Paul Traynor named Head of Light Bureau
(UK) – Traynor takes over from Zlatan Idnert as Head of Light Bureau.
Paul Traynor has, as of 1 January 2021, taken over as the new Head of Light Bureau, a part of AFRY, the company has announced.
Traynor is the founder of UK-based Light Bureau, which joined AFRY (then ÅF Lighting) in 2017, growing the team to about 100 designers. The whole lighting design offer of AFRY later assumed the brand Light Bureau.
“This is more than I imagined would happen three years ago when AFRY acquired Light Bureau, but the more I have thought about it, the more I value the opportunity of working with a great business to develop the brand to which I am forever committed,” said Paul Traynor.
“Beginning with binding the cultures in our different territories, I want to see us all motivated by doing great projects and growing together.”
Malin Frenning, Head of Division Infrastructure at AFRY, added: “I’m so pleased that Paul will lead Light Bureau as the award-winning lighting design offer now aims to grow even further internationally. Paul is an internationally recognised lighting designer with a proven track record as a leader. Having worked extensively internationally and as a former President of the Professional Lighting Designer’s Association, Paul’s profile is ideal to help realise Light Bureau’s ambition.”
Zlatan Idnert, who has been Head of Light Bureau this past year, will continue his commitment as Head of Efterklang, part of AFRY, and focus on its continued growth in existing as well as international markets.”
The Light Tribe and Designers Mind launch #inlightofitall social media campaign
(UK) – Initiative hopes to raise money for CALM.
In the run up to the festive period last year, The Light Tribe, a division of Phos, alongside Designers Mind and suicide prevention charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), launched a social media initiative aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues, following a huge recent increase in people struggling with their mental health.
Entitled #inlightofitall, the campaign hoped to celebrate “the power of coming together as a collective”.
“The design industry has always found ways of seeing beauty in things that others might not see. We wanted to use this inspiration and the power of light to provide a positive perspective, despite these tough times,” says The Light Tribe.
Participants were invited to post a photo of a lit candle on their social media channels between 14-20 December, using the hashtag #inlightofitall, and write one thing that they are grateful for the year, tagging @LightTribeRevolution and @DesignersMindForum, along with three friends that they’d like to take part.
The Light Tribe is also asking participants to donate £5 to the charity CALM, which they can do here.
The Light Tribe is also planning on sharing every image posted under the hashtag at a later date.
www.lighttribe.co.uk
www.designers-mind.com
Former President of SLL, Liz Peck, dies aged 46
It is with great sadness that the Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) has confirmed the death of Liz Peck, Past President, former Secretary and a Fellow of the Society.
A popular and highly regarded figure in the lighting industry, Peck was President of the SLL between 2015 and 2016, and was one of the key figures behind the internationally renowned Night of Heritage Light.
After encouragement from industry peers, Peck joined the lighting industry in 1999 in a customer service role at Concord Lighting. Working alongside Mike Simpson, she moved from Concord to Philips, becoming a senior lighting designer and with Simpson’s encouragement, joined the SLL in 2003. During this time, she was undertaking the Bartlett MSc in Light and Lighting; she was awarded the Worshipful Company of Lightmongers Student of the Year in 2003, and graduated the following year.
In 2007, Peck established her own independent lighting consultancy, LPA Lighting, and worked on a number of high-profile, award-winning projects, such as Dover Castle, and more recently the Iron Bridge in Telford – a project that she worked on with current SLL President, Bob Bohannon.
In 2008, Peck was awarded the SLL Lighting Diploma, and prior to being elected to the SLL Executive Committee, was the Society’s Secretary. Peck became SLL President in 2015, coinciding with the UNESCO International Year of Light – the third woman to take on the role and to represent the Society, its members and the lighting industry.
In her time as President, Peck was one of the instigators and project leads of the first SLL Night of Heritage Light. Embracing and celebrating the UNESCO International Year of Light, SLL members lit nine UNESCO World Heritage sites across the UK on 1 October 2015. Alongside Simon Fisher, Dan Lister and Rhiannon West, Peck led this national event, which gained international acclaim, going on to win the Event award at the 2016 [d]arc awards.
