Performance and aesthetics are often treated as trade-offs in lighting design, with efficiency on one side and visual appeal on the other. With 360 Solar by Landscape Forms, that compromise disappears. Developed in collaboration with Netherlands-based FlexSol Lighting Solutions, 360 Solar delivers advanced off-grid lighting in a sleek, minimalist form that redefines what solar can…

The outdoor lighting revolution is underway I’ve always been drawn into the dark. Even before working at DarkSky International, I often found myself getting up before sunrise for morning runs or out climbing with friends beneath a full moon. I’m always on a quest for new experiences; the night is a treasure trove for adventure,…

Sometimes designing lighting isn’t only about providing illumination, but how to celebrate the darkness that surrounds it. The recreation project at Squamish Oceanfront Park in The Great White North’s British Columbia was such a case. With the 700-meter (~2,297-ft)-tall granite monolith Stawamus Chief Mountain along one side, the park contains a multitude of natural wonders…

Can one man help the U.S.’s most densely populated state “see the night?” Back in 2002, Verizon’s “Test Man” character shot to popularity with a series of commercials, where he evaluated the cell phone coverage in various locations by coining the catchphrase, “Can you hear me now?” Decades later, another bespectacled man from Verizon is…

As astrotourism trends, responsible lighting is essential As an astrophotographer, I’ve circled the globe in search of dark skies, from hunting the Northern Lights on sheep farms in Greenland to admiring the Milky Way above Chile’s otherworldly Atacama Desert. Yet, it took schlepping 2,000 vertiginous feet into the Grand Canyon for me to discover my…

Dallas Market Center will present a top-tier lineup of thought leaders at the January 10–13, 2026 edition of Lightovation, building on the success of the debut Design + Build Day which was held during the June 2025 show. METROPOLIS Editor-in-Chief Avinash Rajagopal and INTERIOR DESIGN Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen will headline the January 13 Design +…

Indigenous culture, nature, and light converge at Indian Community School Indian Community School’s lighting retrofit stands as a testament to the power of design in educational environments. Located in Franklin, WI, the school’s original lighting, while functional, failed to honor the architectural language of the building and did not meet the dynamic needs of students…

Science is the backbone of our industry In my LD+A May 2025 column, I called attention to the increasingly fractured landscape of organizations in the lighting industry. Since then, the conversation around advocacy, unity, and transformation has deepened, and over the last several months of considering the many voices contributing ideas, wish-lists, criticisms, advocacy plans,…

High-density LED Arrays, Power, and Thermal Management Solutions An effort to phase out mercury-based lamps and deploy energy-efficient UV light sources is driving considerable growth in the UV LED market.1 UV LEDs are currently utilized in many single-chip or low-power applications such as point-of-use water treatment devices, sensors, and portable disinfection units. However, continued technological…

Freehand sketching is a critical tool for collaboration and innovation More than just ubiquitous, digital tools for designers have become an integral part of the building process from concept to construction and every step in between. Yet, the simple act of drawing or sketching by hand remains one of the most powerful tools of the…

An inspired façade is the breakout star at Arizona State University The Arizona State University Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center welcomes students participating in the ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, including The Sidney Poitier New American Film School programs, with a dynamic façade set to motivate a new generation of creatives.…

Nature inspires Troy’s Ice Rink and Pavilion Troy, Michigan, a city tucked north of Detroit, has always attracted outdoor enthusiasts with its wooded trails, expansive parks, and quiet lakes and ponds. Even as natural areas have ceded to development, Troy has remained intentional about preserving green space. So, when residents asked for a place to…

Sustainable urban development settles into Tudela Tudela, the second largest city in Navarre, Spain, owes its heritage to Jewish, Muslim, and Christian influences. Founded in 802 under Muslim rule, Tudela’s diverse cultural past is apparent today in the Romanesque and Gothic architecture of the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Tudela and among the narrow streets…

It’s transformation time In the LD+A, May 2025 “Education” column, “Investing in Change,” IES Director of Education and Standards Brienne Willcock outlines a compelling case to create a unified, resilient, and respected professional community by embracing a collective commitment to strategic advocacy, shared values, and long-term educational investment. She highlights warning signs of instability in…

Celebrating the social impact of lighting The inaugural Light Justice NOW Awards, organized by program partners Light Justice and designing lighting, were presented in May at LightFair 2025 in a ceremony hosted by Randy Reid, publisher of designing lighting and EdisonReport, and myself, Edward Bartholomew, cofounder of Light Justice. Randy was inspired by the IES/Light…