Lighting articles

Today's lighting trends go beyond simple fixtures and create sculptural pieces in their own right, lighting exterior spaces in a multitude of exciting ways.

Created by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, the story of the iconic PH5 pendant lamp is one of experimental science, and continues to guide both lighting and interior designers to this day.

Here are the five most popular video interviews from Architonic’s Global Design Agenda series this year. Diving into some of the top creative minds and living to tell the tale.

Carmelo Zappulla of External Reference brightens up Light + Building, explaining how light adds an emotional layer to environments: 'It animates a space.' Watch the video to learn more…

Andreas Schulz of Licht Kunst Licht highlights the use of both daylight and artificial light as resources, but also notes the difference: 'We love the change from day to night.' Watch the video here…

Axel Schmid's illuminating discussion at Light + Building defends our use of artificial light as a material: 'Light consumes energy, but you cannot live without it.' Watch the video for more…

Ulrike Brandi spotlights the role of lighting design at Light + Building, claiming we must 'reorganise our design processes to serve society.' Hear more of what she had to say here…

Dark spaces can get new life by hiding integrated lighting in the architecture, while on a smaller scale, hyperlocal integrated lights give interiors more usability and purpose.

Woven products like the Grass and Parrot luminaires from French lighting brand Forestier respond to our increasing desire for warmth, comfort and natural, handcrafted quality.

Desks, whether in or out of office, in or out of hours, can be lonely places. When long, dark nights start to breach our working days, it’s good to have a desktop friend, to lighten the load.

Climate-conscious British lighting brand Tala is on a mission to harness the potential of LED technology as not only a source of light, but a key tool in creating zero-carbon interiors.

Solidarity with Ukraine and its architectural scene, switching on our Global Design Agenda’s Lighting Design Week and filming a transformative workplace in Germany.

Bernhard Dessecker discusses improving the quality of light, not the quantity: ‘Light is precious and is only needed when you want it. Otherwise, it’s pollution.’ Watch the video to learn more…

Daniel Monheim of Christ & Gantenbein discusses using daylight as an architectural tool: ‘Daylight defines if a ground-floor workspace is usable or not.’ Watch the video to learn more…

Carmelo Zappulla discusses the role of technology in designing with artificial light: ‘Technology is part of my research to find a solution to conceptual problems.’ Watch the video to learn more…

Who says classics can't reinvent themselves? Italian manufacturer Artemide has released the popular Tolomeo desk lamp in an INTEGRALIS® version, which effectively combats pathogens.

Daan Roosegaarde of Studio Roosegaarde discusses connecting with our environment by removing design: ‘I realised we have this amazing light performance in the sky – the stars – but we don’t see them anymore.’ Watch the video to learn

Wherever it is applied, thoughtfully implemented lighting design holds the power to dramatically enhance our experience of architectural spaces – not least in our selection of recent cultural venue projects.

Vancouver-based Archilume's modular designs, boundary-shifting LED technology and bespoke solutions assist interior designers in adding shape as well as atmosphere to architectural spaces.

With our increasingly 24-hour lifestyles, exterior environments with the right type and level of light are a growing necessity in home, commercial and public spaces.

With winter drawing in across the northern hemisphere, Hudson Valley Lighting Group share tips on how to warm up homes with layered lighting and worn-in finishes.

Axel Schmid of Ingo Maurer discusses how new lighting technology is not only a benefit in itself, but also the source of new ideas, tools and possibilities. Watch to learn more...

With its two new colours, turquoise and orange, the Parentesi 50 lamp by Flos pays homage to its designers Achille Castiglioni and Pio Manzù – the latter of whom is known as the designer of the iconic Fiat 127...

It’s easy for enthusiasts and even professional designers to be dazzled by the blinding array of lights in various styles. Here are the main types of pendant light, and what they’re used for.

Pierre Jorge Gonzalez of Gonzalez Haase AAS talks about the role of light in the office of the future. Find out more in the video.

The poetry and pragmatism of light with Guillermo López of New York-based architecture office MAIO.

‘Light is the essence of architecture,’ say Oliver and Tobias Link of Tobias Link Lighting Design. Watch the video for more insights...

How can architects best enhance our experience of architecture once the sun has gone down? One sure solution is close collaboration with specialised lighting planners...

Commercial spaces must be enticing enough to pull people in, and comforting enough to keep them there. It’s this balance that makes the utilisation of technical lighting so important to master.