Rounding off the UNESCO International Year of Light, Peck travelled with SLL Coordinator Juliet Rennie to Mexico for the closing ceremony, where she spoke about the Night of Heritage Light as part of an international panel of lighting designers and advocates.
Following a move from Brighton to Leeds, Peck started the Northern Lights initiative, which gave an opportunity for “Light Minded” people in the north of England to socialise and discuss the topics of the day – part of Peck’s ongoing passion, support and commitment to the lighting community and those working within it.
On hearing the news of her passing, SLL President Bob Bohannon said: “I will not be alone in hearing the news of Liz’s passing with shock and immense sadness, she was a dear friend and invaluable colleague. She will be widely missed, I was constantly amazed by just how many people knew her and her ability to make friends of the teams around us.
“But while mourning I want to celebrate the life lived for that is the Liz we all knew. Her humanity shone through, for example in the last few months she was volunteering as a deliverer for a Leeds food bank; it was hard work but she made people’s lives better. She was immensely proud to have beaten all the longevity odds after major heart surgery as a teenager.
“Her passion for the work of the Society of Light and Lighting was a driving force in her life and her work on projects such as Dover Castle and the Iron Bridge at Telford were widely recognised as being at the leading edge of our profession.
“We’ll miss you Liz.”
Liz Peck 1974 – 2021
www.cibse.org/society-of-light-and-lighting
[d]arc media announces launch of [d]arc sessions
(UK) - New networking event for specifiers and suppliers to take place in Mykonos in October.
[d]arc media, the market-leading publisher and event organiser for the international lighting design industry, has announced the launch of [d]arc sessions, a series of exclusive and intimate gatherings for lighting specifiers and suppliers.
The first [d]arc sessions will take place at the Royal Mykonian resort in Mykonos on 5-8 October 2021 with more planned in different resort locations for the future.
[d]arc sessions has been designed with COVID and a ‘new normal’ in mind. It comprises four key elements: Speed+Sync meetings, Symposia speaker sessions, Sustenance breakouts and Social celebrations. Guests attend [d]arc sessions to specify and source projects; to escape, regenerate and rebuild, always in beautiful and abundant settings.
To create a sense of community and shared experience, guest numbers are strictly limited. Every specifier attending [d]arc sessions will be carefully selected, vetted and authenticated to ensure suppliers are meeting genuine decision-makers with purchasing power, actively working on live lighting projects. The latest event management / app technology enables qualified meetings and quantifiable ROI.
Winners of the six Project categories in this year’s [d]arc awards (PLACES – Low / High Budget); SPACES – Low / High Budget); and STRUCTURES – Low / High Budget) will also receive an all-expenses paid trip to [d]arc sessions to ensure the latest exemplars of award-winning projects are in attendance. The deadline to enter these categories for this year’s awards is 31st January.
“I am very excited about this new event for the lighting specification industry,” says Paul James, Managing Director of [d]arc media. “I believe that a resort is the perfect location for a new kind of intimate face-to-face event during these challenging times. Participants will be able to relax as well as do business in a safe and creative environment.”
[d]arc sessions also enjoys collaboration with leading industry brands. It is hosted in association with arc and darc magazines and the [d]arc awards, and includes speaker-driven content curated and presented by the [d]arc media editorial team. The event is organised and delivered by Connect X, the team behind hotel design event HIX.
Suppliers who are interested in participating in the event should contact the [d]arc media team via the [d]arc sessions website.
Verpan releases new colours for original design
(Denmark) - The Verner Panton original is now available in bold new colours for Autumn 2020.
This Autumn, Verpan presents the Pantop Ø23-centimetre version in an array of bold colours, each carefully selected to add its own personality and mood to the collection. Going back to the roots, the Ø23-centimetre version was one of the original sizes Verner Panton designed in 1980, and is now re-introduced.
