LEDucation opens Call for Speakers for 2027 event
(USA) – LEDucation is now accepting speaker proposals for its expanded educational programme for 2027. The conference will feature virtual sessions on 8-9 April, followed by in-person presentations during the three-day LEDucation event on 13-15 April at the New York Hilton Midtown.
“With LEDucation 2027 expanding to three days, attendees will have more opportunities than ever to gain industry knowledge, connect, and earn continuing education credits,” said Presentations Co-Chair Craig Fox. “The additional day allows us to deliver an even broader range of educational content and perspectives.”
Presentations Co-Chair Shaun Fillion added: “With an expanded programme, we are especially eager to welcome fresh voices, innovative ideas, and practical insights. We encourage lighting professionals, designers, architects, engineers, and industry partners to submit proposals that will inspire meaningful conversations and provide valuable takeaways for our attendees.”
Organisers welcome proposals from both first-time and returning presenters. Sessions should address timely issues and emerging trends within the lighting industry through educational, non-commercial presentations. Topics may include emerging technologies, best practices, innovative design strategies, and real-world case studies.
LEDucation is seeking presentations on the following topics:
- Sustainability and material transparency
- Codes and compliance issues
- Lighting for health and wellbeing
- Lighting design tools, communication, metrics, and methodologies
- The business of lighting in different market sectors
- Emerging LED, OLED, and controls technologies
- Case studies of lighting design applications.
- Lighting design and specification topics
Prospective presenters are encouraged to review presentations from previous conferences to better understand the scope, format, and calibre of educational content featured at LEDucation.
To preserve the educational integrity of the conference, organisers have advised that proposals from marketing firms, third-party lead generation organisations, life coaches, business coaches, motivational speakers, or keynote speakers will not be considered.
By presenting at LEDucation 2027, speakers will help shape meaningful conversations and contribute to one of the lighting industry's most respected educational programmes.
The deadline for submissions for the programme is 15 September, 2026. More information can be found online at www.leducation.org/call-for-speakers
Oculus Light Studio acquires CD+M Lighting Design Group Americas
(USA) – Los Angeles-based Oculus Light Studio has announced the acquisition of the Americas division of CD+M Lighting Design Group, initially founded in 1986 as City Design Group.
With a rich portfolio of award-winning projects spanning across a combined four decades the designers at both Oculus and CD+M have contributed their expertise across the hospitality, retail, commercial, leisure, healthcare, and higher education sectors, amongst many others. This strategic partnership serves to strengthen the combined design acumen and creativity of both firms to expand its reach throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Archit Jain, Principal at Oculus Light Studio, said: “Bringing together the mutual talents of our two firms will unlock new opportunities for us to share unique skill sets and further develop our team’s professional capabilities. We are excited to integrate CD+M’s legacy of theatrical and architectural work with our own approaches to the field of lighting design.”
In addition to strengthening its presence in the Americas, Oculus Light Studio also intends to collaborate with the international division of CD+M to jointly pursue work in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. CD+M launched its MENA operations as a separately licensed studio in the UAE in 2007, and now has designers and technical teams based in Dubai, Cairo, and Milan.
Scott Hatton, also a Principal at Oculus Light Studio, added: “Each firm brings different perspectives on the practice of lighting design, both nationally and worldwide. We anticipate that this new relationship will position us to better respond to changing trends in the market and emerging technologies within the design and construction community, globally.”
Based in Atlanta, CD+M Lighting Design Group Managing Principal Ted Ferreira will continue to serve in a business development capacity in the combined practice, supporting both domestic and international clients.
www.oculuslightstudio.com
www.cdmlight.com
Zumtobel Group receives EcoVadis Platinum Rating
(UK) – The Zumtobel Group has been awarded the EcoVadis Platinum medal – the highest distinction from the independent sustainability rating platform – for the first time.
The Group has consistently been evaluated by EcoVadis since 2016, and has over the years progressed from Silver to Gold. By achieving Platinum status, Zumtobel Group now ranks among the top 1% of all companies assessed by the platform. The continuous improvement in the overall score reflects the lighting group’s sustainable development.
