, churchyards, a lake and a river.
Photographer Patrik Gunnar Helin has recorded the festival since its inception with pictures of every year and every installation. These photos have now been collected into a book of photos, along with a description of the works. The text for which was written by Kjell Hult, co-founder of the Lights in Alingsås festival.
“After 20 successful light years, it’s fun to be able to show pictures of all the fantastic lighting installations in this book,” said Jan Olofzon, Managing Director of Alingsås Energi. “We hope that it will give a lot of pleasure – surprising those who haven’t visited the festival, and awakening happy memories in those who have.”
Twenty Light Years from Alingsås will be released at the same time that this year’s Lights in Alingsås begins, on 1 October.
Dallas Market Center to launch ArchLIGHT Summit in September 2021
(USA) – ArchLIGHT Summit to be held on 21-22 September, during Dallas Design Week
Dallas Market Center has unveiled ArchLIGHT Summit, a new lighting trade event and educational platform for architectural, specification and design communities, to take place in autumn 2021.
The first ArchLIGHT Summit will take place September 21-22 at the Dallas Trade Mart, already home to the permanent marketplace for the semi-annual Lightovation, the largest residential lighting show in North America.
ArchLIGHT Summit will feature a wide range of commercial lighting brands, alongside the opportunity to explore the permanent showrooms of residential/commercial crossover brands that are part of Lightovation.
“Listening to thought leaders for design and the built environment, we recognised that there is an opportunity to fill a void by creating a different sort of lighting event that simply works better,” said City Morris, President and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Starting from square one, we are building a new kind of live event, delivering the best products for interactive experiences, exceptional knowledge and an engaged community to help all stakeholders thrive.”
Both days of the event will also include a full slate of seminars, hands-on lab learning, and panel discussions offering architects, lighting designers, specifiers and interior designers timely and accredited sessions on evolving lighting issues and solutions. Attendees will also be able to experience engaging displays and learning labs, receptions and tours within the permanent lighting showrooms participating in the show.
The ArchLIGHT Summit will be co-located with Dallas Design Week, providing additional CEU and networking opportunities for attendees of both events.
ArchLight Summit organisers are working closely with an Advisory Board of industry leaders, with members including Francesca Bastianini, principal of Sighte Studio; Craig Bernecker, founder of The Lighting Education Institute; Andrea Hartranft, principal of Hartranft Lighting Design; Archit Jain, principal of Oculus Light Studio; Kelly Roberts, studio director of Wald Studio; and Laura McDonald Stewart, founder of Laura McDonald Enterprises and Plinth & Chintz.
[d]arc room livestream catch up launched
(Global) - All presentations now available to watch on event platform.
Following the success of [d]arc room livestream, which attracted more than 1,000 attendees, a catch up service has been launched to give attendees exclusive access to view sessions at any time.
[d]arc room livestream took place on 16-18 September, and featured 47 presentations across two streams, broadcast to a global audience, from leading lighting industry professionals, covering the hottest topics in architectural and decorative lighting.
Speakers that participated in the event included: Durham Marenghi; Aleksandra Stratimirovic; Filippo Lodi (UNStudio); Keith Bradshaw (Speirs + Major); Kaoru Mende (LPA); Monica Luz Lobo (LDStudio); Carla Wilkins (Lichtvision); Dan Lister (Arup); Barbara Horton (HLB); Edward Bartholemew (Bartholemew Lighting Design); Claudia Paz; Victor Palacio (Ideas en Luz); Sophya Acosta; Sakina Dugawaller-Moeller (Light.Func); Yah Li Toh (Light Collab); Dr. Kit Cuttle; Regina Santos (Godwin Austen Johnson); Nathalie Rozot (Phoscope); Brett Andersen (Focus Lighting); Francesca Bastianini (Sighte Studio); Katia Kolovea (Archifos); Richard Taylor (Graphic Strategy); Ruth Kelly Waskett (Hoare Lea); Annukka Larsen (WSP Finland); Lisa Marchesi (mldlab); Rikus De Kock (Illuminate Lighting Design); Akari-Lisa Ishii (I.C.O.N.); Martina Frattura (White Pure); and Ta-Wei Lin (CMA), among many others.
