Light Lounge

“You just have to surround yourself with the best people you possibly have, and empower them with the knowledge we have (…) and so you are never afraid if somebody in your team will surpasses you — you want them to. We constantly tell our project architects or designers, ‘We want the client calling you.’ That’s the next succession. If they are calling you for a commission, that’s a wonderful thing...

"Its up to you to try something in order to improve yourself - it reinforces the notion that failure isn't the end of everything." - Martin Van Koolbergen In this episode, I’m joined by Martin van Koolbergen , partner at KGM Architectural Lighting and head of KGM’s New York office. KGM — short for Kaplan, Gehring, McCarroll — is a multidisciplinary lighting design firm with studios i...

“When I started there, I didn’t know what I was doing. I had some idea what I liked and what I thought lighting design was about… but I didn’t really have people watching over me to help. It was kind of working a bit in the dark and fighting my way.” — Stephen Margulies Today, Stephen Margulies is widely recognized as one of the leading figures in architectural lighting design—with over 35+ years...

Golsana Heshmati is an architect, lighting designer, and educator who founded The SEED (Studio of Embodied Experience Design) , a women-owned lighting design studio based in New York City. With a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a Master’s in Architectural Lighting from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, she brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work.  Before establishing The SEED, He...

Charles Foster is a Senior Director at Lightswitch and one of the key leaders at Lightswitch’ NYC office location. With decades of experience in lighting design across the globe, Charles has built a distinguished career with a diverse portfolio that spans event, entertainment, and architectural lighting design. He graduated summa cum laude from Francis Marion University with a B.A. in Theatre Desi...

Shilpa Suresh is a Senior Associate at the prestigious Rockwell Group , an award-winning, interdisciplinary architecture, interior, lighting - and design firm specializing in hospitality, culture, healthcare, education, and many more fields.  Shilpa holds a BA in Architecture and a Master’s in Fine Arts in Interior Design from Parsons New York , where we first met. This conversation is particularl...

"That was an art project, for me it was very important, but also the reaction of the people was amazing, because everyone was very intrigued about the project. This idea, to have an element, that brings you to think about something else." Gabriele Negro "I highly admire people who have an idea, an obsession, particularly one friend who is a film director, he talks over and over abou...

"We all have ideas that come because we are social beings and in our exchange about ideas we all profit more than hiding anything (...) There is a lot of magic and if we know about it as the experts for light we can do a lot of magic." In this weeks Light Lounge I speak with Ulrike Brandi . Ulrike is one of the most prolific lighting designers in the world, leads her own practice Ulrike...

Howard Brandston was one of the most influential lighting designers to have ever lived. He founded the world-renowned Howard Brandston Lighting Design practice in 1965 and was a founding member of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) in 1969. His impact on our field was immense. The podcast interview with Howard Brandston is online now, ready for you to listen to and be inspi...

Live from the IALD Enlighten 2019 Conference in Albuquerque. Please say hi if you are here! Looking forwrad to see you very soon! Best Thomas

Jordana Maisie Design Studio recognizes the phenomenal in the everyday. JMDS creates architecture, installation, furniture and lighting design projects with a dedication to concept, craft, detail, durability, play and an overarching commitment to a heightened user experience. The studio founder, Maisie, began her career as an installation-based Artist, she holds a BFA in Photography and a Masters...

Enrique Peiniger was formally trained in the fields of architecture and social sciences, his manifold way of thinking defines all his work. As a humanist and engineer, Enrique articulates a project’s historical and cultural context while devising state-of-the-art technology developed to achieve economy of work. Enrique designs with sensitivity, clarity, and logic, integrating originally-engineered...

This is a brief episode sharing why Lighting Design matters to me personally!  Find the full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zUZ6qqyfByM What is your why in Lighting Design? Please let me know and say hi on Insta: thomas_mnich

Mark Major trained and practised as an architect prior to focusing on the unique relationship between light and architecture. He has worked on a wide range of award-winning lighting projects including the Millennium Dome, 30 St. Mary Axe, Beijing International Airport, the refurbishment of Royal Festival Hall and the re-lighting of the interior of St. Paul’s Cathedral. He is a specialist in the fi...