The new Pantop has been created in respect to Verner Panton and his profound understanding of colours and their ability to influence our mood and overall wellbeing. The design is elegant and classic and it becomes even more expressed when in colour.
The new colour palette beautifully complement one another, and gives room for endless combinations. It invites you to experience the effect that both colour and finish can have, be it the tranquility of the dark green, the youthful spirit of the popping yellow and blue, or the serenity of the dusty rose and grey hues.
On choosing colours, Verner Panton said: "Choosing colours should not be a gamble. It should be a conscious decision. Colours have a meaning and a function. Colours influence our lives, moods, our humour and our working capacity. Colours can induce high spirits and contributes to set the atmosphere."
Marioni releases Palm lighting collection
(Italy) - Marioni releases new Palm collection in various colours and applications.
The new Palm lighting collection, designed by La Récréation – P.Angelo Orecchioni Arch., is distinctive for its impressive geometric juxtaposition of ceramic flared elements, whose contrasting colours create an eye-catching piece.
Available in different sizes, the lamps are available in a wide range of ceramic finishes: a myriad of pleasantly matched colours enables the creation of fascinating and dynamic combinations.
Each Palm lamp has a brushed brass base supporting the ceramic structure. A satin spherical glass diffuses a nice warm light.
Palm, in addition to the lighting collection, includes bookcases, tables and consoles playing on the different composition of brass structures, lacquered wood shelves and precious ceramic elements to create different heights and dimensions.
Established & Sons introduces Aura Light
(UK) - Established & Sons introduces AURA LIGHT designed by Sabine Marcelis.
Harnessing Marcelis’ expertise in the utilisation of cast translucent materials, the suspended cylindrical bar of the Aura Light can stand alone or work as part of a grouping. Over a metre in length, the design is made from a bio-epoxy resin, formulated using by-products from the agricultural industry.
A replaceable glass LED tube is housed within the coloured resin case, with the light travelling through the material to create a warm glow. This soft ambient light effect is ideal for a home-working environment as well as relaxed living and office spaces.
“My work is currently exclusively available via galleries and this is the first step towards making some lighting available to a wider audience, but in a conscious and sustainable manner,” said Sabine Marcelis.
Rosie Li studio opens new showroom and launches Rainbow collection
(USA) - Rosie Li opens new showroom in New York and introduces new capsule collection, Rainbow.
Designed in collaboration with Office of Tangible Space, the new showroom is situated in the converted front of its Brooklyn workshop. Beginning in January, the studio welcomes visitors by appointment only.
In addition, the studio has launched its new capsule collection, Rainbow. The signature finish is achieved through physical vapour deposition (PVD) and it's as strong and durable as it is lovely. The bubbly parts are closed in a vacuum-sealed tank and electrically bonded with a vaporised metal solution. This colour-shifting effect is the result of a microns-thick layer of metal particles on the surface of the brass.
"After years of workshopping this finish, we finally found a vendor who could do it to our satisfaction. Last January we sent out our parts, and we got them back just a week after COVID-19 shut down our studio. Since we couldn't work on our normal projects, we ended up devoting ourselves full-time to these rainbow lamps, ferrying pieces of them over to coworkers' houses by bicycle so each person could assemble portions of them from home. They were a bright spot in our quarantine experience and something we could look forward to working on every day," says the studio.
The series has a few made-to-order options, but some of the products are limited edition. The studio has four finish options with polished or matte lustres available.
Foscarini updates Birdie range
(Italy) - Foscarini unveils its new updates to its table lamp range, Birdie.
The Birdie table lamp, designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palmoba, is released with two new eye-catching and affordable models.
The design's iconic shade is a geometric interpretation of a bird resting on a tree branch, recalling the image of a traditional bedside lamp but with a slightly tapered shape. The stem and the base of the lamp are linear and have been given new proportions to enhance this classic design, which comes in six new colours.
Lodes launches new portable lamp
(Italy) - Lodes presents new portable lamp, Easy Peasy.
