April 16, 2025

Episode 16: Handcrafting Light

54 minutes

How did the Smithsonian cut lighting energy usage by 80% while actually improving visibility and preservation?

Tune in as Avi Mor and Lisa Reed speak with Scott Rosenfeld, lighting designer at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery. Scott shares his 30-year journey from theater lighting to museum environments, revealing how he "handcrafts" light for 5,000 luminaires across 125,000 square feet. We explore the critical intersection of technology and artistry, as Scott details how he's reduced energy consumption by 80% while improving quality through innovative LED implementations and sophisticated control systems.

The discussion delves into the profound impact of thoughtful lighting design on museum experiences, from commissioning challenges to long-term maintenance. Scott has even collaborated with the Department of Energy, and explains the integration of lighting with IT infrastructure, and introduces the iPOP framework for understanding visitor experiences. Lighting shapes human perception, emotional responses, and accessibility—revealing that lighting truly matters in creating meaningful environments for diverse audiences.

In This Episode:

(00:00) Introduction to Scott Rosenfeld, lighting designer at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery

(11:17) Handcrafted lighting - Scott's philosophy on serving the material with precisely focused light and creating dynamic museum experiences

(14:40) The architecture of museum lighting - managing 5,000 luminaires, color tuning capabilities, and strategic angle placement

(17:32) Commissioning challenges - control systems, manufacturer inconsistencies, and the imperative of on-site adjustments, Scott's unique perspective after 30 years at the Smithsonian and collaborations with DOE

(23:30) Real-time lighting design excellence - the critical importance of hands-on focusing and the power of physical adjustments

(30:14) Designing for diverse visual abilities, reducing consumption from five watts to under one watt per square foot while improving quality

(35:21) The convergence of lighting and IT - managing complex Bluetooth BLE systems with seven-day, 24-hour support requirements

(46:31) Intuitive control interface design - balancing user simplicity with backend complexity and avoiding generic implementations, inhabiting spaces mentally and physically to create meaningful lighting experiences

(54:00) The iPOP framework - understanding how visitors approach museums through Ideas, People, Objects and Physical experiences

(58:25) Scott’s favorite podcast recommendation - Design Matters

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About the show:
Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with technical precision, and listen as they share their successes and challenges in architectural lighting design.

Resources:
Design Matters Podcast https://designmattersmedia.com/
Smithsonian American Art Museum https://www.si.edu/museums/american-art-museum
Scott Rosenfeld LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-rosenfeld-fies-77b84412/
Smithsonian Institution https://www.si.edu/
[email protected]
Lighting Matters Podcast Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/lighting-matters-podcast/
Lighting Matters Podcast YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLkEKnB8XgSXoeDY0T8t3w
Lisa Reed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-j-reed-b198154/
Reed Burkett Lighting Design http://www.rbldi.com
Avraham Mor https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrahammor/
Morlights https://www.morlights.com/