Month: November 2024

Visitors to the LiGHT 24 exhibition have the unique opportunity to view the never-before-seen, exclusively created art installation ‘Intra-spectrum’ by accomplished artist Frankie Boyle, powered by leading architectural lighting manufacturer formalighting.

Frankie Boyle is a renowned Experiential Creative Director and Artist specialising in immersive and experiential design, with a profound focus on light and colour theory. With over a decade of experience in the event and lighting industries, she is recognised for crafting innovative installations and experiences that guide audiences through transformative emotional journeys.

Frankie’s work revolves around human behaviour and the connection to our primal selves. The brand-new Intra-spectrum installation will be in a prime location at the main entrance and exit between the main exhibition space and the [d]arc thoughts conference. The installation will aim to ignite and resurface memories and emotions as visitors journey through the space.

LiGHT 24 will also be hosting an open Q&A session with Frankie on the 20th of November at 4.20 PM, where she will delve deeper into the inspiration and design process behind the installation. This will take place in the [d]arc thoughts talks space on the Gallery Level of the event.

This art piece has been uniquely created to give the audience at LiGHT 24 a unique immersive experience. Intra-spectrum has taken inspiration from Frankie’s recent explorations of the narrative of consciousness and subconscious within her body of work through the harmony of reflection and refraction. Frankie said, “I want people to immerse themselves within the light that we shine and the light that we hold within through an array of beautiful invigorating colours. This installation is all about eliciting introspection and connection. For anyone experiencing this installation, I would want them to connect to their inner selves and to have the opportunity to just be present – finding that pause, to stop and stare and immerse.”

Frankie was delighted to have her concept sponsored by formalighting. She adds, “I’m a big believer in collaboration – it makes a project so much richer. I’m looking forward to merging products with design and going hand in hand on the journey for the benefit of everyone – enhancing and enriching the installation and experience.”

Commenting on the collaboration, formalighting’s Sharon Maghnagi, Global Operations Director, says, “formalighting is ecstatic to be supporting the Frankie Boyle art installation at LiGHT 24. As a company we strive towards innovation in our product development with a specific focus on lighting art galleries and museum applications.

“Collaborating with Frankie as a light artist further helps us realise this vision, as it challenges us to research the best possible technical solutions to create the desired lit effect. Frankie’s vision and design approach makes the process and unveiling something that personally the team are excited to be a part of and we really look forward to hearing the feedback of the LiGHT 24 visitors. Congratulations to the team at [d]arc media for adding such an immersive element to this year’s show!”

When asked what she is most looking forward to experiencing at LiGHT 24, Frankie shared that it was “People’s reactions, seeing and hearing how this installation affects them.”

LiGHT 24 takes place at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, on 20 & 21 November 2024.

Starring seven-time BAFTA Award-winner Steve Coogan, Dr. Strangelove is the first-ever theatrical adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s comedy masterpiece. Written by Armando Iannucci and directed by Sean Foley, it tells the story of a US General who decides to go rogue and declare a nuclear attack on Russia; who, he discovers, have a Doomsday machine capable of destroying the world! The show features a lighting design by Olivier Award-winning Jessica Hung Han Yun who approached White Light (WL), a d&b solutions company, to supply her lighting rig.

Prior to its run at the Noel Coward Theatre, there was much anticipation leading up to the opening of Dr Strangelove; largely due to the cult status of the film. As such, did the movie version influence Jessica’s design? She answers: “I had in fact watched the film many years ago and remembered enjoying it and the lighting specifically. The iconic image of the war room light and the shafts of light in the background have always stayed with me. Similarly, the quality and texture of the light is so vivid in the film; largely due to its legendary cinematographer Gilbert Taylor who has a great eye for light and shadows. As such, when I was approached to be part of the production, it was a no brainer! And given I was so captivated by the film’s style and visual aspects, I was more than happy to allow this to have some influence on my design”.

Once she agreed to come on board for the show, one of Jess’s biggest tasks was allowing the story to make the leap from screen to stage. She explains: “To state the obvious, theatre and film are two completely different mediums so there was always going to be a huge difference in the feel and look of the piece. However, I was keen to keep the essence of the original movie running throughout. Hence the challenge was how we could bring this to life in a theatrical sense without simply creating a carbon copy. This largely arouse through a focus on the various locations and creating transitional lighting that embodies that perpetual feeling of an unsettling environment as we move through the different set pieces”.

