Death of Salesman
Singapore, 8th October 2013
I have never really envied those sales people, certainly not in today’s cut-throat LED environment. If you are not investing heavily in innovation right now and don’t have a clear LED message for the sales people on the road they are as good as dead in the water. I mentioned before that these days we get at times 3-4 sales people a day (!) popping into our office with update, samples or other information, either requested or volunteered. They know we have an open door policy as this is the only way to keep up to speed. But at the same time they also quickly learn that if they are not up to par the door closes…Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” springs to mind…
A few days ago I met with one of my local suppliers who I have known for years. Originally in lighting retail, she confessed to me that life has become so tough and that the efforts she and her team had put in to develop a quality range of LED fittings had really taken a heavy toll out of her both physically as well as financially! While in the older days it was more a matter of doing some re-tooling to upgrade the light fittings, it has now grown into full blown new tooling, new moulding. Manufacturers have come to the conclusion that to be in this (LED) game you have to start from ground zero! This is also why there are so many new upstarts in LED as the playing field has been more or less levelled!
At the same time the salesmen on the road are sometimes sent to their “death” with incomplete information, under developed products and a missing back up sales infra-structure. It is not surprising therefore that some of them, like my local supplier also confided that she was switching fully to project support and supply and no longer was doing retail sales. Working closely with specifiers like us gives her more involvement and participation in developing lighting solutions, with the sales in the end coming through in a far more controlled and qualitative way…survival of the fittest… 🙂
Light Watch 4-173: Death of Salesman has been played over and over again over the years, one of those classics…
Future of Light 2
Singapore, 8th October 2013
So what is the future of lighting going to look like? Yesterday’s rant about the commercialisation of R&D concepts still stands but that does not mean that some of these new developments don’t have any merits. In my mind there are two types of innovations/developments; the ones that make our lives easier, simplify operations, improve our health or safety and increase performance and value for money and the ones that are a luxury development; nice to have, but an additional cost or investment that we could do without. The line between the two by the way is not always easy to draw, certainly in today’s world where people communicate through social networking and try to stand out in the crowd with unique or innovative gadgets with these gadgets gradually becoming “normal” things to have.
In my practice as a lighting designer I look out for innovation in a practical sense that make my life as a lighting designer easier with more choices. Critical my designs is the sustainability, the performance, the quality, the design options, the flexibility and the integration with architecture and (basic) human needs. Note I say basic as some needs can be created… J In the report that I highlighted yesterday little was found to that respect. While the integration of solar (and wind) energy into lighting concepts was mentioned it could have been worked out perhaps more creatively. Interactivity in respect to light that responds to human presence (light when and where you need it) has been studied over the past few years but not really further developed in this report.
I was hoping to see more about integrating lighting in our build environment, with LED’s (and OLED’s) potentially being able to be “absorbed” nearly invisibly in the architectural envelopes that surround us. The miniaturisation of the light source and its incredible lighting performance should have that potential with lighting becoming an integral building component rather than an added and obvious lighting point. This miniaturisation somehow becomes all-encompassing as it has the potential to become like artificial daylight once it integrates everywhere around us. And in the process (combined with renewable energy and extreme longevity) potentially become a zero energy, zero maintenance concept!
