Feeling the heat
Singapore, 25th October 2013
A story that caught my attention was about a set of mirrors installed on a mountain top near a small town in Norway to reflect light from the sun onto the village in the valley which during most of the winter month is in the shade and does not receive any daylight at all. The exercise seems to be pretty successful according to new sources like BBC with the villagers raving about the extra sun they receive.
This is in stark contrast to two other stories strongly related to the same subject. In London recently someone lodged an official complaint in regards to the fact that the highly mirrored glass windows of a building facade in downtown London had reflected the sunlight on his car and has caused his car mirror to melt. I guess this is hard to prove but fact is that more and more modern city buildings have highly mirrored glass finishes (exactly to keep the heat out of the building!) which results in at times very strong and blinding reflections.
In another related story Singapore has just launched some new regulations to police and regulate the use of reflective glass on building facades to keep in control of the reflected sunlight environment. There is certainly something to say for that because while it may be nice for the people inside the building to keep the sunlight out they should do so in consideration of the urban environment and human spaces outside the building. Inconsiderate use of the mirror material should therefore be subject to legislation and putting this as a matter for urban approval seems the right way to go!
I am off to Europe tonight and shall be reporting from PLDC from Wednesday onwards after a short break with my parents in Holland these coming days! For those going to Copenhagen, see you there and please do come to my presentation on Friday!
Light Watch 4-183: The installed mirror in the mountains of Norway, the London car claim and the Singapore legislation in regards to glass façade applications.
Planning ahead
Singapore, 24th October 2013
A busy day at the office, as always just before I go away for an extended time, a million things to do and clear. Tomorrow night I fly off to Europe on my way to PLDC in Copenhagen, with a short stop in Holland to see my parents who I don’t see that much, living this part of the world. A bit of family time before I plunge into a sea of lighting designers!
Planning ahead is crucial in our business, not only for yourself but also for your clients. I surely have blogged about this issue before as it is a continuously recurring challenge. Today was another such day where I worked through my schedule planning my movements till Christmas (yes it’s around the corner, watch the shops around you, they are already in Xmas mode!). On top of that we were trying to accommodate an unreasonable client for a crucial concept presentation. A few weeks ago we had informed the client about our availability, specifically my availability as I wanted to do this presentation myself. With ample advance notice and a range of date/time options given for this lighting presentation, we were shocked to find out that they reverted back with a confirmed date on a day and time (tomorrow afternoon) we had specifically indicated we would not be available…can you believe, it? Whether we could accommodate? We tried offering a teleconference (the meeting is in a neighbouring country) but even that somehow was not “convenient” to the bosses.
This sort of situations are kind of frustrating as you set out early to plan it properly and ahead of time in respect of your clients time and availability, only to find a client more interested in other priorities. It feels very disrespectful as if you are totally not important to them…which probably is the case 🙂 …
So contrasting with my meeting in Manila earlier in the week where the client made a real effort to accommodate our visit, showing us great deal of respect and trust. Not surprisingly this meeting went really well and with all focussed to progress the meeting ended with approvals and go-aheads…how different clients can be!
Light Watch 4-182: Planning is also in full swing for the upcoming PLDC and this morning my speaker sponsors (Thanks Luce & Light!) advised the participant about my talk and the book signing ceremony that we have planned afterwards! See you there!
Hotel renovation
Singapore, 23rd October 2013
Back in Singapore I attended a meeting for one of our projects, the renovation of a famous landmark hotel in Singapore. Our port-folio counts many hotels as hospitality lighting design is one of our fortes and quite and renovations are always special as you are dealing with some history and past memories. I remember when I did the Raffles Hotel renovation in Singapore in the 90’s that it was quite a dramatic happening as the hotel icon had seen extensions and part maintenance, repairs and small renovations done but never a full and total renovation. For over 100 years generations had come to visit the hotel and memories were indelibly linked to the old interiors. When the renovation was complete all the old charm was gone. At least that is how it felt to everyone who had known the hotel of old, including the crappy lighting. It was part of the ambience and when you were sipping your sling in the Bar & Billiard Room or the Long Bar you could visualise how Somerset Maugham and other dignitaries of the past would have enjoyed the place. Today’s visitors will hardly know or remember the past if not for the souvenir shop that sells memorabilia from the past and enjoy the far more clinical and modern version of the hotel. I guess in another 50-100 years the cycle starts all over again (assuming the hotel still being there) with the then visitors surmising the “old” Raffles of then.