“The EcoVadis Platinum rating confirms the Zumtobel Group's consistently pursued path: for us, sustainability is not a single project, but an integral part of our business,” says Alfred Felder, CEO, Zumtobel Group. “This success is only possible thanks to the joint commitment of our teams and the continuous implementation of our sustainability strategy. At the same time, we see this award as an incentive to continue advancing our ambitions – in the interests of our customers and partners, our employees and the environment.”
Throughout its entire value chain, Zumtobel Group is implementing concrete measures with quantitative targets as part of its sustainability strategy – consisting of the Net-Zero, Circular Economy, and Partner of Choice goals. Regulatory frameworks, such as the ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards), under which the Zumtobel Group reports on its progress in sustainability, are a significant catalyst for creating transparency.
Founded in 2007, the independent sustainability rating platform EcoVadis has since been assessing companies’ performance in the areas of the environment, labour and human rights, sustainable procurement and ethics. The ratings are based on international sustainability standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact and ISO 26000. More than 175,000 companies from over 180 countries have already been assessed by EcoVadis.
New Managing Associate Principal at Available Light Raleigh
(USA) – Available Light has announced the promotion of Alex Fabozzi to Managing Associate Principal of its Raleigh, North Carolina studio.
“From the moment Alex joined the team in our New York studio, it was clear that his past experience in the entertainment industry was going to be a terrific engine for driving success at Available Light,” said Steven Rosen, CEO and Founder of Available Light. “As an excellent designer, mentor, software developer, business development aficionado, and more, Alex has contributed great things to our firm. When offered the opportunity to make the next career step by taking on the Raleigh studio, he did not flinch.”
Since joining Available Light in 2017, Fabozzi has had an impact on a wide range of diverse and successful projects. He has contributed to many notable museum exhibition and architectural projects, including the Milken Center for the Advancement of the American Dream, the International Spy Museum, Penn State University West 1 & 2 Engineering Buildings, La Nube STEAM Discovery Center, the renovation of Legislature Plaza in Nashville, and the Beth Israel Deaconess New Inpatient Building. Through these projects, Fabozzi has become one of the studio’s most trusted leaders.
“My family and I are thrilled about our move to Raleigh,” said Fabozzi. “I am excited to take on this new challenge, and look forward to building many new relationships in the southeast. The fantastic work we have done here is only the beginning.”
Flos appoints new CEO
(Italy) – Flos has announced the appointment of Pablo Illueca as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Having joined Flos in 2012 following extensive experience in the Automotive and Steel & Iron sectors, Illueca has held positions of increasing responsibility over time, progressing to senior leadership roles within the Group.
His journey at Flos began at Antares, a Valencia-based Group company specialising in high-end architectural lighting, and manufacturer of the Flos Architectural collection. He subsequently also took on the role of General Manager for the professional segment at subsidiary Flos US, making a significant contribution to the company’s development and success in the North American market.
In 2020, Illueca was appointed CEO of Antares. In this role, he distinguished himself through his expertise, strategic vision, and leadership, establishing himself as a key figure within the Flos Group at an international level.
Since 2022, Illueca has also served as Flos ESG Ambassador, making a consistent and tangible contribution to strengthening sustainability and social responsibility policies within the Flos B&B Italia Group.
In his new role, in line with the strategies of the Flos B&B Italia Group, led by Piero Gandini, Illueca will be responsible for leading Flos into a new phase of growth, in continuity with the brand’s strong identity, and its legacy of excellence in the world of design and lighting.
Of the appointment, Piero Gandini, Executive Chairman and Artistic Supervisor of the Flos B&B Italia Group, commented: “Pablo’s appointment as CEO of Flos is the natural outcome of the expertise, professionalism, and dedication to the brand he has demonstrated over the years. It gives me great pleasure to see him leading Flos through the next phase of evolution and growth.