Light Watch 4-172: Here is part 2 of the pictures from yesterday’s report
Future of light
Singapore, 7th October 2013
Some of you, like me today, may have received the latest news letter from Philips introducing a report called the “Future of Light” prepared by creative think tank company PSFK Labs from the US…, yes, sponsored by Philips. It is amazing how much time is being spent nowadays by the big multi nationals in positioning themselves as the company of the future by supporting and sponsoring researches like this. As an ex-Philips man (though it was a long time ago 🙂 ) I know first-hand how much time is spent in R&D and developing concepts of the future. It is something that is crucial for the future as innovation is a must if we want to move forward. Someone famously said that if you don’t move forward you are going backwards…agree! So constant innovation is a must; however one can argue at what speed and in what direction! We are now reaching consumer product levels of product innovation speeds with new products being superseded already within 6 months after their commercial launch! I wish someone could look into this seriously as it means often that you are left with a still well working product that is no longer supported in the market! This is already the case with LED lighting technology. It seems a waste…
And while I am all for innovation I wish there was a bigger focus on durable and sensible production rather than short term consumption! I downloaded the report with interest and have scanned through it to have a first impression. I will read it in full over the next few days. Somehow I feel there is always that commercial drive behind the research to develop newly sellable products, develop new applications and sales markets. It is of course nicely packaged in ways it will improve our lives and some ideas surely will give new impetus to the way we do and experience things. Nike for instance developed a concept of using laser lighting from a mobile van to project a soccer field anywhere on the street to promote kids playing even at night. Yes nice idea, but do we need it? Or is it just another way of promoting the brand (and sales)? In my youth we never needed a laser to enjoy a good old street game of soccer. How far do we take it?
Light Watch 4-171: Not withstanding my rant it is still an enjoyable read full of interesting ideas, let’s just be careful and considerate in developing them!
Here is part 1 of some pictures (tomorrow part 2)
The report can be downloaded from http://www.psfk.com/future-of-light
Lighting design and the economy
Singapore, 4th October 2013
This week has come and gone….like it only had Monday and Friday…
I guess it is with some concern that we look at the developments in the US. While this part of the world still seem to be pretty rocking, the US government shutdown and the upcoming debt ceiling problems may potentially have some detrimental effects on the economy in general and our projects specifically. I have never understood how they can simply keep raising the debt ceiling…is the sky the limit? Isn’t there a time you have to say, hey let’s spend a bit less and start paying off our debts? Right now it seems to me they can barely keep up with paying of the interest and to make matters worse just increase the amount they can borrow to keep going…What kind of economy is that? Isn’t that going to explode in your face one day? We are taught not to spend before we earn. Imagine I would run my practice like that?!! Never mind the income, I just go to the bank and ask them to increase my “debt ceiling” so I can borrow more. I guess I don’t have a Fort Knox gold reserve as collateral but still…I am trying to make a point.
Over the years I have learned the hard way to balance my books as the profession of lighting designer and running a genuine and professional lighting design practice without kickbacks is not really a gold mine. Most of us are in it for the passion and the love of the profession, at least I am. Some though seem to be financially really successful, but in general we can say that creative designers do not make for the best financial entrepreneurs. 🙂 Then there is also the fact that our practices are considered small and not necessarily having the financial power to deal and negotiate with multi-national corporations offering you work!
When the economy moves we feel it straight away, so when money stops moving our projects are put on hold and we straight away feel the pinch…let’s hope this will all work out ok, at least for now. Have a great weekend!
Light Watch 4-170: In times of economic uncertainty people tend to go for gold…here are some “golden” illuminations…
Lights out
Kuala Lumpur, 3rd October 2013
Sometimes when you are in a meeting you have a feeling that the “lights have gone out” with the participants. Today I came all the way to KL to attend a meeting which was to be some major coordination meeting and which at the same time was to be our kick-off meeting. Some strong emails were sent in the days prior about the importance of the meeting and that everyone was to bring their drawings, sketch books, catalogues or any other design related materials as to maximise the workshop like meeting. We had just been signed on so I had prepared a general introduction in regards of our lighting philosophy and specific lighting considerations we wanted the team to think of or comment on. So we went in with high expectation!
We don’t know what happened or whether we were actually in the right meeting but it was like all lights were out! People were doing things by themselves, checking emails and sending sms’s leaving the room to make calls, some actually taking and making calls in the room, while some were making presentations without anyone really listening. The PM was trying to instill some life in the meeting but totally failed in getting the meeting to move in an organised and orderly fashion. No one seemed really focussed let alone wanting to get some effective conclusions out of the meeting. I don’t know who is end responsible for these meetings (several client representatives, up to project director, where present) but this would probably rank amongst one of the most wasteful (time and money) meetings I have attended. The “full” day meeting turned out to be just a few hours of little action and coordination and as I write this I am already back at the airport lounge waiting for my flight way ahead of the initially scheduled time. Yes I met with the team, but I felt I totally wasted my time and am not really much further than before the meeting. At least I got some emails cleared and some work done and overall had a relatively undisturbed day. Paid by the client…lights out!