Renovations are always tricky for a multitude of reasons. The most crucial one is the disturbance to on-going renovations. A far longer time goes into planning the actual work into details as to minimise any interruption. When the renovation work starts it’s like an Olympic race against the clock, generally with deadlines set in stone as operations need to know when they reopen for business in taking orders and bookings. Hence these meetings are crucial and tight coordination is the base for success on completion!
Light Watch 4-181: Some renovations turn out to be quite original… I stumbled on this hotel in Australia, the Prahran in Melbourne designed by the Techne Studio. The original building dated back from the 70’s and needed reinforcement. The architects used concrete pipes to do this. As lighting designers our job is to reinforce the design intent!
Visual merchandising
Manila, 22nd October 2013
Today I visited some major retail areas in the Makati area in support of one of our projects where we are developing a concept for the interiors and exteriors of big department store. A nice change from our hospitality work, though even here many lighting principles remain though package in a different way. Where in hospitality the focus is probably more on the human factor experiencing service, in retail the focus lies much stronger on the aspect of merchandising, more specifically visual merchandising. The art of displaying goods to make them more attractive to shoppers and entice them to buy. Visual merchandising is very much about displaying goods to a level that you understand what the product is, what the product can do and how the product can make your life easier or more interesting. For instance if you sell wine glasses you create a display with a table setting with glasses, a bottle of wine and wine in the glass. Likewise you may promote beach-ware with a summery display suggesting a day at the beach, etc.
In all cases lighting is the critical tool to bring out the message and attract customer attention to the goods on sale. The colour of the light, the angle of the light and the intensity of the light all play a role and have to be well balanced to achieve the desired result. It takes some experience and understanding of the basics of light to work with light on these displays. Unfortunately what I saw was in many cases a wrong use of the light, in some situations the light fitting seemed more important than the actual products on display. In visual merchandising more than ever the focus should be on the merchandise and not be distracted.
Light Watch 4-180: Some images of what I encountered….I leave you to make your own assessment. In my opinion hardly anything really works and is attractive in terms of visual attraction. Even some material choices (floor!) have a disturbing impact, with a poor balance of brightness and little visual guidance…
The power of visualisation
Manila, 21th October 2013
Today and tomorrow I am in Manila for project meetings. The Philippines, very much like Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam for instance, seem to be the emerging economies whereas the India’s and China’s seem to be on the decline. This is just my observation based on where our work comes from at the moment and where we feel some “excitement” is happening, something that can’t really be said from the two billion population countries. China is still moving but at a much slower pace and in India there seems to be no pace at all…
As I was doing my presentation today I just realise how important it is to make the lighting design easy to understand. We have adopted the layers of light presentation for many years now and time and again I realise how easy it makes it for the non-initiated to understand our lighting concept. Lighting is visual and hence the presentation should be very visual as well. Leading your client through the concept step by step with simple visualisations and quality renderings makes all the difference. Not all of us are brought up in this computer age and like myself struggle at times to work those internet programs! The good side of this time and age is that we have access to unbelievable rendering programs that allows us to render and visualise lighting concepts in a very realistic way. Where in the older day we would have made big presentation boards with sketches and layouts, we now have the dynamic use of powerpoint presentations including step by step lighting layers and video clips to simulate colour changing or multi-media concepts. Oh how times have changed and how powerful visualisations have become to convey our lighting design concepts.
Light Watch 4-179: when you come to Manila the famous Jeepneys are always a joy to watch. While not directly having any link with lighting I find the creative imagination in which they decorate their cars a joy and inspiration to watch…some pictures taken on my way from the airport to my meeting…
Life on the road
Singapore, 18-19th October 2013
It was a long day yesterday and I simply did not get around to write my blog. The return flight from Jakarta was delayed and after a late dinner out I was too tired when I got back home. People may not realise it but when your life consist of a lot of travelling there are times where you just need to zonk out (as I did this today, Saturday). While it is not so much the physical effort of travelling it is more the emotional part that somehow gets to you at times. And considering I am off to Manila on Monday and off to Copenhagen at the week thereafter, this weekend is welcome!
