Lobster eyes. Cuttlefish skin. Butterfly wings. Peacock feathers. Brittlestar armor. Clusterwink snail shells. These marvels of nature represent a vast intelligence that we’ve looked to for inspiration in engineering and design. Nature is teeming with algorithms waiting to be deciphered, categorized and applied. According to architect Michael Pawlyn, “There is extensive work under way to…

To create a tranquil space that captures elements of classical architecture and the surrealist art movement, The Lighting Practice made use of unique tools such as wet-listed light fixtures and pool-submersible luminaires to wash the The Aqua Foro Pool Club in Philadelphia in soft, alluring illumination.     1. Vertical illumination in and around pool…

Research and Markets has published the 18th edition of its United States Lighting Fixtures Market report for 2024. The seven-chapter report states that while the market slowed to pre-COVID-19 levels in 2024, estimates show market expansion is expected for the next two calendar years due to an expected increase in construction of non-residential projects. The…

At IES2024: The Lighting Conference held in New York City in August, the DOE’s Integrated Lighting Campaign (ILC)—part of the Better Buildings Initiative—recognized 16 organizations for their commitment to energy-efficient and environmentally responsible work in buildings and outside spaces as well as two additional organizations for exhibiting exemplary support for this work. Designed to demonstrate…

The Lighting Industry Association (LIA) of Europe and its Committee For Emergency Lighting (ICEL) division, which is dedicated to strengthening the emergency lighting industry via promotion of high-quality products, have enhanced the ICEL Product Certification Scheme from an endorsed model to a certified model. The goal of the new scheme is to offer greater assurance…

Perspectives about diversity have certainly evolved over the decades. When people ask me about my thoughts on diversity, I often need to pause and reflect on various stages of history. The interesting thing is that definitions of diversity have morphed over time based on society’s mores. My background has influenced my perspectives about diversity. I…

Zhaga-D4i offers a potential transformational change in the lighting world The Zhaga Consortium, with over 600 member companies, develops specifications for standardized interfaces between luminaires and LED modules, intelligent sensors, communication modules and LED drivers. Together with the DALI Alliance, digital products certified to the Zhaga-D4i specifications by multiple vendors provide a platform supporting the…

Plant life is the standout feature at an urban commercial complex Nestled in the core of Singapore’s Central Business District, a bustling location marked with skyscrapers, transit hubs and densely populated commercial and residential areas, is CapitaSpring—a high-rise that takes the concepts of workplace greenery and house plants to a whole new level. The $1.3…

Enhancing the show cave experience The mythology of numerous civilizations suggests caves are gateways to the underworld. The Norse described Nidavellir (also known as Svartalfheim) as a labyrinth of mines and forges that was the home of the Dark Elves, while Greeks believed that beneath the Cave of Hades flowed the River Styx, where Charon…

A collaborative effort by Windward Lighting Studio, luminaire manufacturer Lumetta, hoist manufacturer Dynapac Rotating Co., contractors CA South and E.C. Electric Inc. and structural engineers from Penta Engineering Group built the multistory chandelier inside the 100-ft tall atrium of the Windward Parkway office building in Alpharetta, GA.           1. Sixteen cylindrical…

This international Parsons School of Design student pursuing dual graduate degrees in architecture and lighting design discusses his plan to work in both practices and take what he has learned back home to design projects in Iran   Why light? My passion for lighting grew at the Navan Architecture Office in Iran, where I co-founded…

The Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY) invites eligible participants, including lighting designers, lighting consultants, architects, interior designers and industrial designers who practice in the greater New York metro area, to submit entries for the inaugural Beacon Awards, honoring outstanding achievement in lighting design, through September 4, 2024. The six award categories include Commercial…

The Robert J. Besal Memorial Education Fund, established in 1983 as a nonprofit trust and dedicated to the advancement of education in illuminating engineering disciplines, has awarded $114,500 to 17 recipients from participating schools for the 2024–2025 academic year. Graduate and undergraduate recipients hail from Colorado State University, Boulder; Kansas State University; Penn State; University…

Tivoli, a leading LED lighting manufacturer with over 50 years of experience and known for its linear lighting options, has announced a stringent sustainability model to include Title 24 compliance, the Declare platform and turtle-safe products. In an effort to assure partners such as architects, builders, contractors, facility owners and lighting specifiers that their projects…

Illuminating NASA’s Next-Generation Spacecraft Systems Despite science fiction tales of galaxies far, far away, the actual edge of space, known as the Von Karman Line, is only 62 miles above sea level. Hollywood’s depictions of space exploration have historically been presented with excitement and exuberance— “Space: the final frontier” and “To infinity…and beyond!” are just…