Light Watch 4-169: Here is a little light in the darkness for you…hopefully there will be light at the end of this tunnel…
When light merges with its background…
Singapore, 2nd October 2013
As I am preparing for my day in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow, fine tuning my presentation in regards to our lighting approach for a project, I realise that my way of looking at lighting has pretty much settled into a common modus operandi. In other words it is pretty much the same for all; it’s just the packaging that is different and tuned to the requirements and needs of the project. Most of all it is adjusted in the finer details to fit overall design intent and master concept approach from key consultants like architects or interiors designers. As I mentioned yesterday it is the manipulation of light that is crucial and the way that we can harmoniously integrate the lighting in the architectural envelope. I generally don’t want to see the lights I just want the lights to enhance the space they are in and make sure that desired visual performances can be achieved. Visual tasks can be reading, way finding, relaxing with a drink (still need to find my glass!), working, gaming, watching, playing, communicating…whatever it is, we nearly always need to see. Sometimes we are so busy looking that we forget what it is to LISTEN (!), but that is a totally separate issue 🙂
Integrating light into the fabric of the space requires close cooperation with the architectural or interior designer. Special pockets, niches or recesses may have to be created to accommodate the light fittings and with that also sufficient access for any maintenance and repairs. While we love to have zero maintenance, the reality is that electrical and or digital equipment do fail at times and handy access is then highly appreciated…part of our design
Light Watch 4-168: A beautiful example of total integration of lighting and interior materials is the new Toledo underground railway station in Naples. It is featured in the latest PLD magazine and I was struck by the way light and environment totally blends together. It’s hard to see where one starts and the other ends…
Controlling light
Singapore, 1st October 2013
Today was one of those “supplier” days, with several coming in with their latest, yes you guessed it, LED products. Where are the good old times when manufacturers would come in with the latest incandescent lamp upgrade…I can tell you this it was certainly not as “franatic” and frequent as these days where we get sometimes multiple visits weekly. We keep our doors open to it as it is crucial for us to keep wired to the latest developments and as always catalogue sheets can be deceptive. One of the visiting manufacturers coined his catalogue as a “look book”, which really it was…nice mood images of his product, but once you saw the actual product it was not exactly the same… 🙂
What is really what we are looking for from new products and more specific from LEDs nowadays? Yes we do wish to have that old incandescent feeling but besides that what I specifically look for is compactness and beam control. I don’t like the light source to be the first thing what one sees when entering a space. I want them first to see the space, appreciate the space and then only wonder where the light comes from. Hence we look at minimising the physical appearance and the extent of beam control. To me that is crucial. Controlling the light is not only beam control in terms of spread and intensity but also in the way it projects on any surface specifically and mostly on vertical services. Too often we see uncontrolled light hit a wall with random patterns, intensities and colours even, destroying the visual appreciation of the space, at times killing the impact that lighting should have in enhancing the space. As often said controlling and manipulating light is key to good lighting design. We have the skills, the manufacturers provide us with the tools to do it… 🙂
Light Watch 4-167: Light can exist as a single beam in an otherwise unlit space. It can also exist in multiples interacting with space, surfaces, materials and finishes…it is crucial that light harmonises with it, which too often is not the case…inexperience or incompetence? Judge for yourself and see the difference between good and bad…
My daily moment
Singapore, 30th September 2013
Probably lucky I am back in Singapore as the hangover from the lost grand final is surely tough back in Perth and Fremantle. They fought valiantly but in the end just came up (15 points) short. The good news is that there is always next year which they can now attack with an unforgettable experience as motivation! You win some, you lose some, it’s all part of the game, the main challenge for everyone in every contest situation is to pick yourself up after a loss, learn from your defeat and motivate yourself to become even better than before. This is in fact not only true for a loss or defeat; it is also applicable after a win as you can never rest on your laurels. Improvement is a constant factor we should be striving at, whether a professional sportsman or a professional lighting designer.
