Light Headed: A VLD Community Podcast

By VLD CommunityTechnology Arts Design

Light Headed: A VLD Community Podcast episodes

October 03, 2023 Bitesize Clip: Jonathan Rush | Future Tools: AI, VR, Metaverses, Blockchains & Digital Twins | LD for the Future
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Enjoy this bitesize clip, a taste of what our thought leaders are sharing with our community this season.
Jonathan Rush is an architectural lighting designer with over 20 years’ experience. He believes that human beings have a physiological and emotional response to light that we must understand to create engaging experiences. He is passionate about our ecology and creating a kinder society.
As a Director in Hoare Lea, he drives the team to ensure that all design outputs are challenging and innovative.
For him lighting is an amazing medium for art and design and one that can provide the most incredible experiences in architecture – putting people and ecology at the heart of design.
He is a fellow of the Society of Light & Lighting, has a Masters in Light & Lighting and is an active participant in the lighting design industry.
Future Tools: AI, VR, Metaverses, Blockchains & Digital Twins
The talk will look at a small selection the potential tools that may transform how the lighting industry works in the future. Things have changed and are changing fast, and we should expect greater change to come. It would be impossible to make accurate predictions about what will come but we can look at the currently technologies available and consider their potential uses in our industry.
The big questions of our industry moving forward such as, Net Zero, sustainability, investment pressures, ESG, and similar, can be supported by our clever use of technology in both the product and the design process.
What can we do as professionals and as an industry to ensure we are keeping up with the technology? How can we ensure we are driving the change as opposed to being driven? Is it time to learn new skills?
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9 min
September 29, 2023 Fanny Soulard | Conversations with Industry Luminaries at GILE 2023
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Introducing Fanny Soulard: A One-on-One Conversation with a Senior Lighting Designer at Aurecon
In a recent post, we had the privilege of sharing Fanny Soulard's enlightening keynote presentation on light pollution from the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition in China in June 2023. Following the positive response to her thought-provoking talk, VLDC was fortunate enough to have an exclusive interview with Fanny Soulard. This one-on-one conversation provided an opportunity to delve deeper into her professional journey and learn more about her notable achievements.
“It’s very important when we are commissioning a project to not just stick with the concept. We should continually question and check whether we can improve always a little bit.” — Fanny Soulard
For those who may not be familiar, Fanny Soulard, a French native, is a senior lighting designer at Aurecon, based in Vietnam. With a passion for sustainable lighting solutions and a wealth of expertise in the field, Fanny has made significant contributions to the industry.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of Fanny's background and accomplishments, you can refer to the previous post, which contains her background as well as her keynote presentation on light pollution and the impact of excessive misdirected and obtrusive light.
Stay tuned as we delve into Fanny Soulard's insights, experiences, and perspectives in this exclusive interview, allowing us to get to know her a little better.
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25 min
September 26, 2023 Fanny Soulard | Light Pollution and the Impact of Excessive, Misdirected and Obtrusive Light | Presented at GILE 2023
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Join us as we dive into the world of light pollution with Fanny Soulard, a senior lighting designer at Aurecon based in Vietnam. With her extensive experience and expertise in the field, Fanny will be presenting on the topic of "Light Pollution and the Impact of Excessive, Misdirected, and Obtrusive Light".
“Light pollution is not a ‘tomorrow’ concern anymore. The effects of light pollution are directly linked to a long list of issues extending to health and wellbeing, safety and the environment.” — Fanny Soulard