“Pablo has a deep understanding of the company and the lighting industry, and has consistently proved outstanding leadership skills, as well as a deep understanding of our sector. I am confident that he will successfully navigate future challenges, further strengthening Flos’s position as a global leader in the world of design and lighting.”
www.flos.com
www.flosbebitaliagroup.com
Debut EuroShop Middle East postponed until 2027
(UAE) – The premiere of EuroShop Middle East in Dubai has been postponed until October 2027, organisers have announced.
The decision was made by Messe Düsseldorf and the Messe Düsseldorf Gulf Office to ensure the best possible environment for exhibitors, partners, and visitors. The postponement is intended to create optimal conditions for the successful launch of the new retail platform in the Middle East and to provide the international EuroShop community with stable and reliable framework conditions as well as the high standards associated with the international EuroShop portfolio. The teams at Messe Düsseldorf and the Messe Düsseldorf Gulf Office continue to work intensively on preparations for the event.
“EuroShop Middle East is a project of strategic importance to us and a significant step for the international further development of the EuroShop portfolio. This is precisely why we wish to realise the event in an environment that offers our exhibitors, partners and visitors maximum planning safety and optimal conditions for successful business,” explains Petra Cullmann, Executive Director Messe Düsseldorf. “We are convinced the postponement is the right step to make the event a success long term.”
EuroShop Middle East will now take place on 25-27 October 2027.
[d]arc discussions: Yorkshire Roses with Artin Light, TLWS, and Jamie House
https://vimeo.com/1203396224?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
In this edition of [d]arc discussions, Luke Artingstall, Founder and Director of Artin Light, Stuart Alexander, Founder of TLWS, and artist Jamie House talk to arc editor Matt Waring about the collaborative design process behind a new audiovisual installation in Barnsley, Yorkshire. Called the Yorkshire Roses, the project saw Artingstall, Alexander, and House work together to create an immersive, multi-sensory experience centred around three vast, artistic "Rose" structures.
During the conversation, the trio discuss the original concepts, how the design came together, the in-depth community consultations that took place, and how these consultations ultimately proved integral in shaping the design into something that the whole town could feel proud of.
Read more about this project in issue #152 of arc magazine here: https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/arc_152/78
www.artinlight.co.uk
www.tlws.studio
www.micantia.studio
Credits
Filmed and edited by [d]arc media
Photography: Adam Roberts
Additional video footage: Jamie House
Music: FMS Team (courtesy of www.free-stock-music.com)
Project Credits
Lighting Design: Artin Light
Content Creation: TLWS
Visual Artist: Jamie House
Sound Design: Matthew Williams, Hazard Media
Engineering: Stage One
Technical Production: DZA Technical
Mark Major to step down as Senior Partner of SMLA
(UK) – After 40 years of continuous practice, pioneering lighting designer Mark Major is stepping down as Senior Partner of Speirs Major Light Architecture (SMLA), the firm has announced. Taking effect from Friday 28 August, he will remain as a consultant to the practice.
Major co-founded SMLA, then known as Speirs and Major, in London with the late Jonathan Speirs in 1996. He then formed a partnership with Keith Bradshaw in 2010 to develop the studio, now known as Speirs Major Light Architecture.
Over his career, Major has achieved international recognition as both a pioneer and a leading voice in lighting design. Identifying as a ‘Light Architect’, he has shaped the experience of some of the world’s most significant buildings and public spaces after dark, with work ranging from modest interventions to the masterplanning of large urban areas. He has collaborated with many respected architects, landscape architects, and artists around the globe.
His impact on the built environment is particularly evident in London, where he has created many landmark lighting projects, including the Millennium Dome, Royal Festival Hall, Golden Jubilee Bridges, Terminal 5 Heathrow, 30 St Mary Axe, and Battersea Power Station. He has also been responsible for the re-lighting of the interiors of both St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.
His influence on urban development extends to major masterplans for King’s Cross and the Broadgate Estate, as well as pioneering lighting planning guidance for the City of London. He was the Lighting Design Advisor to the Olympic Delivery Authority for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for London 2012.
Elsewhere in the UK, his work includes projects ranging from re-lighting the exterior of Coventry Cathedral and the interior of Norwich Cathedral to the Macallan Distillery in Speyside. International projects include Terminal 2 Beijing Airport, Manhattan West in New York, and the Barangaroo development in Sydney. Most recently, he directed the lighting of the new Melbourne Metro.
