Lighting Detectives Annual Forum in Madrid Review

Roppongi has many faces including, an entertainment district with a foreign twist, new offices for daily business, and is developing as a center for the Tokyo art scene. The Lighting Detectives sped around on their bikes in April to discover what kind of light exists in this multi-functional area. The presence of the entertainment district is strongly felt at Roppongi intersection. Most people recognize this intersection as the center of Roppongi, but in recent years new development has created two new areas of focus, leaving the center of Roppongi very ambiguous. Points of reference include Mori Tower, Midtown Tower, Tokyo Tower and the metropolitan expressway, that cuts through, dividing this area of Tokyo. Large-scale luminous signage and a collage of other miscellaneous lighting dominate the view. Looking toward Roppongi from Aoyama Cemetery. The 3 towers that stand pronounced over Roppongi are a product of power and force, but appear alien in this setting. The towers look close and, yet, far off, as this scene can play tricks on your eyes.

As an architectural lighting designer, I have always thought this profession was not about the form or shape of lighting fixtures, but have argued that lighting design is about the relationship between lighting and people. Japanese lighting design is still relatively new and I am torn between hope and despair for the profession as most conversations revolve around whether a fixture looks cool or not. I always thought there are more important aspects to discuss. But as of late, I`ve come to realize and maybe most people would tend to agree with me, that lighting design isn’t just about the amount of light or shape of a fixture. But at the same time, we, as lighting designers, have to realize that we are not in the business of distributing downlights and spotlights everywhere. And so a few years back, I thought I might design a Mende-style chandelier. Of course I did not want to just reproduce a copy of a glittery European chandelier or redesign a florescent light pendant for Japanese residential use, but through the dynamic use of material, produce a delicate, but one-of-a-kind architectural chandelier, or so I thought. Unfortunately, in this world things don’t always go as you would have planned and Swarowsky, a well-established crystal chandelier manufacture, unveiled a new chandelier, very close to the design I had envisioned. It happened at the Euroluce in Milan this last spring. Have a look at the top-secret photos…

2024.10.31-11.3 Makalin Wongchinchai + Stell Li Egypt, land of secrets, a place full of history, mystery and amazing stories. We wanted to see not only thefamous pyramids, but also a lot of interesting cities and lightings in the night. To explore the lighting in Egyptian daily life, we chose to visit two main cities in Greater Cairo Area for four days. ■Introduction Egypt, one of the world’s oldest civilizations, is home to the pyramids, deserts, the Nile, and its vibrant capital, Cairo, where ancient and modern worlds meet.To explore this one of the most historical countries in the world, we chose to visit two main cities in Greater Cairo Area —Cairo (the captial city of Egypt) and Giza (with Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur ).As the sun sets over the city, Cairo & Giza transforms into a dazzling display of lights and enchantment. The bustling streets come alive with vibrant energy. As locals and visitors alike gather in cafes, shisha lounges, and bazaars, embracing the rich Egyptian culture that thrives well into the night, we surveyed lightings on Cairo & Giza’s daily life. ■Cairo The Khan el-Khalili market has always been a hub of trade and commerce since it was established in 14th century. Walking in this maze-like narrow streets was like taking a journey back in time.During the day, the sunlight was intense. When the sun shines through all kinds of awnings,…

New York is a modern city to beat all modern cities. Streets are lined with skyscrapers and the lighting adds to the excitement of the city. On the other hand, in neighborhoods like Chelsea, the lighting is minimal, creating a quiet and comfortable residential area. However, city street lighting has not advanced to support LED fixtures, along with businesses and public facilities which still use older lighting methods. New York is a city sensitive to crazes and fads, but the city doesn`t seem to have any interest in lighting trends. Office lighting is usually a cooler, whitish tone, but office lighting in NYC seems to hover around 3000k, adding a touch of warmth to this concrete and steel jungle. Colored LED lighting is used periodically throughout the city, but full-on flood lighting seems to be on the way out, creating a very refined NYC nightscape. A view of Manhattan from across the river. No lighting displays really stand out and there is no real facade lighting, either. Interior light escaping from windows is the main element of this famous nightscape. At dusk most windows are bright with light and help to outline each building, but as the interior lighting fades, the nightscape changes for a very dynamic view of the city. Memories of 911 are still fresh in NYC. The victims` names and a cascade of water are dimly lit at the memorial, still blanketed in a solemn atmosphere. Depending…

Design Starting with Imitating Interviewer:　Kentaro Tanaka Tanaka： Today, I thought we could talk about lighting design and how to protect copyrights, but I think I`ll tone it down a bit. Shall we discuss the act of imitating instead? So to waste no time, a perfect copy of the original is a big no-no, but what about imitating? Is it important? Mende：Hmmm. It might be an “honor” to have something imitated, but the act of imitating can lead to noticeable crudeness. Have you ever imitate someone else’s work? I`ve copied many gestures and behaviors over the years. Tanaka：In the profession of design there are so many imitations. Product design, emblems, fashion, etc. You see and hear about copies all the time. Mende：I don`t think that is imitating, but plagiarism and stepping over the line to outright infringement of copyright. However, all of the great architects and designers want to be better than those before them. Tanaka：Yes, you are right. Outright, wrongful intent is just a knockoff. But I think it is a blurred line. There are those that want to learn from the great, but intentional use is unaccusable. As a professional designer, there are so many times you have a vague feeling of I`ve-seen-this-somewhere-before. And usually, it is probably a similar idea just in a different shape or context. I think design work is a lot of mixing up of things we have seen or are still in our memory…