In her presentation, Fanny will shed light on the detrimental effects of light pollution on people's health and well-being, safety, and the environment. She will take us on a virtual tour of a major bank project in Vietnam, which unfortunately struggled with issues of light pollution. Fanny will also share insights on how her team successfully remedied these issues, providing practical solutions and strategies.
The presentation was recorded at the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition in China in June 2023, a renowned event that brings together professionals from the lighting industry to showcase the latest innovations and share knowledge.
We are excited to share this insightful presentation from Fanny Soulard with our Virtual Lighting Design Community audience. Get ready to expand your understanding of light pollution and discover how you can make a positive impact through mindful lighting design.
A Bit of Background — About Fanny Soulard:
Fanny, a French native, holds a Master's degree in Applied Art, which has laid the foundation for her successful career in lighting design. Throughout her journey, she has worked for various companies in different countries, gaining valuable experience and honing her skills. Fanny specialises in sustainable projects, particularly in public transportation and rail development. Her focus lies in creating safe and efficient lighting spaces, while also adding a unique touch to give each site its own identity.
One project that Fanny is particularly proud of is her involvement in a hospital project early in her career. By incorporating light, she was able to significantly improve the well-being and mood of the patients.
However, Fanny has also encountered challenges along the way. One of the biggest challenges she has faced is training junior designers with different backgrounds and cultures, highlighting the importance of collaboration and understanding in the field.
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17 min
September 23, 2023 Bitesize Clip: Mahdis Aliasgari | Lighting the Path to Spatial Engagements | Immersive Experiences
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In this short bitesize clip of Mahdis' presentation "Lighting the Path to Spatial Engagements", she explores the definition of interactive and immersive spaces whilst taking a quick look at applications and the future of such spaces. From anti-interactive installations to healing spaces, what we seek is unique experimental engagements to fabricate memories.
Mahdis Aliasgari studied Architecture in Tehran/IR and gained her Master's at the Art & Architecture University in Tehran. She continued her studies on Lighting Design and graduated from KTH University in Stockholm/SE with a Master’s degree in 2013. Mahdis also worked as a research assistant at The Interactive Institute of Sweden (RISE) in Stockholm, where she explored Design Anthropology, Participatory Design, and Social Innovation, which has had a significant influence on her field of research and her design career.
In 2015, she joined Lighting Design Collective Madrid as a lighting designer and design researcher. She has been involved in a wide variety of lighting design projects in different countries as well as an EU-founded Horizon2020 research program. Since 2019 she has started collaborating with IED Madrid (Instituto Europeo de Design) on a Master’s course in Creative Lighting Design.
Mahdis is interested in how the built/designed world can influence the way people engage with each other. This can be from a micro scale linked with product design to the macro scale of urban planning.
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9 min
September 22, 2023 🔒 Lighting the Path to Spatial Engagements - Mahdis Aliasgari | Lighting for Immersive & Interactive Experiences
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Mahdis Aliasgari studied Architecture in Tehran/IR and gained her Master's at the Art & Architecture University in Tehran. She continued her studies on Lighting Design and graduated from KTH University in Stockholm/SE with a Master’s degree in 2013. Mahdis also worked as a research assistant at The Interactive Institute of Sweden (RISE) in Stockholm, where she explored Design Anthropology, Participatory Design, and Social Innovation, which has had a significant influence on her field of research and her design career.