Travelling means that you mix and meet with people from different cultures, from different religions, with different sets of values. You cannot really judge peoples way of life and way of business against your own values. Yes you can follow your own life and business principles but you certainly have to acknowledge and appreciate those of the country you visit. Doing business becomes finding a balance between respecting your client or counterpart and following the values you believe in. Nothing is perfect in this world and as we life and work together (even in your country) you need to find a balance to make it work for everyone. A hardnosed approach with arrogance generally does not make you many friends in this part of the world. You may do one job but probably never one again with the same client. The thing is that with the fast growing air travel the world has shrunk and at the same times culture and life styles have become entangled like never before. Life on the road as a lighting designer allows you to get up close and personal with “the world” which is not necessarily your world!
Light Watch 4-178: Travelling around the world…here are some sites (at night) that need no comment, see if you know them…
Looking through an onion glass
Jakarta, 17th October 2013
You may wonder where I am going with this heading… 🙂
I am in Jakarta today and tomorrow to attend to project design coordination meetings and one of my discussions was with a decorative chandelier manufacturer. While I generally do not involve too much in the actual material finishes and aesthetic aspects of decorative lighting items, I do get involved in the technology of lighting (and maintaining) them. While we as lighting designers are all full on into LED technology he surprised me by saying he was still sticking to tungsten halogen lights for most of his creations, even though there is nowadays an LED retrofit lamp for practically any conventional light source, including GU 4 types.
His reasoning being that he felt that the halogen still provides more brilliance and sparkle. Looking into the light sources I can see his point as the focal point of most retrofit LED still is more diffuse and hence do not produce the punctuating sparkle when lighting crystal chandeliers…Another obvious aspect that contribute to the sparkle of crystal in my opinion is the colour quality. Where Tungsten halogen has the 100% colour rendering capacity, LED still lacks behind with the LED on average being in the 80% range. While these may seem trivial differences I am sure it comes out “shiningly” obvious when you compare an halogen versus a LED lit crystal chandelier. Where LED does work is when you use the raw little LED chip components, directly from the PCB as that provides as well an “uncensored”, very focussed, light emission. Since the lights are hidden behind the crystal (onion) glass, not too much of an issue.
Finally we also discussed the reality of today that unfortunately the tungsten halogen lights are gradually being phased out which for long term maintenance and warranty may cause a problem, should the lights no longer be available in the market. This was confirmed by his statement that he had found it more and more difficult to source tungsten halogen light sources and not only that, prices (probably because of scarcity) had gone up in some cases double the price! How times are changing!
Light Watch 4-177: Playing with crystal…
Out of sight…
Singapore, 16th October 2013
Yes I was away for a few days, enjoying a short break on a tropical island not far from Singapore taking advantage of a public holiday yesterday (I generally miss these, so for once, I managed to make the best of it 🙂 . But getting out a few days always comes with a price as my desk was stacked with matters to attend and emails too clear. I am still on to it…on top of that I have to prepare for my trip to Jakarta tomorrow and Manilla on Moday…
While being away for an extended weekend is not going to change the world and your relationship to it, but I did however get in touch with a previous client today (a hotel operator) that was due to do some renovation work and for which we had put forward a proposal nearly a year ago. At the time the owner informed us that he was not going to pursue it immediately due to other more urgent priorities. We kept in regular contact till about e few months ago and as the project seemed on hold indefinitely we sort of put it on the back burner. To my surprise today I got a call from the new GM (general manager) with a request to look into some issues from our previously completed project with them. First of all I did not know the previous GM was gone let alone had I been introduced to the new one, secondly his query came from ignorance as he had obviously not been briefed about the past and like every new manager wanted to put in his little piece of worth.