Through his leadership, Major has been a passionate advocate for the sensitive use of light and darkness to enrich the experience of architecture and the public realm, helping to shape contemporary thinking in the field.
He has lectured extensively around the world, including the UK, Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle East, North and South America and Australia. He co-authored the best-selling ‘Made of Light – The Art of Light and Architecture’ and created ‘The Third Age of Light’ – an educational VR project that looked at the future of urban lighting.
Major’s generous sharing of knowledge through writing, education, and mentorship has significantly advanced the development and recognition of the lighting design profession, a commitment he will continue to pursue.
He remains a Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland and the International Association of Lighting Designers, and a Royal Designer for Industry.
Reflecting on his decision, Mark said: “I am immensely grateful to have had such a rich and rewarding time over the last four decades, fuelled by my enduring passion for light and architecture, and the pleasure of working with so many truly great people. While once a designer always a designer, I recognise that it is a good time for me to step back from the day-to-day of lighting practice.”
Mark will formally step down on Friday 28th August. Senior Partner Keith Bradshaw will continue to guide the studio’s creative ethos and strategic direction, supported by Partners Clementine Fletcher-Smith and Carrie Donahue Bremner.
Jules Fisher to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement Tony Award
(USA) – Fisher Marantz Stone (FMS) has announced that its founder, Jules Fisher, will receive the 2026 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
As a lighting designer, Fisher is widely considered the “gold standard” of the art form, conceiving and designing concurrently for Broadway, film, the music industry, and digital animation. His Broadway career spans more than 60 years, during which he has designed more than 100 plays and musicals. He has also been nominated 25 times and honoured with nine Tony Awards (three solo awards, and an additional six in collaboration with long-time design partner, Peggy Eisenhauer).
Among his celebrated Broadway designs are the original versions of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin, Ragtime, Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk, and Angels in America. Beyond Broadway, his innovations have illuminated live tours for the likes of the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Funkadelic and Whitney Houston.
Alongside his work in entertainment lighting, Fisher, together with Paul Marantz, in 1971 founded the award-winning architectural lighting firm, Jules Fisher & Paul Marantz (now FMS). Together, they designed lighting for such notable projects as Studio 54, the Washington Monument, The Park Avenue Armory, The National Gallery of London, David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Centre, Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall, and most recently, the Obama Presidential Center.
Notably, Fisher and his partners at FMS helped realise the iconic annual “Tribute in Light” at the National September 11th Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, New York.
Of the recognition, FMS says: “We are deeply honoured to celebrate Jules and this remarkable recognition of his life’s work. His vision helped shape the way we understand light – as something that gives depth to architecture, emotion to space, and a sense of magic to the built environment. His enduring curiosity and lifelong commitment to invention and experimentation established a culture of craft, care, and innovation that continues to guide our work today.”
HLB Lighting Design promotes Michael Lindsey to Principal
(USA) – HLB Lighting Design has announced the promotion of Michael Lindsey to Principal. Lindsey, who has been with the firm for nearly two decades, began his career at HLB as an intern, and has since grown into one of the studio’s most dedicated leaders – a trajectory that reflects HLB’s longstanding commitment to developing talent from within.
Over the course of his 19-year career at HLB, Lindsey has led lighting design efforts for a wide range of landmark projects. Notable work includes UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, the Hotel Bel Air Renovation, and the Seattle Convention Center Summit Building – a nine-year collaboration with LMN Architects.
He holds a leadership role at the firm’s Denver studio, where he is focused on deepening client relationships and expanding the firm’s presence in the Colorado market, and beyond.
“From the earliest stages of my career, I have considered myself an owner – of the design, the documentation, the client relationships,” Lindsey says. “This promotion is an affirmation of the firm’s desire to grow from within, and truly recognise those who have grown with it. I can’t wait to continue shaping the future of HLB alongside my peers.”
