Motoko Ishii Lighting Design

Motoko Ishii, a leading Japanese lighting designer, works with wide range of light, from urban illumination to architectural lighting. Her activities cover not only within Japan but also all over the world; USA, Europe, Middle East and South East Asia.

After studying her craft in Finland and Germany, in 1968 she founded Motoko Ishii Lighting Design Inc., a society of professionals which provides with a wide range of creativity concerning light. Beginning with Expo ‘70 in Osaka, she worked on the lighting for many of the expositions held in various cities in Japan, as well as on many other domestic and foreign projects. She is a distinguished pioneer in her field, and has always striven to broaden the horizons of lighting design. Collaboration with the sister company Light Creation Inc. realizes a total coordination of lighting environment with a consistent concept from design to production.

Her various activities include presiding over the "Inter Light Forum" which was established for the purpose of interdisciplinary study of light, as well as sitting on various committees such as Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s council and Cabinet Office’s council.

“Motoko Light+Space+Time” (2009), “Lighting Horizons” (2001)

"Light for the 21st Century" (1998)

“Creation of Lightscape” (1997)

“Light to Infinity” (1991),

“My World of Lights” (1985)

"Design for Environmental Lighting" (1984)

To date, Motoko Ishii has received many international awards from authoritative organizations including over 30 awards from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. She has always been the recipient of domestic awards, such as the Illuminating Engineering Society of Japan’s "Japan Lighting Award" and the "Tokyo Metropolitan Prize of Culture" from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. She received "Shiju-hosho" (Purple Ribbon Medal) of honour from the National Government at the fall 2000 merit.