Given the show’s ambitious nature, this meant that, despite knowing what she wanted to achieve, Jessica’s design kept evolving through both the rehearsal and technical period. She comments: “My main objective with the transactions was that they almost acted as storytelling actions in little tableaux. That said, we weren’t entirely sure how these would work until we saw them incorporated as part of the actual show. Similarly, the colour palette developed hugely throughout the production process. The original movie is black and white so having to bring it to stage was brand-new to all of us as we were adding colour to it for the first time. We initially looked at some photos from behind-the-scenes of the original film and it was quite fascinating to see how the pallet of the costumes evolved and what these eventually became for the stage version”.

Knowing what she wanted to achieve with her lighting design, Jessica approached the Hire Department at WL to supply her fixtures. She explains: “My rig consists of a mixture of MAC Encore Colds, ETC Halcyons, MAC Aura XBs, Solaframes, Par Cans, ETC Source Four Lustr 2s and Rosco Pica Cubes. I actually had each one in a range of positions, mainly to help get around moving set pieces as well as static pieces such as the war room light. Specifically, the XBs were used as backlights, Halcyons were used as specials and cross light, whilst the Pica Cubes were utilised for footlights and for the plane in the bottom area as little backlight fixtures”.

Of course, with a show as ambitious as this, there will no doubt be some obstacles. Jessica explains: “The biggest challenge was that each piece setting had its own obstacles. A prime example is the war room light as this huge item flew in and obviously took up a vast section of the stage. As such, it became a case of working out the right angles for the fixtures and where best to position them. Ironically, in this show, it was the most simple scenes, such as those that take place in Ripper’s office, which were often the most complicated!”.

Dr Strangelove has now opened and will run until 25th January 2025.

Jessica concludes: “I’m incredibly proud of what the creative and production teams have achieved on Dr Strangelove. I’d also like to say a huge thank you to the Hire Team at WL for their support throughout”.

LiGHT 24 is the UK’s only dedicated high-end lighting exhibition, taking place for its third highly-anticipated year on the 20th and 21st of November 2024 at the Business Design Centre, London. LiGHT welcomes professionals from all areas of the lighting, interior design and architectural communities for numerous networking opportunities, talks programmes, and brand exhibits.

There is something for everyone at LiGHT 24, which is jam-packed with unrivalled networking and socialising opportunities all under one roof. Beginning with complimentary late-night welcome drinks during the first evening of the event, and the popular LiGHT LUNCH on the second day. This year’s LiGHT LUNCH is centred around the Women in Industry networking event, hosted by representatives from associations Women in Lighting, Women Lighting Professionals, Women in Office Design, Women in Architecture and the Women in Furniture Network. This networking lunch offers an in-person opportunity to find out more about these empowering initiatives and how to get involved.

Other key networking opportunities include exploring high-end architectural and decorative lighting products from over 160 exhibitors at their stands, including in the new decorative + design space, grabbing a coffee at the on-site cafe, or heading to LiGHT Work for dedicated coworking and meeting spaces.

Visitors to LiGHT 24 have access to talks from over 50 renowned design professionals from all areas of the industry – lighting, interiors, architecture, specification, manufacturing and more – lending their expertise to the topics that really matter. As part of the [d]arc thoughts talks programme a number of panel discussions will take place with special moderators Dr Shelley James of Age of Light Innovations, Chloe Petersen Snell of Mix Interiors, Helen Ankers of [d]arc media, May Fawzy, BIID President and Samta Nadeem of STIRworld. These discussions are set to include a range of topics which cross over the show’s main themes, including sustainability in design, lighting for people and planet, and equality in the industry.

The [d]arc thoughts talks programme kicks off on Wednesday 20th of November with the Business of Design talks, including topics such as The Next Generation of Design, Time to Step Up – The role of a lighting designer, Taking the Leap, and The Value of Light – AI Takeaway. Wednesday’s Light + Interiors discussions continue with talks: Using Lighting Design to Enhance Accessibility in Interiors, presented by the BIID, and Interior Design and Architectural Lighting.

