SAGE RUSSELL, IALD, senior project designer
Candela, San Diego
Bio: Russell has a strong belief in the unique role lighting plays in human perception and psychology. As an educator at the Design Institute of San Diego and as an IALD member, he remains up to date on the tools and technologies that are available. Russell is also the author of The Architecture of Light.
Impressions of Lightfair: For me, Lightfair 2010 delivered numerous jolts of optimism but also left me wanting a bit more. The most shockingly progressive aspect of Lightfair this year had nothing to do with product per se, but rather the impact and energy of networking technology onsite. The constant stream of Twitter updates, blog posts, and direct e-mails kept me aware of must-see products, impromptu gatherings, and on-the-fly meeting opportunities. These updates allowed my time to take on a completely new form. Rather than wander the show floor, I relied on a stream of updates to direct me along a focused path specific to my industry role. This efficiency meant that I was able to spend more time with standout products. Impressive among these were LED lamp modules, next-generation linear fluorescent products, and sophisticated lighting controls technologies.
I was pleased to see LED lamp manufacturers driving towards modules directed at OEMs. Directional, high-color-rendering modules from Osram, Philips, and Xicato showed promise with their standardized platforms and an eye towards maintainability. Luminaire manufacturers such as Bruck and Dasal that had embraced these platforms exhibited some very impressive task and accent products.
Linear fluorescent products—overhead lay-in and linear pendant profiles—showed continued evolution. It was encouraging to see efficient optics and sublime light textures offering even more options to troffers and parabolics. Zumtobel, Axis Lighting, and Peerless showed some standout products.
Lighting control systems offered some promising solutions, as occupancy-sensors, photo-sensors, and time-clocks were put to good use. Lightfair is a unique opportunity to try these technologies in a hands-on, interactive manner to see how they really perform.
The only disappointment of my visit was that so few booths and products target studio designers and specifiers. If Lightfair can lure exhibitors back to the main hall, and they return to using Lightfair as a platform for new product launches, perhaps this downward spiral toward a “rep-fair” can be reversed. If not, then Twitter and blog posts will inform my trajectory through the exhibit hall next year.
Perhaps the brevity of product experience is part of the evolution of Lightfair. But whether it is a solution or reaction, the flurry of networking and the focus on outreach, such as the IALD booth, have created a great sense of solidarity and visibility within the industry.