Anyhow I used the opportunity to enquire about the renovation project only to find out that it had already been re-activated without our knowledge or involvement. While we let it slip to the back burner, assuming they would contact us, the new management team just went about their own think and somehow were not briefed about our previous submission for the renovation work. Anyhow all does not seem lost and we are organising a follow up with the team in the next few days to find out if we can still participate…It just shows if you are away or out of sight, you are quickly out of peoples mind as well!
Light Watch 4-176: As to enjoying my little 3 day getaway nothing beats a little candle lit dinner for two…not even an incandescent light bulb! Some mood images…and then back to work 🙂
Profiling
Delhi, 11-12th October 2013
Profiling sounds a bit like what they do in CSI Miami when they try to create a profile of a would-be killer. I am however talking about a company that is profiling itself at a certain level to promote and position itself towards its clients. Some call it branding or corporate identity. On the day that cricket great Sachin Tendulkar announced to the world that his upcoming 200th test match will be his farewell match I am attending Vis-à-vis latest ‘experience centre” launch here in Delhi. Where Sachin Tendulkar has created his name as one of the most prolific cricket players of all time, Vis-à-vis has probably managed to profile themselves as one of the top leading and high end lighting suppliers in India. Not surprisingly and true to their image, they invited lighting designers, architects, interior designers from around the world who have worked with Vis-à-vis in India to give their launch event even greater standing.
While I generally do not promote specific brands, suppliers or manufacturers, as I am more interested in the process and progress of lighting design in general, I make an exception today to congratulate Vis-à-vis with the milestone achieved. The experience centre is much, much more than just showroom and allows you to experience lighting and architecture in a natural environment. Located on sprawling farm grounds it offers ample opportunity to demonstrate lighting in all its aspects including building and landscape lighting. A big exhibition space allows for future themed events. The intention is to grow the centre into a location where people meet and share their experience. I think Amit Gupta and his team have done a great job and I am sure the opening of the centre is a first small step in many more to come! Not surprisingly the mood was very cheerful, certainly as torrential rain in the earlier part of the day had threatened to ruin the event. But the Gods (and the Moon) shone their lucky light on the night which ended in the early hours of the morning with many going on straight to the airport for their trip home with no or little sleep, myself included… 🙂
Light Watch 4-175: Below some images of the night snapped with my Iphone reporter style…
Something different
Delhi, 10th October 2013
In Delhi for a few days…As some of you may know I have a small local project office in Delhi, so being here allows me to catch up with them. Being in Delhi also brings up the differences in the riches in this world. From polished well organised Singapore to the organised chaos and extremities of Delhi. While the difference between rich and poor in Singapore is contained and controlled, it is extreme from one end of the scale to another here in Delhi. Every time I come here it strikes me. It was even brought home further by the hotel I am staying in this time around. It took about 7 years to built and only just opened a month ago or so. I am staying at the 7 star Dusit Devanara near Gandhi International Airport courtesy of the event organisers. The hotel was designed by renowned Thai architect Lek Bunnag and is an artwork of some extravagance. At the same time the huge 8 acre site with only 50 rooms (suites is a better description) has huge water bodies, integrates nature and greenery, with architectural elements playing strongly with light and shadow.
I was told that the architect felt he was good enough to do the lighting himself and though I must say the general conceptual lighting approach has lots of merits, to my trained and experienced eyes it clearly lagged a professional lighting input. In the rooms poor to practically non existing facial lighting at the vanity sinks, inconsistent lighting colours, a night light that is as bright as a floodlight. The use of Digivalet on the bedside Ipad to control virtually everything in the room was refreshing. With only 3 control panels in the whole room (one at the entrance and one each bedside) is also something I appreciate. I manage to figure out the lighting in the shortest of time. Quite different from some other hotels where you have to spent a while flicking on and off (after finding the switch first! To understand what switches what. Here everything was clear pretty much straight away. Pity the dimming was not working to make it perfect. Definitely something different. Specifically the door camera (instead of the peephole) to allow you to see who is at the door from your Ipad and unlock the door without getting out of bed!
Light Watch 4-174: Here are some impressions of the room and the hotel.
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