Easy Peasy is a family of portable and rechargeable lamps with a playful spirit, designed by Luca Nichetto. With is rounded shape and eclectic colour combinations, Easy Peasy add warmth and character to any environment.
Allowing the dim-to-warm functionality, the knob comes in four different finishes - Turquoise, Taupe, Pink and Green.
The Easy Peasy is also the winner of the Interior Design Magazine 2020 Best of Year Awards in the Table Lamps category.
Amber Solutions announces two-wire dimmer
(USA) - Amber Solutions introduces two-wire dimmer in solid-state architecture for dimming and LED compatibility.
The new two-wire dimmer solution achieves smooth, flicker-free zero-to-max dimming with near universal LED compatibility, features a slimline form factor measuring 3/4-inches deep and enables intelligent, efficient lighting control through any electrical infrastructure or input voltage. It works without a neutral wire and is compatible with a wider range of LED bulbs and fixtures.
Amber's Founder and CEO Thar Casey says, “Amber’s newest solution underscores how its core technologies enable a fundamental restructuring of common electrical product architecture, significantly transforming their capabilities, reducing returns/support requirements and enhancing value.
“Our solid-state redesign embeds intelligence that enables a substantially better quality, flicker-less dimming experience in a form factor that is slimmer for easier install and is fully compatible both with existing building infrastructure and a substantially broader range of LED bulbs.”
Combining Amber’s patented solid-state AC/DC Enabler and AC Switch for digital control of electricity enables the Amber two-wire dimmer to intelligently monitor and control the flow of electricity, eliminating all mechanical pieces used in existing solutions.
These technologies provide much more accurate control of electricity, resulting in the lowest rate of heat dissipation and energy waste. What’s more, Amber’s 100% digital surge protection is non-sacrificial, so there is no degradation of components no matter how many times a surge necessitates power interruption. A single Amber two-wire dimmer is even smart and flexible enough to dynamically support leading edge or trailing edge dimming, or both, in a single SKU.
“Our two-wire dimmer solution brings new technologies and functions to buildings’ previously outdated infrastructure that has been problematic for installation of smart lighting systems,” Casey continues. “As the transition to more efficient lighting continues to accelerate, our smooth zero percent to max power dimming capability will become the standard expectation. And the owners and installers of these dimmers will also benefit from native surge and short circuit protection, energy savings through reduced power dissipation, and the optional integrated wireless control sensors that even enable over the air updates to sustain compatibility with the latest lighting bulbs.”
The company’s major revolution in two-wire dimming is replacing TRIACs, which have traditionally been used to enable two-way current control. Amber replaces this old tech with MOSFETs, based upon Amber’s core technologies with integrated micro-controller intelligence, that outperforms all the functions of a TRIAC. The digital design of Amber’s solution enables a dimmer switch that is faster, safer, more efficient and physically smaller than competitors.
“Looking forward, our two-wire dimmer architecture will enable 3-way dimming using only a traveler wire, offer intelligent auto-detection of load types and birth a premium “C-wireless” architecture that will eliminate the need for C-wires or batteries in devices such as smart thermostats and smart doorbell cameras,” Casey adds. “As Amber continues to develop advances for LED lighting fixtures and power control, the benefits and functionality will grow exponentially as users find just how powerful a true 21st-century light switch can be.
“The world’s reliance on electricity deepens every day, and Amber will continue to push the envelope of electronic design to develop solutions that maximise the efficiency, utility, longevity and intelligence of the tools we use to deliver power to our cities, our businesses, our homes and our devices,” Casey concludes.
Karman unveils Snoob Chandelier
(Italy) - Karman reveals its latest product design, Snoob, a contemporary chandelier.
Designed by Matteo Ugolini for Karman, Snoob took inspiration from traditional chandelier designs from Baroque palaces and turned it into a simplistic design that is current for today's interiors.
Available in white and black finishes, the Snoob chandelier also comes in two dimensions.
