A 15th-century UNESCO World Heritage site has been illuminated thanks to design by Speirs Major Light Architecture, controls and fixtures from Pharos Architectural Controls, and more than 3,000 linear RGBW fixtures from Martin Professional. The large-scale, after-dark illumination project, encompassing the city of At-Turaif, in Diriyah, Saudi Arabira, was commissioned by Diriyah Gate Development Company…

The annual IES New York City Section competition for students enrolled in design, engineering, or architecture programs at colleges or universities within the city’s five boroughs, and broader state counties that used to be represented by the former Mid-Hudson Section, is accepting applications until March 1, 2025. This year’s challenge, “A Sight for Sore Eyes,”…

The most recent edition of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Lighting Market Characterization report illustrates a clear need for LED upgrades among U.S. schools; in response, DOE researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are conducting field studies, surveys, and leveraging industry partnerships to develop guidance for schools aiming to implement the much-needed upgrades.…

Advancements in outdoor lighting technology have revolutionized the way we illuminate spaces, offering unprecedented precision, efficiency, and sustainability. But truly great lighting design goes beyond function—it involves listening to nature and surroundings, responding, and understanding how to connect with it in meaningful ways. In a sit-down with President of Fisher Marantz Stone, Charles Stone, he…

Opening the Artist’s Eye | Rekindling design creativity I learned elementary color theory before I could even read. It helped that both my parents worked as artists, and I lived in a house where art was in abundance. I  realize that this is highly unusual, and that I am fortunate. My mother (who makes surface-based…

Explorable art transports guests to other realities "It’s a double-height, octagon-shaped room full of refrigerator doors—each leading to a new area or surprise. One of these doors reveals a luminous goat sculpture and triggers a dramatic lighting and audio change. The stark, white light of a fridge interior changes to bold, saturated colors while disco…

Adapting live presentations for television The objectives of lighting design for live stage performances—including theater, concerts, ballets, operas, and corporate meetings that are presented to a live audience—are not so different from the design goals for those same presentations being captured on-camera for broadcast or streaming. The adaptation of live entertainment and events for the…

Why physical buttons are crucial to calm technology-based lighting systems I gave the keynote address at IES2024: The Lighting Conference in August. My talk was about Calm Technology, a framework about making technology that uses the least amount of attention and only when necessary. There are many applications to designing lighting systems. While changing my…

Built from books, a glittering new “city” rises China, not unlike most of the world, has gone digital. The time that its citizens spend online far exceeds that spent both reading print books and gathering in offline physical spaces, which spelled trouble for Shanghai Book City. Its Fuzhou Road store, which opened in 1998, was…

Exposing challenges in historical renovations Imagine peeling back wallpaper layer by layer,with each new layer revealing the past and releasing stories of the room’s inhabitants. This process of removing each layer is a discovery of patience, mystery, and determination. In historical renovations, the  lighting designer is an active observer of this process. Each exposed challenge…

This passionate EP discusses the importance of involving young lighting designers in the schematic design phase.    Why light? I choose light because it symbolizes life itself. Our existence on this planet is illuminated by the Sun, the ultimate source of energy for all  living beings. Understanding light is crucial for us to thrive in…

The eatery at Ice House Hotel relies on adaptive reuse   Perched on the banks of the River Moy in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland, the Ice House Hotel is an adaptive reuse of 200-year-old  architecture. Originally known as the “Iceland Cottage,” this historic structure has undergone a transformation from a functional ice-storage facility to a…

LED lighting manufacturer Fluence in collaboration with Cannabis Business Times has published the 9th annual State of the Cannabis Lighting Market report. The report includes key findings such as 78% of report survey participants use LEDs for the cannabis vegetative phase while 77% of survey participants reported using LEDs for the cannabis flowering phase; these…

Photo Credit: © TALQ Consortium The New Jersey-based TALQ Consortium has updated its fourth edition of Tender Template for outdoor lighting, which replaces the former Pocket Guide for Smart Outdoor Lighting Tenders. The document offers cities, municipalities, utilities, operators, and project developers a streamlined process for drafting tenders for interoperable solutions for smart city applications…

With the Society having modified our fiscal year to align with the calendar year, I have the privilege of writing to you in LD+A’s first issue of 2025 to coincide with a new presidential term. Like my predecessors, I would like to take this opportunity to briefly introduce myself and my IES journey. If we…