Those that missed the event but want to watch all the conference talks in full can still purchase a ticket to get instant access to the event platform.
Tickets to view the conference are £10.00, and attendees will get exclusive access to the entire programme across all three days, including a technology workshop hosted by RCL and LensVector, which was limited to 50 participants during the event.
Paul James, Managing Director of [d]arc media, commented: "I am delighted that more than 1,000 people enjoyed [d]arc room livestream, which was a huge success. The catch up service will ensure that attendees can watch any sessions that they missed at any time, and will enable new attendees to register to view the exclusive content."
Tickets are available to purchase on the [d]arc room website here.
Sombra: Bruma
Created by Sombra, Bruma is an immersive light installation in which a dancer creates an intimate connection with light; the light is her lover, they understand each other and move together.
Bruma, which in Spanish means 'haze' or 'confusion', is a space of post-pandemic reflection, an installation where the spectator is submerged in a space bathed in light, where the light becomes material. The body is immersed into the haze, generating a dialogue with the solid light as an intimate bond is formed between the dancer, the space and the light.
Spectators are required to keep a physical distance of 1.5m; however, there is a spiritual connection between the spectators, the dancer, and the light.
Directed by: Raquel Bañón
Dancer: Maja Størseth
Photography: Héctor López
LEDforum.20 announces digital congress, speaker programme
(Brazil) – The 11th edition of LEDforum will be held online on 6 November.
After moving its event online for 2020, organisers of LEDforum.20 have unveiled its full programme of speakers.
Presentations for the event – to be held on 6 November – include Charles Stone, President of Fisher Marantz Stone; Pascal Chautard, founder of Limari Lighting Design; Mariana Novaes of Atiaîa Lighting Design; Fernanda Carvalho of Fernanda Carvalho Lighting Design; Erco’s Thomas Schielke; Mariana Figueiro of Rutgers University; artist and educator Chris Fraser; and Brazilian engineer and researcher Vicente Scopacasa.
LEDforum.20 will also act as a platform for launching new lighting products and services, and generating new business in the Latin American market.
Registration for LEDforum.20 is open now, and tickets are limited.
ILP launches new online training platform
(UK) – Platform developed to deliver ILP training courses remotely.
The Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP) has developed a new online platform to deliver training courses to the lighting community.
Although usually delivered in a face-to-face environment, doing so is no longer practical amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. As lighting professionals still need to keep abreast of the latest developments, current thinking, and keep their CPD up to date, the ILP has moved its training programme online.
The new, state-of-the-art resource has the potential to reach those in need of training anywhere in the world – those working from home, vulnerable people self-isolating, those overseas that would prefer not to travel, now have access to professional development by the ILP.
Initially, two of the ILP’s current one-day courses – Asset Management Toolkit: Minor Structures (ATOM) Fundamentals and Fundamental Lighting Course – have been re-designed to be delivered in the first phase, with more content being available over the next month.
The aim is for all ILP one-day courses to be available online, with other training materials being developed for online delivery.
ILP Vice President Education, Kimberly Bartlett, said: “This is a fantastic resource that I’m so proud of. Its development and the dynamic capability of the ILP to react to changing situations is something commendable.”
The facility is available now for lighting professionals, engineers, contractors, planners, environmental health officers and everybody involved in lighting. The platform is open to everyone, but ILP members can access courses at a discounted rate.
The platform can be accessed here.
New research project to improve London’s lighting at night
(UK) – Lighting London aims to improve lit environment for London at night.
A new Centre for London research project is exploring how London could better use lighting to create a more attractive and sustainable cityscape after dark.
The project, entitled Lighting London, will explore how councils, developers and landlords can make the city’s streets and public spaces more inviting and interesting at night, while reducing the city’s carbon footprint.
The Centre for London research team see the project, in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, as a chance to review how London is lit and to enhance its attractiveness, making it a more enjoyable place to be as more time will be spent outdoors.
The research will build on the Illuminated River project, the City of London’s lighting strategy, and the recommendations from City Hall’s Night-Time Commission. Its aims are to explore how light and darkness affect the lives of different groups of Londoners, how to use lighting more sustainably, and what it would take for London to become the best lit major city in the world.
