The Strike a Light Podcast

The Battle Between Bespoke Lighting and the Basic Variant There I was, sipping my tea and contemplating the vast universe of lighting design, when it struck me: the peculiar world of "specials." Ah, specials...those little custom wonders that defy mass production. I remember my early days when every project seemed to require one, and the thrill of creating something entirely unique kept the spark...

The Decline of the Downlight About twenty years ago, I received a phone call from an architect who was in a bit of a panic over a rather gorgeous, listed Arts and Crafts house. They were struggling with the lighting scheme and wanted to know exactly where they should place the recessed downlighters. My response was simple: why on earth are you considering using recessed downlighters in an Arts and...

... or, Do We Really Need to Light Up the Night? Reflecting on my own nocturnal escapades, I recall numerous occasions when the debate over the necessity of night lighting became particularly personal. Picture this: stumbling in the pitch black, narrowly avoiding collision with an unexpectedly placed planter. This oft-repeated tale leads us to a broader discourse in our industry: How much light is...

Many moons ago, I found myself knee-deep in a project where the distinction between a "lighting designer" and someone who simply "works with lights" became glaringly evident. This wasn't just a semantic exercise; the lines drawn in our industry can shape careers and determine the outcome of projects. The question of who truly qualifies as a lighting designer isn't just a topic for debate over a pi...

Emergency lighting . . . it's that corner of the lighting world that often feels more like a chore than a choice, isn't it? It's the "grudge purchase" we all know too well. But let's be honest, despite the sighs and grumbles, it's something we simply cannot ignore. I'm diving into this thorny subject with my good mate Chris Fordham, and trust me, we're not holding back. Why does this matter to us?...

Modularity - now there's a word that takes me back. I remember the days when lighting fixtures were built to last and built to be fixed. No binning, no buying new when something went awry. Just a screwdriver and a spare part. So, when the conversations about the circular economy bubbled up again, I couldn’t help but think how everything old is indeed new again. It’s like the universe calling back...

Now, you may know I've had my doubts about the AI invasion sweeping across our domains. My friend and podcast co-host Chris Fordham and I have spent many a conversation musing over the role of artificial intelligence in the world of lighting design. It's a bit of a cat-and-mouse game, isn't it? But the other day I realised that I perhaps hadn't given the machine enough credit (or should that be to...

Ah, the glorious LED. I remember the days when LEDs were the bright star on the horizon of our lighting universe—promising energy efficiency and infinite lifespan. Those were simpler times when we didn't think too much about what was missing in our shiny new lights. Now, in this tangled web of innovation, we find ourselves grappling with the unintended consequences of our own brilliance—or perhaps...