The fourth annual ArchLIGHT Summit, taking place September 17-18, continues Dallas Market Center’s leadership in the lighting industry. For decades, the venue has hosted the semi-annual Lightovation, which is the largest residential lighting show in the Western Hemisphere. Now it has established one of the fastest-growing and leading architectural specification shows in the industry with ArchLIGHT Summit, which inspires, educates, supports professional and personal development and showcases the latest technologies, tools, and lighting solutions for the built environment.
ArchLIGHT Summit runs September 17-18, at the Dallas Market Center and offers attendees a robust schedule of CEU programming, immersive experiences, and hospitality events for lighting designers, specifiers, architects, interior designers, and other professionals, as well as students and educators in the design/build fields.
Exhibits will be open 9 am-6 pm on Tuesday, September 19, and 9 am-2 pm on Wednesday, September 18, on the first floor of the Dallas Trade Mart, and a NEW Showroom Spectacular from 12:30 – 4:00 pm on Wednesday will provide access and engagement with Dallas Market Center’s permanent exhibits, representing commercial crossover brands from Dallas Market Center’s 1 million-square-foot residential lighting marketplace.
The ArchLIGHT Summit expo allows attendees the opportunity to learn about the latest lighting innovations and participate in CEU sessions and immersive demonstrations on the first floor of the Trade Mart. Hospitality events include: the WILD Welcome Reception on Monday evening; the Casambi Happy Hour on Tuesday evening with live entertainment, food and fun; and a special Showroom Spectacular to be held on the 3rd and 4th floor of the Trade Mart with special events, dedicated tours and hospitality events scheduled in 19 commercial lighting showrooms following the close of the EXPO floor. This year’s event is poised to be the largest event to date and has garnered the support of the Top Agency Representatives in Dallas and surrounding areas and currently boasts 80+ curated exhibitors from leading manufacturers.
Registration for ArchLIGHT Summit expo is complimentary, and a flat fee of $50 allows access to a choice of more than 20 educational opportunities that are AIA- and IDCEC-accredited. With guidance from an Advisory Board of experts representing different disciplines, these sessions encompass a variety of topics beyond lighting application, as well as interactive workshops and dynamic demonstrations.
Due to the overwhelming popularity of introducing the Light Bites stage to the show floor in 2023, event organizers have moved all presentations and CEU sessions to the show floor at both the Light Bites stage and a new Inspiration Station. As in previous years, immersive experiences will be located throughout the show floor.
Immersive Experiences
- Immerse Yourself in Light™ – An educational and immersive experience – This is an immersive exploration into the cutting-edge realm of digital visualization tools, where we’ll uncover the transformative potential of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) for lighting professionals
- Two Designer-Curated Vignettes are new to the event this year delivering unique, hands-on experiences with two distinctly important topics in lighting and design:
- Enhancing Safety: Experience Behavioral Health Lighting & Design for High Abuse Spaces – a healthcare design experience sponsored by Visa Lighting
- Experiencing UGR Ratings: A Unique Installation for Glare & Comfort – a visual and educational experience sponsored by Zumtobel
- Showroom Spectacular – According to event organizers, many new visitors to Dallas Market Center wanted the opportunity to visit and engage in the many expansive lighting showrooms located on the 3rd and 4th floor of the Trade Mart. To address this request, ArchLIGHT Summit will be hosting a special “Showroom Spectacular” on Wednesday, Sept 18th from 12:30 – 4:00 pm. The robust schedule includes special showroom tours led by IALD members, scavenger hunts, prize giveaways and loads of hospitality throughout the afternoon.
All sessions will be held on the show floor and session track highlights and immersive experiences for the 2024 event include:
Collaboration
- “The how, why and when of systems integration” with John Mears – Eos Lightmedia
- “Concept to Construction: Working Better Together” will be a lively discussion with moderator Jered Widmer, IALD, MIES – The Lighting Practice and panelists: Ben Crawford – OMNIPLAN, Christine Howitt – Droese Raney, Jacob Gerber – Essential Light, Billy Hodges – AAiLA
- “ARCHITECT Magazine Panel: The State of Design” – moderated by Paul Makovsky, editor ARCHITECT and panelist Ben Crawford, Principal, OMNIPLAN Architects
- Katherine Stekr and Michelle Murray of HLB Lighting Design will discuss when the “Lighting Designer says “tomato”, Owner hears “orange’“
Business Strategies + Development:
- “Exploring Innovative Architectural Visualization Tools: A Deep Dive Into Educational & Inspirational Workflows Utilizing Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality for the Lighting Community”. This dynamic open panel discussion will be led by Jonathan Ayala – The Lighting Exchange with panelists John Miller – STRATIVIZ – Acuity Brands, Archit Jain – Oculus Light Studio, and a representative from Corgan. This is an immersive exploration into the cutting-edge realm of digital visualization tools, where the transformative potential of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) for lighting professionals will be uncovered.