Claudia Kappl Joy is Co-Founder, Creative and Managing Director of CLL - Concept Lighting Lab founded in 2013. The Tucson based lighting design studio consists of a team of energetic and motivated Lighting Designers and Architects with more than fifteen years of experience. - Our fascination with the ephemeral quality of light and its essential role when creating atmospheric space i...

Mr. Stone’s parents sent him to the Harrisburg Community Theatre, hoping to keep him out of trouble while Charles was trying to become a singer and trombonist in a rock band. And there, at the stage door, he was transfixed by the Magic of Light: Lekos and Fresnels, colored gel and dimmers –  emotion and passion. From that day, whether on, off, or backstage, at science fairs, or writing term p...

Light Collective consists of Sharon Stammers and Martin Lupton who have both been involved in the lighting industry for over 20 years. Based in the UK and essentially architectural lighting designers, their portfolio of work has diversified in many different directions – light activism being one of them. Women in Lighting is an inspirational digital platform that profiles women working in the...

Paul Gregory is the founder and president of Focus Lighting, an architectural lighting design firm based in Harlem, New York ( www.focuslighting.com ). He was trained in theatrical lighting at the Goodman Theatre School of the Art Institute of Chicago.   Paul has been awarded numerous honors in recognition of his design work, including over twenty Lumen Awards, IALD Waterbury and ASID Aw...

Sean O’Connor recognized the power of light and shadow as a student of architecture. Since establishing his firm in 1997, Mr. O’Connor has developed an award-winning body of work by defining spaces and their character, identity and beauty through the use of light. https://www.seanoconnorlighting.com/ Mr. O’Connor works in close collaboration with architects, interior designers and owners to implem...

Charles Marshall is the Design Director and a principal of Parc Office. Marshall utilizes his background in industrial design to create interactive environments and develop innovative ways of integrating digital information in physical spaces. Prior to Parc Office, Marshall ran the Lab at Rockwell Group, designing experiences and innovation labs for Coca Cola, Google, YouTube and Tata Industries....

ACTLD about us: We create exceptional experiences at the intersection of design, art and innovation. For 25 years, our international team of architects, engineers, scenographers and content-curators have worked with forward-thinking clients, using technology, multimedia and  (visual) narration to design, develop and delive r dynamic experiences worldwide.  With roots in both entertainmen...

Suzan founded Tillotson Design Associates with twenty-three years of lighting design experience. She has won over one hundred lighting design awards for her work, including a 2018 International Dark Sky Association Lighting Design and Technology Award and the 2017 Lighting Designer of the Year at the Lighting Design Awards.  Suzan Tillotson is one of the finest lighting designers in the world...

Kai Piippo is a Stockholm based award winning lighting designer and Head of Design of ÅF Lighting. ( http://www.afconsult.com/en/do-business/our-services/infrastructure/lighting/lighting/ )Well renowned throughout Scandinavia and the world, he receives frequent speaking engagements about Nordic light and lighting. One of the latest concepts we talked about is called Liquid Light, which explores th...

Ulrike Brandi is one of the most experienced lighting designer in our times. She was the responsible lighting designer for Herzog de Meurons Elbphilharmonie https://www.ulrike-brandi.de/en/elbphilharmonie-hamburg/ , UN Studios Mercedes Benz Museum https://www.ulrike-brandi.de/en/mercedes-museum/ and the masterplan for the World Expo in 2000 or the City Masterplan of Rotterdam https://www.ulrike-br...

Ladies and gentlemen! Here are my top 5 books every lighting designer should have. What are yours? Please see the video experience talking about the books on my youtube channel: Thomas Mnich Book links below the video on youtube: 01 - DAN FLAVIN - Corners, Barriers and Corridors  02 - GIOVANNI TRAVERSO - Modelling Daylight  03 - JUNICHIRO TANIZAKI - In Praise of Shadow  04 - RICHARD...