In 2015, she joined Lighting Design Collective Madrid as a lighting designer and design researcher. She has been involved in a wide variety of lighting design projects in different countries as well as an EU-founded Horizon2020 research program. Since 2019 she has started collaborating with IED Madrid (Instituto Europeo de Design) on a Master’s course in Creative Lighting Design.

Mahdis is interested in how the built/designed world can influence the way people engage with each other. This can be from a micro scale linked with product design to the macro scale of urban planning.

Her presentation - Lighting the Path to Spatial Engagements - explores the definition of interactive and immersive spaces whilst taking a quick look at applications and the future of such spaces. From anti-interactive installations to healing spaces, what we seek is unique experimental engagements to fabricate memories.
Learn more about our community by visiting www.vld.community

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24 min
September 19, 2023 Kevan Shaw | Lighting for Health & Wellbeing | Presented at GILE 2023
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As one of the keynote speakers at the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition in China held in June 2023, we are delighted to present Kevan Shaw's presentation on "Lighting for Health and Wellbeing" with our VLDC audience.
“We’ve leapt into this idea that changing the colour appearance and intensity of light over the course of the day will always be beneficial. My thinking on this is that for many ,if not all, architectural applications we may only be creating a theatrical effect and apparent impacts become merely phycological.” — Kevan Shaw
About Kevan Shaw:
For more than four decades, Kevan Shaw has been deeply entrenched in the field of lighting. Throughout a significant portion of his career, he has spearheaded his own independent lighting design practice in Edinburgh, which has garnered numerous accolades. Renowned for their cutting-edge approach to technology and ingenious problem-solving abilities, Shaw's practice operates across diverse projects.
Shaw's involvement in European lighting regulation spans over a decade, during which he served as a consultant to the European Commission, effectively disseminating regulatory outcomes within the lighting community. Additionally, he has imparted his knowledge and expertise in lighting education, teaching at institutions such as Hoschule Wismar and Edinburgh Napier University.
His substantial contributions to the profession have earned him distinguished recognition, including the prestigious Lighting Designer of the Year award in 2013 at the Lux Awards. Furthermore, he was honored with a LIT Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and was elected to the IALD College of Fellows in 2019. Given his remarkable achievements, we are privileged to have him contribute to the VLDC platform.
More by Kevan Shaw on VLDC:
Lighting Technology: Then and Now
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18 min
September 12, 2023🔒 Thomas Schielke: When Cities Call For Social Change at Night | Lighting for Social Inclusion
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The increased urgency of ecological, social and political issues across the planet has incited artists and activists in many countries to reflect on how to make their strategies of interventions more effective. The use and adaptation of new technologies plays an important role in these efforts.

In this context, light and its wide scope of applications has particularly attracted the attention of artists, intellectuals, protesters, activists and other politically engaged citizens. Aware of the power of striking still and moving images to cause people to watch, listen and read, they have been desirous to make use of the manifold technical capabilities of light technology to get wider media attention, whether it be the legacy press and TV channels or social media communication. In recent years, a staggering variety of new forms of using light to create attention and communicate messages has emerged.

The smart use of light to enhance protests was already visible in the Occupy Wall Street protests of 2011/12 and has become increasingly noticeable in recent demonstrations regarding climate change, democracy, Black Lives Matter or the LGBT movement. Artists like Robin Bell, Jenny Holzer, Dustin Klein, The Illuminator collective, Joanie Lemercier and Delight Lab have created projects in the recent years to address the pressing social, ecological and political issues that roil societies from North and South America to Europe and beyond.

More by Thomas Schielke on VLDC:
"Illuminated Minds That Made A Difference", The Art of Lighting Design

About Thomas Schielke:
Thomas Schielke studied architecture at the University of Technology in Darmstadt, Germany, completing a doctorate in engineering (Dr-Ing) at the same institution.

Thomas works as an editor for the lighting manufacturer ERCO, where he teaches lighting workshops and is currently designing an extensive online guide for architectural lighting. He is the co-author of two books: Light Perspectives – between culture and technology (2009, with Martin Krautter) and SuperLux – Smart Light Art, Design & Architecture for Cities (2015, with Davina Jackson), and has published numerous articles on lighting design and technology.