In 2022, we will once again be bringing together a diverse range of expert voices from the world of architecture, design and planning to share their valuable industry insights.

The exponential growth of LED and other technologies has made light even more biddable as an architectural element, as the latest crop of restaurants and museums demonstrate.

Sculptural luminaire WireLine by Italian manufacturer Flos, designed by design duo Formafantasma, illuminates larger spaces with its very own brand of dynamism.

‘The way to become a lighting designer is through being able to embrace darkness,’ says Michael Anastassiades. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

'Architects ask us as lighting designers for something, but sometimes it has to change their building,' says Lucas Goy of Les Éclaireurs. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

Occhio+ represents a broadening of the Occhio product portfolio into the larger contract sector, and, as such, is aimed explicitly at architects and planners.

Occhio's project service offers comprehensive, 360° support to clients – leaving no question unanswered when it comes to lighting design.

Greek manufacturer Bright Special Lighting produces lighting solutions as much as lighting fixtures, solutions that have helped shape metro stations, restaurants, hotel complexes, museums, airports the world over.

Planners looking to not only illuminate interiors, but rather achieve a sense of dramaturgy with ambient light, will find the right partner in Munich-based lighting specialist Occhio.

CTO Lighting celebrates the British craftsmanship and tradition at the core of its collections – and nowhere more so than in its new luminaire family named after Arthurian legend.

'Today, light is becoming almost like data. It's so well-connected to technology,' says Ben van Berkel from UNStudio. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

With minimal material thickness, the inLight concrete pendant luminaire – ingrau’s latest creation – achieves maximum impact.

When German firm LTG Lofts to go was looking for a lighting partner to take the interiors of its modular coodo mini-homes to the next level, it turned to the expert planners at Lampenwelt...

'Light creates the connection between our bodies and the architecture of built spaces,' says Ulrike Brandi. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

With a pandemic and quarantine to contend with, British lighting brand Joe Scog’s ethos of utilising existing components, handmade elements and waste materials wherever possible was again put to the test in the creation of its latest luminaire...

The versatile table luminaire JOKER by Regent Lighting provides targeted, glare-free light with manually adjustable colour temperatures – allowing people to create the lighting mood that's right for them. Watch the video to find out more.

Watch Ulrike Brandi from Ulrike Brandi Licht, UNStudio's Ben van Berkel, Lucas Goy of Les Éclaireurs, and lighting designer Michael Anastassiades!

Alongside collaborations with more established names, Dutch lighting brand Hollands Licht is a champion of emerging design talent, whose innovative, sculptural luminaires shine even before they’ve been switched on.

Barcelona-based brand Bover has the Mediterranean in its DNA and its decorative, versatile, robust lighting collections deliver smart solutions for spaces large or small, inside or out – preferably out: it’s Barcelona, after all.

Lighting plays a crucial role in modern office design, where smart, thoughtful approaches help create the holistic, dynamic, creative atmospheres demanded of these spaces.

Lucas Goy, director at Lyon-based lighting office les éclaireurs, discusses the specificity of his discipline, his company's approach and the future of the industry.

Counting the iconic Savoy and Dorchester hotels among its clients, CTO Lighting’s approach blends traditional values of quality and craftsmanship with a contemporary emphasis on sustainability and collaboration.

Find out what’s behind Regent Lighting’s pared-down Purelite Slim architectural lighting. (Spoiler: a whole lot of innovation and pioneering technology!)

Lighting design not only shapes interior spaces, it can also be deployed to lend form and narrative to external, architectural landscapes.

Ulrike Brandi, founder of the eponymous lighting-design consultancy, discusses the relation between light and architecture – and where she sees it heading.

Swiss manufacturer REGENT LIGHTING’s Milano Slim luminaire is plain perfection, bringing shadow-free light into offices and classrooms with a reserved elegance.

Swiss lighting specialists REGENT LIGHTING's new rollable diffuser RUN+ finally makes uninterrupted, joint-free lighting planning possible. Nothing's going to stop us now.

It is not for nothing that light is considered the fourth dimension of architecture. Lighting specialist Occhio knows all about its power, managing to enliven even cold, black concrete with its luminaire systems.

Munich-based company OCCHIO has been revolutionising the light in our rooms for 20 years – systematically, brightly, with future-oriented technologies towards a new culture of light. And that’s only the beginning.