Age and wisdom
Singapore, 3rd November 2009
As we are all supposed to grow older and wiser, the question arises if there should be a time where lighting designers should consider retiring. Lighting design is very much a matter of experience and passion, so it seems that as time progresses we become better and better…..we become vintage designers, so to speak.
It was a pleasure to listen to William Lam’s acceptance speach and his wise words upon being confered the life time achievement award for his lighting design work at the PLDC gala dinner. However I would venture to say that as we grow older we generally become less flexible in our ways of designing, relying more and more on proven concepts and lighting technologies. We are gradually “rusting” in our comfortable routines and it becomes more and more difficult to be open for new innovations, new ideas and accept that things that have always worked for you may have been overtaken by new technologies and common public acceptance.
I believe that in our profession we can continue working as long as we have our mind,faculties and more specifically our senses, working well. I don’t think there is really an age limit if we are passionate about what we do. But it takes wisdom to understand that with age we may have to accept that the new generation are the leaders of tomorrow. Hence the roles of the “elderly statesmen” of lighting design should shift to that of mentor and role model.
Circadian Passport
Singapore, Monday 2nd November 2009
As I travelled back from Germany to Singapore I was pondering on all the informative and exciting presentations that I attended at the PLDC in Berlin. One of the prime topics was obviously the increased relevance of lighting in relation to our circadian rhythms. One of the presenters mentioned that nowadays we spend about 60% of our lives under artificial lighting! If that is not a reason to make sure that our lighting designs consider the needs of our biological clock! It has become clear that the circadian system has a peak sensitivity in the blue end ( around 480nm) of the spectrum, while our visual system responds best around the 555nm area of the spectrum. Our circdian rhythms seem to vary over time and age and it probably varies from person to person as well.
As I went through the emigration I could not help but think that maybe in the future we all carry our own “circadian passport” which contains our personal biological “blue print” (how appropriate the term “blue print” now seems!) As the immigration officer glances through your passport he says: Please take the blue (light) channel on the way out!:)
Far fetched?
PS note, as I travel through different time zones, it looks like my laptop is at times confused and shows a different date, but this is my Monday 2nd November entry
“Vorsprung durch technik”
Berlin, Sunday 1st Novemeber 2009
On my last day in Germany it is probably fitting to use this well known slogan, used by German carmaker Audi in their advertisements. It loosely translates as “being ahead through (or because of)technology”. We had the PLDC gala dinner last night at the old Berlin Convention Hall and it struck me how modern lighting technology was introduced in the old building space, which looked to be a great heritage example of the past glory of German architecture. The big and majestic space with its period light fittings was enhanced with modern LED technology and sophisticated multi media to create the ambiance for the night. Modern lighting technology definitely gives us many advantages as compared to the conventional way of lighting things.
It is however important to reflect on the challenge, and possibly even the need, of integrating modern lighting technology into older (or even heritage) building environments. Besides the fact that we may not be able install and integrate the new lighting systems into the existing building fabric, the challenge really is on finding a balanced way of marrying the benefits of the new technology within the old building environment…assuming the merits of doing so make sense.
lighting and destiny
Berlin, Saturday 31st October 2009
As tonight may turn out to be another late night I better post my entry for today now while I am still thinking clear and sober :). For today I would like to reflect on the following: is there destiny in lighting…are somethings meant to be? The thought was triggered when I coincidentally stumbled on to people during lunch break. As you do, you mingle and network, so as I joined a table I was introduced to someone who turned out to be one of the overseas keynote speakers, but more interestingly, the head of a lighting research company we had been aproaching and communicating with for assistance in one of our project. I had no idea he would be at this convention, let alone as one of the key note speakers (I guess I could have if I would have studied the program before arriving, but as always you only do that on the day). So as I introduce myself I mentioned the person I was communicating with upon which he introduced me to his compagnon…yes indeed, the person we had been communicatng with all along! So it felt more then a coincidence….it reinforced straight away my belief that we had made the right choice in contacting them…that we are meant to work together.
On a grander scale, is it a coincidence that the LED technology is taking such enormous steps forward, right at this crucial point in time where we are in desperate need of energy efficient lighting systems to combat global warming? Is n’t it destiny…meant to be? Is there a universe out there that regulates life for us?……
PS: I am not sure about mentioning names as this whole blogging thing is rather new to me, likewise I have no idea of the ramifications of doing so, neither do I know whether the people I meet wish to be mentioned, so for the moment I elect to preserve their privacy. As I progress with this blog I may change this position, probably alos based on feedback that I may receive.
lighting magic and energy saving
Berlin, Friday 30th October 2009
It is actually past midnight when I write this entry, but hey, I went on a city tour tonight with many of my convention friends, had dinner and went clubbing afterwards, all courtesy of Se’lux the sponsor for the evening. Thank you! So my reflection of the day has to be on the city tour where our tour guide introduced us to some of the city’s great landmark places such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichs Tag, Gendarme Platze, etc. My first impression (as compared to my Australian and Asian experience) was of a well organised and strategised lighting for the City. Obviously a lot of thought (and money) must have gone into developing and implementing an attractive lighting plan to bring out the city’s enormous heritage. I am not sure how much is government initiative and how much private building owners, but fact is that there is a level of serenity and attractiveness to the lighting of the places we visisted. A pleasant balance between building feature lighting and general lighting for circulation. But while the general feeling is pleasant and attractive, there is an underlying concern for energy wastage through glare and light loss. This is particularly descernable to the trained eye of professional lighting designers.
And this is exactly the key reflection for the day: how do we find the right balance between creating that wonderful and magical light effect that attracts us to enjoy the the buildings and urban environement at night versus the need to curb energy, minimise glare. The new legislation and compliance regulations towards energy saving and light pollution are getting more and more demanding (eg. LEED, etc) which will pose ever increasing challenges to the lighting designer in pursuit of that magical environment.
the lighting reflections project
Today was the first day of the Professional Lighting Design Convention in Berlin, the second edition after the inaugural and historical first one was held in London in 2007. The convention offers an array of different subject presentations ranging from lighting application case studies, daylighting and sustainability (a big issue in regards to climate change!), lighting design and research as well as practiacl issues regarding running a professional lighting design practice.
A bit about myself… my name is Martin Klaasen and I have been in lighting design for 30 years now. I started in the Philips Lighting Design and Egineering Centre, Netherlands in 1979 and started my own lighting design practice in 1991 when based in Singapore. Today my practice, Lighting Images International, has offices in Australia, Singapore and China and provide our lighting design services for projects throughout the World with emphasis on the Asia Pacific region.
Why this Blog? Some of you may know my Reflections column in Lighting Today Magazine which is published 4 times a year, with main readership in Asia Pacific. I have writen my articles about trends, happenings, experiences in lighting over the past 5 years, but would like to share my knowledge, observations and experiences in a more dynamic and interactive way, but most of all more instantanously.
However I want to set myself a task as well. I want to reflect daily on something I have observed or experienced that relates to lighting with focus on “green” lighting. And I want to do that initially for one whole year. By blogging about it on a daily basis I want to create awareness about lighting and how we can improve our world with sustainable, renewable and holistic lighting, though at times I may side step to related lighting subjects 🙂
At the end of the year I hope to have compiled an interesting compilation of daily reflections on lighting subjects that can improve our daily lifes. It is a project in progress, it is not an end destination but rather a voyage to the future of lighting. I am not sure what to expect in terms of public reactions, but will welcome them if any and include them in my compilation.
The long awaited book compilation of Martin's first year of blogging is available. Order now.
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