My daily blog has provided me with a daily moment to reflect and look back, see what went wrong, see what went well, learn from any mistakes, learn from others, appreciate achievements from yourself and others and see how that could help improve my own expertise and the services that we provide as professionals in the business. Even after more than 30 years in the business I still learn every day and I am glad I do. Learning is not a sin when you are considered an experienced and seasoned professional, it is an acquired skill! I think it shows the strength of a person when they can learn and bounce back from adversity or simply have the ability to absorb what’s going on, analyse and dissect the good and the bad and take from it what is meaningful for their own progress.
Light Watch 4-166: Here are some unrelated images where light interacts with materials, shapes and forms. They mean different things to different people. People learn and see different things when they look at it…What you pick up from it is depending on what you want to see (and learn!) 🙂
Purple Reign…
Perth, 27th September 2013
This Saturday will see the grand final in AFL when the Fremantle Dockers meet Hawthorn at the MSG. May all sound jargon to you, but down here in Australia the Footy Grand Final at the MSG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) is similar to the Super Bowl final in the US. I was in Fremantle this morning and eventhough legions of fans have already flown out to Melbourne, the city was one sea of purple; the club colour. It is the first time in its 19 year history that the club has reached the Grand Final after some exciting matches and as can be expected there are high expectation that the boys will bring home the cup! Council House was dressed up with white and purple balloons, the TV that normally broadcasts the cities services was more dominated by Go-Freo ! slogans. In the city bars café’s the retail shops all have a purple in some form of way, people in the streets are dressed and coloured in purple…It is interesting to see how sport can unite people together!
As it happens two of my projects here do have that integrated need for flexibility in lighting to allow mood setting towards events that happen in and around town. It is a fact of life that LED lighting and specifically the RGB versions have made it a lot easier to create colour magic. It certainly is a lot simpler than adding colour filters to light fittings. I remember well the heat problems that it used to create with cracking and fading glass or dicroic colour filters (if not properly designed). We now have an infinite freedom to create colour palettes within our lighting designs; the challenge being to control the urge to overdo it and to haphazardly use colours. As always we need to design with purpose!
Light Watch 4-165: For now there is a big purple haze throughout Perth and Fremantle. I can just imagine what it will be once they bring the cup home J Here are some purple lighting moods to support the Dockers …Go the Dockers!
Percentage for the arts
Perth, 26th September 2013
As countries become more developed the attention for art and artists becomes more important. It is not surprising that countries like Australia have so called percentage for art programs in which developers are required to factor in a percentage of the development cost for the inclusion of art. As you drive around Perth it is easy to see how art has become a way of life with art installations clearly present throughout the city. On traffic corners, in parks, in building courtyards and with art events and festivals organised throughout the year. I am involved in two projects in Perth that have a clear art input. One is an actual art installation commissioned from an artist by one of the city councils and another a community project in which the City council wishes to beautify a part of the city (with lighting) and wishes the resident artists to partake in the project.
I find the inspiration from artist motivating and while I am considered an artist by myself although of a more technical type, I still derive my own inspiration from (real?) artists that create without the burden of technology. At times I feel limited in my design creativity because of my technical knowledge with a little voice telling me that things are technically not possible or not sustainable or not economically responsible. In my perception real artists are free of this and create for the sake of creating letting their imagination run wild. While my clients appreciate and acknowledge the creativity in my work, I often feel restricted, letting sense prevail above dreams.
In this community project I intend to walk a middle way. My task will be to create the infra-structure in which artists (and hopefully me as well!) can use the lighting tools to create images and scenes that will be enjoyed by the general public. Hence I will have to develop a canvas on which aspiring lighting artists can play and display their creative prowess…a creative challenge and a small percentage for the art! 🙂
Light Watch 4-164: Many art installations that really catch the eye are with lighting and many of those are temporary, like the Olympic Games opening ceremonies, projections on buildings (Sydney Opera House), little are permanent if we do not consider buiding façade media walls as art works (though some designers claim they are….)
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