Thursday’s programme has an overarching theme of designing for people and the planet. The Wellness talks cover everything from Lighting Controls for People and Planet, Maximising Wellbeing in Residential Environments, to Neurodiversity & Lighting. The Sustainability focus includes an overview of the environmental assessment landscape in the lighting industry, while the planet portion of the programme features talks on Starlight Certification & Outdoor Lighting, A Pilot Project for Sea Turtle Conservation, and Dark Frontier.

New for this year is a splinter talks programme that will run in the Associations Lounge, featuring talks by industry associations The LIA, IALD, ILP, and SLL. There will also be an in-person panel discussion and celebration for the Silhouette Awards.

Visitors to the LiGHT 24 exhibition have the unique opportunity to view the never-before-seen, exclusively created art installation ‘Intra-spectrum’ by accomplished artist Frankie Boyle, which is powered by leading architectural lighting manufacturer formalighting.

Beat the queues at the door and secure your place to attend the exhibition by making sure you register for LiGHT 24 before you arrive.

On the first evening of Wacken Open Air, German medieval rockers In Extremo headlined on the Louder Stage. The band’s renowned lighting designer, Martin Heining, expanded his design especially for the Wacken show, by including 12 of the new high-performance Creos washlights from by GLP, adding on to the already extensive festival design of none other than LD Jerry Appelt. The Creos stood out for their “impressive output and outstanding colour depth”.

Equipped with the latest RGBL LED technology (18 x 40W, arranged in three lines), the Creos offers an impressive variety and intensity of colours. Heining used the weatherproof (IP65) devices to deliver a strong backlight with bold colours, creating impressive depth between the set and the video wall.

“The Creos exceeded my expectations,” says Heining. “Their high output and impressive colour quality made a significant contribution to the success of the show.”

The Creos can be used as a single device or in combination with several fixtures – and when used in series, the devices unleash the effect of an overpowering LED bar. The motorised 1:12 zoom offers a very powerful beam of 4.3° with up to 673 kcd and a total output of up to 7,600 lm. In addition to the standard colour temperature of 6,500 K, other fixed colour temperatures can be selected (3,200 K, 4,200 K, 5,600 K and 8,000 K). The motorised head of the Creos can be tilted 240°, while the design of the wash light allows for a uniform and homogeneous pixel pitch across multiple devices.

After successfully integrating the devices into a stage show at the gigantic metal festival, Martin Heining is certain that the Creos will continue to play a central role in his future designs. “It delivers exactly the bite and power that I want to see in rock’n’roll and metal designs,” he concludes. “I think we’ll become good friends.”

Photo credit: Jule Merhoff

Onboard: Sun Princess, Princess Cruises

Sun Princess’s central Piazza is a stunning new technological advancement for Princess Cruises. Bridging the gap between architectural and entertainment lighting, the Piazza incorporates approx. 300 universes of DMX data to deliver a pixel controlled, fully immersive, custom lighting environment. Miles of pixel controlled lighting line the walls along all decks, as well as through radial ceiling coves. The central chandelier contains 28 universes of pixel controlled LED, all connected through custom control hardware to create a unique, one of a kind piece of technology. The entire venue can stand alone as a white light space, or be plunged into a world of color and effects via the connection to the ship’s entertainment programming. The chandelier itself conceals another secret – a rigging point and winch for aerialists and flying scenery.

The Piazza is designed to be adaptable. During the day, the lighting is designed to be neutral with subtle movement and hints of color. As night descends and a show begins, the Piazza walls and ceilings burst to life with color, effects, motion – pulling guests into the action at the center. The entertainment teams can connect their video content to playback over the pixel nodes, meaning the entire room has the capacity to play along with the main video screens. Flanking the atrium’s void are six deck to ceiling columns backlit with pixel control panels, and custom RGBW lighting fixtures embedded around the bulkheads of each deck. Every deck of the Piazza has dining and drinking venues, which were all kept as a warm white in order to ground the service based areas and differentiate them from the show.

The magic of the Piazza lies beyond what the guest can see, in its control system. At the core of the system is an ETC Atlas pro. During the day, the shipwide Helvar system sends the ETC system triggers, including venue specific touch panels around the atrium, to blend the traditional white light and dynamic lighting elements. When it’s show time, the entertainment system takes over and a multilayer video signal is sent from the Hippo Media Server to the Atlas’s pixel map, giving the entertainment team full control over all dynamic show elements and transforming the room itself into an immersive, dynamic show element. The entire Piazza has the capacity to be a fully customizable solution for events, holidays, themed cruises, meaning that not only will every show be different, but every cruise will allow a new experience.