Thomas has also lectured at a number of American and European universities, including Harvard GSD, MIT, Columbia GSAPP and ETH Zurich. His regular column “Light Matters” in ArchDaily discusses various aspects of architectural lighting.
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26 min
September 08, 2023 Bitesize Clip: Paulina Villalobos - Words to Design Light and Protect the Night | the Night Sky
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Special bitesize edition of Paulina Villalobos's presentation which is available to our premium subscribers. For a visual experience, visit our YouTube channel to view this clip. The full video version is available to our Pro Members on our online community platform members.vld.community. Consider joining our thriving community for lighting professionals and enthusiasts alike.
About Paulina:
Paulina hails from the Atacama Desert in Chile–the driest, brightest, and
starriest place on Earth. She is an Architect of the University of Chile. Master of Architectural Lighting Design, Technological University of Wismar, Germany. Lighting Designer, Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Sweden and Expert in Urban Connectivity, by United Nation Centre of Regional Development, Nagoya, Japan.
In 2005 she founded DIAV, an Architectural Lighting Design practice based in Santiago, Chile, and developed Conceptual Design for Singapore for Otto Lighting Solutions. Her lighting design work has been awarded in Europe, Asia, and America.
In 2012 Paulina founded Noche Zero, an initiative to change the paradigm for urban lighting planning, promoting the importance of lighting design and incorporating ecology, human health, and light pollution control. Noche Zero received the IDA Dark Sky Defender Award in 2012 (USA) and was nominated for the Award at large in PLDC Copenhagen. In 2018 received the national award for innovation “Dora Riedel” given for the first time by the Chilean Architectural National Association. Also her designs has received twice the design innovation award Avonni.
She is currently a lighting design professor for post-graduate programs,
and is recognized as an enthusiastic speaker. She has spoken at many
conferences, classes, and seminars worldwide, such as the opening
session for the Light+Building Guangzhou. Additionally, Paulina is the
editor of the lighting chapter for the guide of sustainable public spaces for
Chile (Chilean Chamber of Construction, Ministry of Urban Planning), a
consultant for the new regulation of interior lighting in Chile, and current
consultant for regulatory review of outdoor lighting in Chile (Ministry of
Energy). As a team member of Tanteidan (Japan) made urban lighting
workshop for the 2030 Lighting Master Plan for Shenzhen.
Paulina's passion for light and darkness has led her to work with different initiatives such as 4ma, International Dark Sky Association, Noche Zero and others. Here she shows us her activist side, where Paulina discusses why she thinks good lighting design and protecting the night sky can go hand-in-hand. Most importantly, in this presentation, she shares with us some new words to bridge the gap in really understanding lighting concepts and how they relate to light and darkness.
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13 min
September 06, 2023 Bringing to Light: Waleed Fakousa (the interview) | Lighting Heroes Series
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Introducing Waleed Fakousa: A Lighting Hero with a Heart of Gold
Welcome to the Virtual Lighting Design Community's Lighting Heroes Series, "Bringing to Light". In this edition, we had the privilege of sitting down with Waleed Fakousa, Principal at CD+M's Lighting Studio and The Lighting Institute in Dubai.
We were fortunate enough to grab some time with Waleed to get to know the person behind the talent.
“Time is more precious than anything else; more than money or success. It’s the one thing you really don’t have much control of. So make the most of it!”
Here is a link back to this earlier post where David Gilbey graciously endows Waleed as Lighting Hero no. 8. A great one to revisit.
We recap some of it here:
‘Waleed Fakousa is not just a legendary lighting designer; he is a man whose heart is as remarkable as his talent. When evaluating a lighting hero, it is easy to focus solely on their skill and expertise. While that is undoubtedly important, it is the combination of talent and humility that truly sets someone apart. Waleed embodies both qualities effortlessly, making him a worthy recipient of this accolade.
As the Director of CD+M's Dubai office, Waleed leads one of the most successful lighting design teams in the Middle East. His accomplishments are no small feat, yet he approaches his work with boundless creativity, unwavering determination, and a perpetual smile on his face. Waleed makes it all seem effortless.
In the world of lighting design, talent is often measured by the quality of one's work. However, to truly measure a person, we must look beyond their professional achievements and into the depths of their character. Waleed Fakousa's immense heart and genuine humility make him a true hero in every sense of the word. It is with great honour and admiration that we salute Waleed Fakousa for his remarkable contributions to the lighting industry.’
More by Waleed Fakousa on VLDC:
Finding Your X-Factor
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57 min
September 01, 2023 Frank Agraz | Conversations with Industry Luminaries at IESANZ Sydney 2023
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We recently had the privilege of interviewing the esteemed President of IES North America, Frank Agraz, at the prestigious IESANZ Light in Focus Event in Sydney! 🌟
👨‍💼 Frank Agraz has a wealth of experience and expertise under his belt. As the President of IES North America, he has been instrumental in shaping the future of the lighting industry, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainable lighting practices.
In our interview with VLDC’s Amardeep Dugar, he shared his insights of the next big thing in lighting, which was the theme of this year's event in Sydney. A great listen right to the end.
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17 min

About Light Headed: A VLD Community Podcast

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Where is lighting headed next? Every fortnight, the four founders of the Virtual Lighting Design Community pick the stories shaping the world of light and argue about what they really…

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Light Headed: A VLD Community Podcast

Light Headed: A VLD Community Podcast episodes

About Light Headed: A VLD Community Podcast