Lighting Design

  By Maggie Swift, CEO at Unframed Digital Lighting specifiers are no longer discovering products the way manufacturers expect them to. In 2026, architects, designers, and engineers are doing the majority of their product research independently – online, on demand, and often long before a trade show visit or a conversation with a sales representative [...]

By Adam Reeder, President at LightArt and Vice President at 3form For years, the lighting industry has pursued two parallel paths: advancing technical and wellness-focused performance and exploring expressive, sculptural forms. What was once treated as a choice between aesthetics and function has increasingly become an integrated conversation fueled by curiosity and experimentation. Now more [...]

  By Valeria Palacios Klein CLD, Senior Lighting Designer at Coastal Source When people hear the phrase colored lighting in outdoor spaces, it’s likely they immediately think of bold, oversaturated hues that feel more theatrical, even gauche, than refined. But color-tunable lighting (often referred to in the industry as RGBW) has evolved dramatically. Today’s advanced [...]

  By Brent Protzman, Director of Product Management at Lutron Electronics The way we design and use commercial real estate has undergone a fundamental shift. Spaces that were once almost exclusively cubicles and private offices must now adapt to hybrid work models, evolving technology, sustainability mandates, and heightened occupant expectations. Looking forward, the buildings that [...]

  Contemporary water feature lighting merges art and technology to create immersive outdoor and architectural experiences. In 2025, designers are using dynamic lighting systems to enhance fountains, waterfalls, ponds, and interactive public installations, emphasizing both ecological sensitivity and emotional impact. The focus has shifted from static illumination to dynamic scenes that translate the character of [...]

By Kris Gjini, Enterprise Solutions Architect, Cooper Lighting Solutions The Unseen Backbone of the Digital Economy Data centers are the unseen backbone of our modern lives. Every email, video stream, online transaction, and cloud-based tool relies on their continuous operation. These facilities are engineered with a relentless focus on uptime and performance. Yet in the [...]

  The IES has approved seven new or revised lighting standards:   BSR/IES LP-30 Lighting Practice: A Comprehensive Guide to Specifying Color Rendition – Concepts, Criteria, and Implementation This Lighting Practice document provides guidance that bridges the gap between the science and practice of specifying the color rendering ability, i.e., color rendition, of white light sources. [...]

  RAB Design is a lighting manufacturer based in Toronto, Canada (not to be confused with RAB in the US). One of their interesting products is their Snap N’Link Series Modular Light Bars that allow “LEGO-like” easy assembly, with flexible connectors, to create endless shape possibilities. Features include: Sturdy aluminum housing. Frosted polycarbonate lens that [...]

  This is my latest article in LD+A Magazine’s September issue. Indian Community School’s lighting retrofit stands as a testament to the power of design in educational environments. Located in Franklin, WI, the school’s original lighting, while functional, failed to honor the architectural language of the building and did not meet the dynamic needs of [...]