Trailblazer in sustainable lighting design, Chiara Carucci, has been announced as a winner at the DarkSky Awards, recognising her commitment and passion for environmental protection.

The awards are run by DarkSky International to recognise dark sky advocates from around the world, who are working to protect the night from light pollution. Chiara was named as the first ever winner to receive the coveted ‘Wildlife Night Watch’ award. The accolade is awarded to individuals whose decisive actions have been instrumental in conserving and protecting terrestrial and/or aquatic wildlife species sensitive to artificial light at night.

Winners have to be able to demonstrate efforts such as restoring natural nocturnal conditions in protected areas by eliminating unnecessary lighting or implementing smart lighting practices on site.

The announcement was made as part of the virtual DarkSky ‘Under One Sky’ event, held on 9th November. The event coincided with Chiara delivering a talk at the Tartu Observatory at the University of Tartu, focusing on light pollution and ecological lighting principles. The news of her award win was welcomed by attendees and the other speakers present.

Winning the Wildlife Night Watch Award is a testament to Chiara’s commitment to creating lighting designs that push boundaries to incorporate innovative solutions for conservation. Chiara’s projects exemplify her dedication to harmonizing human progress with environmental preservation.

Chiara received multiple nominations naming her as a deserving winner of the Wildlife Night Watch award. In nominating her, Bianca Gortárez Hernández said, “Chiara’s forward-thinking approach to conservation is evident in her innovative projects, such as the pilot interventions for sea turtle nesting sites. Her designs prioritize the value of darkness, creating the right light at the right time to protect wildlife.”

“Chiara’s contributions not only meet but exceed the award’s criteria, showcasing her as a leader in wildlife conservation and sustainable lighting design.”

Complementing this, Katia Kolovea said, “Chiara’s leadership extends beyond her projects. She plays a crucial role for the Lighting Police; an initiative devoted to raising awareness about the adverse effects of poor lighting and light pollution. As a member of the advisory board, her guidance has been invaluable in shaping effective strategies and campaigns that have resonated with professionals and the public alike.”

On winning the award, Chiara said: “Being recognised by DarkSky International is a huge accomplishment, at such a fantastic period in my life.”

“I am continually grateful for the work of Annika Jägerbrand, Travis Longcore, Dr. Kellie Pendoley and all the others who conduct research on a daily basis. It enables us to be more conscious and informed in our professional activities, as we strive to protect our shared natural heritage.”

This prestigious award win comes shortly after the launch of Chiara’s new studio, Noctua – Cultural and Natural Heritage Lighting Design. Chiara launched Noctua as a bridge between research and practice, aiming to protect heritage while embracing the future.

Noctua aims to revitalize spaces by integrating cultural narratives with environmental responsibility, while ensuring conservation and social sustainability.

With this award, Chiara and Noctua are even more committed to pioneering sustainable lighting solutions that preserve and enhance the beauty of our world, both natural and cultural, for all living beings.

The TRILUX Group, a leading provider of innovative lighting solutions, today
announces the successful acquisition of Ansorg GmbH.

With this latest merger, TRILUX will expand its product and service portfolio in the retail sector,
strengthening its position in this strategically important market segment. The acquisition is an
important step in TRILUX's growth strategy and enables the company to tap into new
customer segments and expand its presence in international markets.

Ansorg, based in Mülheim, is a renowned specialist for high-quality retail lighting concepts and
has decades of experience in developing and producing custom lighting solutions. By
integrating Ansorg, TRILUX can expand its expertise, particularly in international growth areas
such as automotive and non-food retail, offering its customers even more innovative solutions
with real added value.

