Blogs Winter 2013

31-12-2013

Wonders of the Modern Age ...

Every once in a while it does you good to stop, re-focus, and say "Coo - Would You Look At That!".
In terms of design tools this has been the year of SketchUp. If ever there's been a simple tool to knock ideas back and forth between consultants and clients, its this little freebie. 
Of course, not being content to put 3D design sketches together in a fraction of the time (and cost!) that's its been possible to do before, those architects and good friends at Morgan Carey Architects went and got the latest plug-in . . . with stupendous results!
And all I asked was, do you think we can replicate reflections of lighting in a darkened window.

Thank you LUXLive!

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Another stonking exhibition with loads going on and lots of friends to catch up with. And here's your chance to share my day at LUXLive -  courtesy of that Visionary of the Video, Drew Warner and Moonstruck Films. 

But there's just one thing I don't understand . . .

One of the things that aways strikes me - its just that I don't usually do anything about it, is the gulf between the technial and aesthetic knowledge that exists within the professional lighting industry and the woeful way that we share that knowledge with everyone else. 
To most people, low-energy lighting is still poor, LED lighting is an expensive waste of time and effort, and ....... what's to be done?? 
Its as if lighting people don't live in the same world as everyone else. I'm here to tell you that is NOT TRUE.

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What's happening is that the industry prefers to talk to itself, while somewhere in the back of the building there's an unmarked door where information leaks out while noone's looking.
 Let me be the first (this week, at any rate) to try to do something about it. 
I'm re-visiting my 'Lighting Talk for the Home' section with a new piece on The Basics of Basics.
I hope you like it.

 But what about the Gas Mantles?

Sherborne en-fete as Hollywood comes to town.

Thomas Vinterberg is the latest director to attempt to pin down the depressive ouevre that is Thomas Hardy and "Far From the Madding Crowd" is on location AS I WRITE.
Yes, everyone's making their way to the Abbey to take a close look at the set designers' efforts to re-create Victorian Sherborne for the cameras (not a real stretch, given that the town is still living in the 19th century - but an exercise for fun and profit, I'm sure).

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Victorian shop signs have been created, and some of the period goods in the the windows look suspicously like some of the stuff on offer further up the street.
But what about the street lights - eh - eh?
While I don't get too excited about alumimium extruded lighting columns instead of the  cast iron originals (what kind of obsessive do you think I am) - I am REALLY worried about the assumption that the inverted gas mantle was being used in 1874 Dorset - when it didn't make an appearance until 1897, courtesy of Mr. Kent of America (not Clark, obviously, but possibly his step-grandpappy?)
Come on, you Hollywood people - let's see a bit more accuracy here!

Meanwhile in 'Sustainable Lighting'

What We Did This Summer

My latest contribution to what's going on with Sustainable Practices, the world of lighting manufacturing and building construction can be read HERE.

More information about me and LUX magazine:

"The Life and Times of the LED"

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The first in a new series of articles on the LED: what it is, where it comes from, what it does, and how to get rid of it when its done.
I'll be asking questions about the real sustainabiilty of this amazing new light source.
First article in the October issue of the magazine.

LUXLIVE exhibition

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What happens if you say 'Whatever' to an exhibition organiser is that they take over your day. So, on Wednesday 20th November, you can see taking part in:  
"The Cool Wall - LED form factors" in the Lux Arena at 10.40am, which apparently involves deciding whether new LED light fittings are 'cool' or not.
What Larks!
"Lighting Spy Live" also in the Lux arena at 11.40am, which will be an excoriating attack on inefficient lighting (it says here)
"Named and Shamed" again in the Lux Arena at 4.25pm, which will take a light-hearted look at Britain's worst lit buildings.
Do I sense a theme running through these sessions?
I must speak to my legal team.

Apart from that, there are plans for filimg a video diary of my day at the exhibition - lifting the lid on the wacky world that is architectural lighting.

Hope to see you there.

Other Stories from this Blog

A (very) basic guide to ethical specification
Lighting design: it's a client thing
Calculating obtrusive light: whose job is it?
When there's nothing in the catalogue
When is a chandelier not a pendant? When its a lantern!
When clients learn too much . . .
One of our details is missing
Where will light fittings come from?
The end of the light bulb?
Always something new . . . again
Always something new . . .
Combining old and new
On being in the dark . . .
Riffing The Internet of Things

RIBA CPD in 2015

Here are the links to my event calendars

Events

Published Articles

CONDUIT (6) - Lighting for Winter Gardens
CONDUIT 5: Home Lighting - LED Lighting (2)
FX Magazine: Lighting Focus - Sustainability (Issue 258)
CONDUIT 4: Home Lighting - LED Lighting (1)
Can Smart Lighting Save The Planet?
CONDUIT 3: Home Lighting - The Bathroom
Can Lighting Save Us From Ourselves . . . NO!
CONDUIT 2: Home Lighting - The Dining Room
 
Read More

Blogs

PUBLISHED ARTICLES
BLOGS - LIGHTING DESIGN
HOME LIGHTING CONSULTANT
BLOGS - CPD RIBA CORE PROGRAMME 2015
BLOGS - SUSTAINABILITY
BLOGS - LIGHTING HEALTH AND WELLBEING