Lindsey credits the firm’s people-first culture as the reason he built his career at HLB. Having experienced the firm’s response to both the 2008 recession and the Covid-19 pandemic, first as an employee and later at an ownership level, he witnessed firsthand a leadership philosophy that prioritised protecting its people above all else. That same philosophy now drives his focus on mentoring the next generation of designers within the firm.
“Michael embodies the values that have defined HLB for more than 50 years,” adds Teal Brogden, Senior Principal and President of HLB. “His dedication to his clients, his teams, and the communities he serves has made a lasting impact on our firm. We are proud to welcome him to this next chapter of leadership.”
Parco Storico Bricherasio, Italy
At Parco Storico Bricherasio, light introduces a fifth season: the night.
Beyond spring, summer, autumn and winter, the lighting design of Parco Storico Bricherasio reveals a new temporal layer – one that does not alter the identity of the park, but gently uncovers it.
Located in Fubine Monferrato, around 60km east of Turin, within a UNESCO-listed landscape, the historic park has evolved over centuries from a medieval woodland into a refined 19th-century English garden, preserving a rich botanical and cultural heritage.
The project forms part of a wider public regeneration programme funded under the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), and has been developed within a defined regulatory framework, including national environmental criteria (CAM), regional legislation on light pollution, and heritage protection requirements.
Within this context, the lighting design approach, crafted by Marco Palandella and Roberto Corradini of LDW Studio, embraces constraint as a driver of quality. Rather than limiting creative intent, regulation becomes a framework through which light is shaped with precision, responsibility and clarity.
The lighting strategy from LDW Studio therefore adopts a restrained and respectful language, using warm white light (3000K) throughout, with no colour effects, in order to preserve the historical and natural character of the site.
The nocturnal experience unfolds as a gradual journey through the park, symbolically retracing the historic route once taken by Countess Sofia Cacherano di Bricherasio as she approached the castle by carriage. Light becomes a narrative device, guiding visitors along this path and revealing the landscape in sequences, echoing a slow, processional movement through space.
In this way, the project does not simply illuminate a path – it re-enacts a historical gesture.
At the entrance, brick gate columns are gently modelled through grazing light, enhancing their materiality while maintaining visual comfort. The main avenue is defined by a sequence of low-level luminaires that provide a soft, rhythmic illumination, carefully integrated with the surrounding vegetation. Deeper within the park, discreet projectors highlight trees of varying scale, contributing to a layered perception of the landscape and reinforcing spatial hierarchies.
Architectural elements, such as stone arches along the ascending path to the castle, are revealed with subtle recessed lighting, while bollards and step lights ensure safe and legible circulation. The composition culminates with the castle itself, whose tower emerges as a distant focal point within the nocturnal scene.
Sustainability is embedded in every design decision. Developed in dialogue with the University of Turin, the project takes into account the photoperiodic responses of plant species, ensuring that artificial lighting does not interfere with the biological rhythms of the park’s vegetation.
Light distribution is carefully controlled to minimise upward emission and reduce light pollution, with upward-facing luminaires switched off after midnight and adaptive lighting strategies applied across pathways. These measures ensure compliance with environmental regulations while supporting the ecological balance of the park and reducing energy consumption.
At the same time, the intervention enhances the accessibility of the park after dark, making it not only a destination for visitors, but a living and inclusive space for the local community of Fubine.
In this project, creativity does not oppose regulation – it finds its most refined expression within it. The result is a lighting intervention that is both expressive and measured, capable of enhancing the perception of the landscape without altering its essence.
In this way, the park does not simply become visible at night – it becomes complete. Night emerges as its fifth season: a quiet, coherent and atmospheric dimension that reveals the site in a new, yet deeply respectful way.
www.lightingdesign-workshop.com
Project Credits:
Client: Comune di Fubine Monferrato
Lighting Design: Marco Palandella, Roberto Corradini; LDW Studio, Italy
Landscape Design: GMP Studio Alessandria, Italy
Scientific Support: University of Turin (DISAFA)
Lighting Specified: Cree, LEDvance, L&L Luce&Light
Photography: Alessio Tamborini
Clear Lighting - Swaylux 9261
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