- “WILD – Standing Out by Looking In: Creating Impact and Lasting Impressions with your Personal Brand” – Amy Bonder, CCO at Luminii
- “Sweet Home IALD” – Andrea Hartranft, FIALD of Hartranft Lighting Design will discuss how associations such as IALD work and how they can benefit and impact the profession of lighting design and the wider lighting industry.
Sustainability + Responsibility
- Anna Forrester of ARUP US will be discussing “Influencing the Perception of Safety at Night with Human Centered Design”
- Avraham Mor, Morlights will lead attendees through an informative review of how a school that could no longer purchase replacement lights required a retrofit and how the results of this award winning project in the review of “Indian Community School Case Study”
- Kate McBride of Clanton & Associates will talk about “Planning for Lighting: Advocating for Better Lighting Regulations in our Cities.”
Lighting Deep Dive
- “Light Odysseys: Crafting Novel Experiences in the Built Environment” led by Mahdis Aliasgari – Lighting Design Collective will explore the role of light and technology in shaping contextually meaningful experiences.
- Over both days, two-time Life-time Achievement Award winner, Craig A. Bernecker, Ph.D., Fiesna, LC, will present a hands-on workshop “Photometry in Action”. Since many lighting designers have not had an opportunity actually to see the photometric measurement process, but use luminaire photometry in their analyses and designs, this workshop provides an opportunity to better understand the photometric process and the data designers are typically using.
Part of ArchLIGHT Summit’s original mission statement was to be unique, inclusive, and boldly different from most industry trade shows. Working with the Advisory Board members, the event’s mission continues to deliver by providing immersive and unique experiences. growing involvement from many industry organizations, expanding student outreach to support the next generation, and focusing on both personal and professional development.
ArchLIGHT Summit provides a unique opportunity for Women in Lighting + Design to continue their outreach and support their local chapters (WILD Dallas – Ft. Worth and WILD Houston) by hosting the opening night Welcome Reception sponsored by ALA and Luminii. The WILD Welcome reception will be hosted on the top floor of the Dallas World Trade Center, Monday evening, Sept. 17th at 6:00 and will offer spectacular sunset views of downtown Dallas, cocktails, and appetizers. This welcome reception is open to both attendees and exhibitors in one of many networking events during the show.
The second day of ArchLIGHT Summit (Wednesday, September 18, in 2024) has been historically identified as Student Day with over 200+ students from regional university’s are provided with a student-oriented schedule and docent-led lighting showroom tours, as well as a presentation from the IALD Education Trust about the lighting design profession. Students and educators may request a code for complimentary registration to both event days by reaching out to info@archlightsummit.com.
The event supports a full list of association partners and is providing unique fundraising opportunities for IALD Education Trust to help support of the mission of the IALD Education Trust and the growth of the industry’s next generation.
In a nod to sustainability and charitable support, ArchLIGHT Summit continues to partner with Sourcery to reduce paper waste, increase engagement, and support the next generation of lighting designers. Attendees will be able to digitally save products they see on the show floor using the Sourcery app, as well as support the IALD Education Trust with their “Flair” fundraising campaign. This IALD Education Trust fundraiser raises funds when attendees scan participating exhibitors’ QR codes resulting in a contribution by the manufacturer to the Trust.
Registration for ArchLIGHT Summit is open at https://archlightsummit.com/attend/.
Sponsors of the 2024 ArchLIGHT Summit include Casambi, The Lighting Exchange, Sourcery, Visa Lighting Zumtobel, and official supporting Agencies include ALA, Hossley Lighting & Power Solutions, Preferred Lighting Group, and Texas Lighting.
Showroom Spectacular participants include: Minka Group, Sonneman- A Way of Light, AFX, Eurofase, Gama Sonic Solar, Hubbardton Forge, Kuzco | Alora | Alora Mood, Modern Forms, Elk Home | Norwell Lighting, WAC Lighting, Nora Lighting, Acrosentec, Oxygen, LEDI, Varaluz, Hunter Fan, CSL Lighting Association Partners include the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dallas Chapter, American Lighting Association, Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals (AOLP), Illuminating Engineering Society Dallas section, Light Justice, International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), IALD Education Trust, International Landscape Lighting Institute (illi), Lighting Controls Association, National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors (NAILD), National Lighting Bureau, North American Coalition of Lighting Industry Queers, and Women in Lighting + Design international and local chapters.
Media Partners for the 2024 ArchLIGHT Summit include Arc; ARCHITECT; Architectural Products; Architectural SSL; Biznow, Commercial Construction & Renovation; Designing Lighting; Designer Pages; Edison Report; Energy Watch News; Furniture Lighting & Décor; “Get a Grip on Lighting” Podcast; Inside.Lighting; Light Directory; LightNow News; and The Lighting Exchange.