The final report will be published in the winter, and will make recommendations to help City Hall, London’s boroughs, developers and building owners to develop a stronger and more coordinated city-wide approach to lighting, and better light their buildings and spaces.
Ben Rogers, Founding Director for Centre for London, said: “Relatively little thought goes into the way London looks and feels at night. Yet lighting has a huge impact on us, our evening and night time activities, on people who work at night, and even inside our homes from streetlights.
“With Londoners set to spend more time outside than ever as we head into autumn, now is an exciting opportunity to help policymakers develop a stronger and coordinated city-wide approach to lighting.”
Carolyn Dwyer, Director of the Built Environment at the City of London Corporation, added: “The City of London Corporation is taking a number of steps to realise our vision of a 24/7 destination and we are delighted to be a part of this revolutionary Lighting London research.
“By exploring how all parties can work together to light our streets in a more sustainable way, we can further improve upon the safe, welcoming and accessible spaces that the Square Mile offers, while celebrating our rich heritage, culture and architecture around the clock.
“This opportunity aligns with our vision developed in the City Lighting Strategy to take advantage of emerging technology to enhance what it feels like to live, work and visit the City at night.”
Neri: Nebula
Nebula is the new Neri urban lighting collection designed in collaboration with American architects, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The collection is composed of lighting system, illuminating bollards and pathlight.
Amsterdam Light Festival adapts for 2020
(Netherlands) – Festival launches theatrical new walking experience entitled The Light Walk.
Due to the ongoing regulations concerning Covid-19, organisers of Amsterdam Light Festival have adapted the annual event so that it can still safely go ahead.
The ninth edition of the festival, which will take place from 10 December to 3 January under the theme ‘When Nature Calls’, will no longer feature its well-known boat experience. Instead, the event will include a new theatrical walking experience: The Light Walk.
During the Light Walk, visitors will stroll through the eastern part of the city centre of Amsterdam, crossing well-known squares and passing through hidden gardens. While on the walk, theatrical producer and creative director Lucas De Man will send visitors videos, photos and audio messages via WhatsApp.
In a story full of information and humour, visitors will learn about light art, the city and nature. The walk is interactive, meaning that the visitor decides whether they want to hear more about light art, or more about the city and its history.
“I believe that storytelling leads to a valuable experience for visitors. In this new setup you move from one work of art to another in a logical sequence,” said Lucas De Man. “We strive for more storytelling, more experience and more social involvement – at an appropriate distance because of corona, but closely connected in feeling and deeds.”
Festival Director Frédérique ter Brugge added: “It is especially important in times like these to bring relief to the city and to find and help each other. This is why we work in clusters, connecting artists with scientists, partners, primary school students and educational and governmental institutions. The social side of our festival is developing in collaboration with social partners through the so-called ‘buddy system’, where we connect people from vulnerable groups to enthusiastic volunteers.”
www.amsterdamlightfestival.com
Let There Be Light Challenge takes over social media
(Worldwide) – Social media photo challenge receives more than 3,000 posts.
For the past month, what started as a simple idea for the lighting community to share images of light has grown into a worldwide phenomenon that has taken over LinkedIn.
The Let There Be Light Challenge has inspired hundreds of people from across the lighting community to look back through their photo libraries and share inspiring images of light, with results ranging from light art installations, to beautiful natural sunsets, to stunning pieces of architecture.
The challenge was initiated by Melissa Mak, Lighting Designer at Arup, who hoped to “activate people’s engagement, and encourage positivity during a year full of unprecedented challenges”.
“It began with my turn to do a presentation at Arup’s weekly Design Share session,” she explained. “I thought instead of showing my design project that I have recently worked on, I wanted to share something about myself to my colleagues, i.e. my personal experience of light.
“During the lockdown period, while working from home, I have noticed some amazing lighting phenomena, which has excited and surprised me. During some recent renovations on my house, I captured some pictures of light on the construction site with my phone, so I thought that it was a golden opportunity for me to share with my colleagues some pictures from my personal collection. However, I did not want to stop there, I wanted to extend this sharing experience to everyone and encourage others to do the same as everyone, whether they are within the lighting industry or not, has experienced light and its many hidden moments.”