"The acquisition of Ansorg is a key milestone in our 'Retail Growth' strategy," says Hubertus
Volmert, CEO of the TRILUX Group. "With Ansorg, we are not only gaining a company with
excellent expertise and experience, but also broadening our range to include customised
lighting solutions. Together, we can tap into new customer segments, strengthen our
international presence and actively shape the future of retail lighting."
Franz Heckmanns, Head of Global Sales at Ansorg GmbH, adds: "We are delighted to
become part of the TRILUX family and to contribute our in-depth retail expertise to the
development of innovative lighting solutions. This partnership leverages our complementary
strengths, allowing us to deliver even more customised, future-proof lighting solutions to our
customers. Ansorg brings valuable expertise and creative insights to the TRILUX Group, which
will further strengthen its innovative power. For Ansorg, the partnership not only means access
to greater resources and a global network but also the opportunity to set new standards in the
retail sector with TRILUX."

Ansorg will collaborate closely with Oktalite another company of the TRILUX Group. While
Ansorg focuses on custom lighting concepts for premium brands and specialist retailers,
Oktalite has extensive experience in implementing lighting solutions for chain stores and large-
scale retail concepts. The complementary focus of the two companies enables them to serve a
broader international customer spectrum and jointly realise opportunities in various retail
sectors.

The next steps will be carefully planned in collaboration to ensure a seamless transition for
both customers and employees. TRILUX places great importance in continuing Ansorg's
successful business activities and retaining the expertise of its employees. The parties have
agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

The Kingston upon Thames section of the A3 has undergone significant lighting
upgrades to improve efficiency and sustainability. CU Phosco and FM Conway
joined forces, replacing outdated SONT lanterns with state-of-the-art P855 LED
luminaires.

The A3 has been one of London's most important approaches for centuries, serving
as a major thoroughfare connecting the City of London and Portsmouth. Running
through areas such as Kingston upon Thames, Guildford, Haslemere, and
Petersfield, the A3 is crucial for both local and long-distance travel.

Following the successful street lighting upgrades undertaken by the London Borough
of Kingston, which aimed to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption by
replacing ageing streetlights with modern LEDs, Transport for London (TfL)
embarked on a project to upgrade the high mast lighting strategically positioned
along the 13 km stretch of the A3 bypass near Kingston upon Thames. This
initiative's main aim was to enhance safety and efficiency.

Working on behalf of FM Conway, Transport for London's contractor on their
Highway Maintenance and Projects Framework contract, CU Phosco were asked to
replace 162 SONT lanterns with 116 P855 LED luminaires on 27 high masts. The
P855 luminaire, a cutting-edge, dark sky-friendly, high mast LED solution, boasts a
360° rotating STAR-optic® design. Its compact yet powerful structure ensures
optimal optical and thermal performance, maintaining low weight and wind area. This
makes it the perfect retrofit solution for the A3's existing high masts.

P855's luminaire efficacy of up to 160 lm/W, precision optics and high-performance
LEDs, reduce the required number of luminaires by 46, helping to keep energy costs
and consumption low.

CU Phosco provided comprehensive services, including lighting design, installation,
and annual maintenance, ensuring the project met TfL's safety, efficiency, and
sustainability standards.

Installing CU Phosco's advanced LED luminaires not only enhanced visibility and
safety for road users but also resulted in a remarkable 80.5% energy savings. This
significant reduction in operational costs, coupled with the reduced maintenance
requirements, led to a quick payback period of just 2.26 years. This financial
efficiency is a testament to the success of the project and its contribution to TfL's
environmental goals by cutting carbon emissions.

FM Conway praised the collaboration, stating, "It's becoming more and more
important to our clients that sustainability factors into infrastructure upgrades, and
TfL are no exception. CU Phosco offered a solution that not only offered significant
energy savings but also allowed us to reduce the number of assets on the network,
providing added efficiency benefits.

This forum granted attendees access to the latest industry developments with engaging discussions and networking opportunities. With the comprehensive programme the day included essential technical updates on compliance, competency, and legislation among other topics. The line-up of expert speakers ensured a day filled with knowledge and practical advice, tailored to help delegates stay ahead in the sector by sharing their insights, inspiration and experiences with the audience.

Speakers included the LIA’s CEO Ayça Donaghy, Commercial and Training Manager Teresa Beazley, and Technical Operations Manager Dan Griffiths, providing information on how The LIA can best support its members, recognising that competency is a journey, and technical organisational updates.