Since Mak started the challenge, which calls for the participant to share seven photos of their experience with light over seven days before nominating others to take part, more than 3,000 photos have been shared under the #LetThereBeLightChallenge hashtag, and Mak said she’s surprised at how popular it has become. “I think after just one week there were around 100+ posts shared,” she said. “I was amazed that after four weeks it had reached more than 2,000, not including those posts not using the hashtag.
“I am thrilled and amazed by the popularity, and by everyone’s contribution. I feel very satisfied to have curated something that has got so many people connected, and it’s such a beautiful scenario to see the lighting community full of energy and passion, sharing without boundary.
“On my Day 1 post, I started off by nominating three of my Arup colleagues, Arfon Davies, Aliki Vaina and Dima Zogheib, and I wanted to thank them for their help in spreading the challenge.”
When asked why she thought that the challenge has become so popular across the lighting community, Mak said that it taps into peoples’ desire to connect. “It is the cascading effect of connection and the network that each person has,” she said. “Communication through visual images is a powerful medium for drawing attention – a picture paints a thousand words. Each post shared is unique on its own, as each contains its own story and memory, as well as the thought and idea behind it.
“For this, it is a collective activity that sets an encouragement for one another to engage through nomination and participation. It’s not just about the inspiration of light, but it’s about connection; connection to people, connection to emotions, connection to memories and stories.
“Through the challenge, it’s been so nice not just to have reconnected with my colleagues and ex-colleagues, and professional friends who are scattered across different parts of the world, but also people I haven’t met. But now I’m getting to know them and have made many new friends as well.”
Despite the fact that the challenge has now received more than 3,000 images, Mak said that she is still following along and keeping an eye on the latest images, and she has been touched by the vast scope of photos, and their accompanying stories, that people have shared.
“I am hooked! Every day there are more than 100 new posts to process. They’re all so valuable with all the stories and memories that people have shared,” she said.
“I love the multifaced nature of light – light really does come in different forms. It gives us so many possibilities. 3,000+ posts, and no single one is the same. The collective participation from everyone has captured the spirit, and made the best and most beautiful picture for the summer of 2020. It will certainly become my new memory of light.”
To see the range of posts, search #LetThereBeLightChallenge on LinkedIn.
Light Reach launches Light for Lebanon
(Lebanon) – Light for Lebanon is a new partnership between Light Reach and Manale Kahale.
On 4 August, the largest non-nuclear explosion in history tore through Beirut, destroying homes, businesses and entire neighbourhoods in the Lebanese capital city – once dubbed the Parish of the Middle East.
The blast killed more than 180 people, injured 6,000 and left more than 500,000 residents in immediate need of basic support. It damaged 80% of the residential buildings and infrastructure within a 1-2-mile radius, including 50,000 residential units, and tipped an already unstable electrical infrastructure into partial collapse, plunging much of the city into darkness after sunset.
In the aftermath of the explosion, Light Reach and Lebanese lighting designer and activist Manale Kahale have partnered to launch Light for Lebanon – a new programme that will aim to immediately support communities in Beirut with solar lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor use, helping to bring some light back to the city.
Kahale contacted Light Reach to assist her in her drive to bring solar-powered lighting to the damaged areas.
Led by Nathalie Rozot of PhoScope, the global charity initiative Light Reach uses a proven replicable and expandable project model to support global communities affected by light poverty with stationary and portable solar lighting products.
“Our existing replicable and scalable model is readily adaptable to quickly bring some illumination to the darkened streets, without having to wait for grid restoration or construction,” said Rozot.
Light for Lebanon is seeking donations to help in its efforts. More information can be found at www.lightreach.net/light-for-lebanon.
Mulvey & Banani Lighting: Thermally Speaking
As part of Toronto's Nuit Blanche 2019, Mulvey & Banani Lighting collaborated with LeuWebb projects to create Thermally Speaking, an immersive lighting installation that uses thermography and infrared measuring instruments to uncover the fields of energy of which we're all a part.
The responsive installation transformed Toronto's Fort York Visitor Centre for Nuit Blanche 2019, providing a glimpse into a future of body temperature readings, creative data visualisation and surveillance fields.