An incredible lineup of guest speakers included Peter Thorns, Head of Strategic Lighting Applications at Thorn Lighting, who sits on several LIA committees and chairs Building Regulations Technical Committee, discussing Approaches to Effective Lighting Design and Dark Skies and Compliance. John Bullock, Editor at The Light Review shared his expert knowledge on The Science of Light. Paul Sargent, LIAQA and Overseas Activities Manager, and Andy Guest, LIA Membership Services Manager, highlighting the importance of Ecodesign and Energy Labelling. Neil McLean, Industry Relations (Europe and Asia), Lutron Electronics, and who chairs The LIA’s Sustainability committee, shared Sustainability Standards in relation to NABERS, BREEAM and WELL.

Key takeaways included John Bullock’s memorable quote from his incredible presentation the Science of Light: “Without light none of us are here; without light nothing is here.” During his talk he presented the view that the science of light is wrong, and it is the perception of light that is important.

Teresa Beazley, LIA Commercial and Training Manager, in her talk The Role of Training towards Competence, stated that true competence goes beyond the classroom, and it is not something to do alone, giving thought to the future collaboration of professionals in the industry. It was also demonstrated that there is still a lack of understanding for what is required from the Eco Design regulation, as covered in Andy Guest’s and Paul Sargent’s presentation, where they highlighted how we still have much to learn as a sector.

Feedback for the forum from peers in the lighting industry includes a comment from Shaun Lawry, Product Development Manager EMEA, Sylvania, who said, “A big thanks to The LIA for putting on a spectacular event.” Graeme Shaw, Technical Director at Zumtobel Group, added, If you want to know, this event will answer your questions practically.” Mike Edwards, Hispec’s Lighting Product Manager, commented, “There was a great mix of presenters from both The LIA and its members, making for an informative and engaging forum.”

While Jason Dwan of Ansell Lighting concluded, “The LIA’s Technical Forum was very informative; we especially enjoyed the discussions around Dark Sky and the keynote speaker who added a very new dimension to lighting. My team and I thoroughly enjoyed the event. It was great to see the restructure and new focus The LIA have in terms of promotion from within and structuring the new leadership team to focus on member support and driving the industry forward.”

Ayça Donaghy, CEO of The LIA said “It was a pleasure to host another successful, and well attended LIA Autumn Tech Forum covering the industry’s hot topics.

We have had some great feedback from those attending – huge thanks to all of the speakers for their expertise, and our members who joined us for the day.”

The Autumn Tech Forum resonated greatly with delegates, with the positive responses about the day reflecting that. Attendees had the chance to engage with respected speakers in their field throughout the day while demonstrating The LIA’s focus on Quality and Compliance for the future of the industry.

Pharos Architectural Controls has announced it will be marking the end of its 20th anniversary year of celebrations by exhibiting at LiGHT 2024 in November.

The Pharos team will return to stand U40 at the Business Design Centre in London to welcome a host of familiar faces from the lighting industry who have extended their warmth and support for the year-long celebration of the controls specialist, which has included an in-depth series of podcast interviews with eminent figures in lighting.

As well as heralding the close of the anniversary celebrations, the Pharos team will also be highlighting the benefits of some of its newest products, including the RIO G4 4-port DMX gateway, which provides cost-effective Ethernet-distributed DMX ports. Visitors to the stand can also see the RIO D4 4-port DALI device, which provides a convenient and scalable way to control DALI fixtures and ballasts from Pharos Designer controllers and receive DALI commands.

Additionally, the Pharos team will be showcasing the next generation LPC X S3, and updating visitors on the latest developments with the VLC+ M.

The stand will also play host to some in-depth Pharos software demonstrations, from Designer DMX Record, which combines multiple recording and Designer’s override effects together in the LPC’s powerful playback engine, to the very latest updates in Expert, including the free mobile app for iOS and Android, which allows any touch device on the local network to host beautiful, automatically generated pages for project control over Wi-Fi.

Ryan Sainsbury, Regional Sales Manager for the UK and Northern Europe at Pharos, said: “We are excited to share key updates and innovations in our hardware and software ranges with stand visitors and look forward to meeting with some familiar faces as the lighting industry comes for what has become an important event in the sector’s calendar. As well as demonstrating our products, we’ll also be taking the opportunity to celebrate our milestone 20th anniversary on the stand, which has been an important part of our year in 2024.”