Welcome to the April issue of Lightsource

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Nightly show at Olympic site

A New Beauty

Philips unveil 20 year lightbulb

Interview with Vista Light

Welcome to this month's issue of Lightsource.

With the Olympics less than 100 days away, we take a look at how lighting is playing an integral part in the celebrations. We also uncover all there is to know about the exciting new show DX, which UBM Built Environment, organisers of The ARC Show, launched earlier this month.
 

What's more, we discuss the launch of the innovative new lightbulb that can reportedly last for 20 years, and sit down with Christian O'Brien, Managing Director of Vista Light to discuss his thoughts on the lighting industry.

Until next month,
Editor

Nightly light show at Olympic site

A nightly 15-minute light show will be beamed from the top of the giant twisting tower that stands near the Olympic Stadium, the London Legacy Development Corporation said.

A series of 250 coloured spotlights is being attached to the 114.5m tall ArcelorMittal Orbit, billed as the UK's largest sculpture.

These will be individually controlled in an array of digital combinations from the Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond designed structure. Passers-by will see both static and animated effects.

LDL chief executive Andrew Altman said: "The feature lighting opens a completely new artistic aspect to the work of Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond. It will create a vivid landmark with dynamic effects that we can use in tandem with different events."

The external spiral staircase, the looping lattices, the canopy and viewing platforms areas are some of the areas where the energy efficient LEDs will be set. There will be a 15-minute moving light show every evening, with special effects also created for major events in and around the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London. Views will be seen across London from the Orbit visitor attraction which stands between the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre.

Up to 5,000 visitors a day are expected, with a potential to attract around one million people during the first year of operation, when it reopens after the Games in 2014.


 

A New Beauty

UBM Built Environment, organisers of The ARC Show, has announced the launch of DX, a radical new design event and online platform, that promises to bring together exceptional creative names in global design.

DX will be the world’s only business event dedicated to inspirational interior design excellence and the seamless integration of technology. It will present visionary lifestyle design at the forefront of technology at ExCeL London from 19-21 May 2013.

DX will feature pioneering, interactive exhibition space alongside new commissions and installations, exploring beauty and intelligence at the forefront of design.

It will be exclusive, stimulating and commercially focused, celebrating a new design movement driven by the dynamic convergence between art, architecture, technology, manufacturing and design.

DX will be led by UBM Built Environment’s Ian Rudge, the co-founder of the original 100% Design and Tent London, together with creative partners Neville Brody of Research Studios and Ab Rogers of Ab Rogers Design.

Ian Rudge, Director of DX, says: “It’s hard to think of a more exciting time for interiors. Design and technology are evolving at a dizzying rate, enabling us to design truly beautiful, sustainable, smart products and spaces that are future proof in every sense. DX is an event and a website that will bring it all together, with integrity and without compromise. And May is the perfect time to showcase all the latest world launches to a huge design community - right here in London!”

Neville Brody, founder, Research Studios, added: “The convergent evolution of design and technology are bringing a massive change to the way we create and interact with the spaces in which we live, work and play. DX will celebrate this new design attitude.”

DX will also present five DX exclusive commissions, a series of innovative concepts created in collaboration with key design and technology partners, including SOFTROOM.

Oliver Salway, director, SOFTROOM, said: “I am greatly looking forward to DX, especially working with the team to develop experiences that will look to address real issues. Sustainability and technology are fusing to make new aesthetic values and this should be reflected in every aspect of DX, from the event space to the digital platform.”

Taking place annually in May, DX closes the international design show cycle and creates the perfect, early opportunity to show new products and ideas in London’s ever evolving East, at an uncluttered moment in the design calendar.

With the London fair as its flagship event, DX is a year-round, global digital community, with DX-London.com offering an essential website and online industry network. Launching in May 2012,will be an evolving space to discover those at the forefront of new intelligent design.

From bio materials to domesticating the work place, sustainability, future proofing, future visions of multigenerational living and the impact of health and aging populations on everything from luxury hotels to care homes, DX will explore design’s response to technological advancements and socio-economic issues, its affects on our behaviour, and the way we live today and in the future.

Ab Rogers, founder and creative director of Ab Rogers Design, said: “I am very excited to work with Ian Rudge on DX. We are looking forwards to taking part in creating a new type of design show, which will celebrate interior design and improve communication between visitors, specifiers and exhibitors. We hope that it will be an integral exhibition - informative, inspirational and exhilarating to enter.”

DX is working in partnership with UBM titles BD, Building and Property Week, as well as global trend forecasters Stylus, to develop an editorial agenda for the future of interiors, design and technology.

DX promises to be a new and original experience, created for and with the international design community, and enable the retailers and designers of our future spaces to turn their ideas into reality.

For more information visit www.dx-london.com

Philips unveil 20 year lightbulb

A prize-winning, super-energy-saving LED bulb from Dutch electronics giant Philips said to last over 20 years went on sale last Sunday (22 April) to coincide with Earth Day.

The bulb, which recently won the US Department of Energy's "Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize" was available from retailers for $50, down from an initial $60 (£37) price tag. The company said it has arranged discounts with shops that will sell the bulb meaning that the cost could come down to as little as $25 (£15).

The DoE challenged firms to develop a design that gave out a warm light similar to that from an incandescent bulbs but was much more energy efficient. Philips was the only entrant for the competition and its design underwent 18 months of testing before being declared the winner.

The 10-watt LED bulb was chosen as it was deemed to be an efficient alternative to the standard 60-watt incandescent bulb, and rated to last 30,000 hours. When used for up to four hours a day, that translates to a more than two-decade life span, according to the company.

For consumers attentive to cost, Philips said the price tag was easily offset by energy savings of $165 (a little over £100) over its lifetime.

Incandescent bulbs are currently being phased out in countries around the world and replaced by energy-efficient CFL versions, many of which contain toxic mercury that make them hazardous to simply throw away in the rubbish. Philips’ omni-directional bulb contains no mercury.

LED bulbs face competition from compact fluorescent lights that approach seek similar efficiency levels, and cost far less.

The symbolic choice of Sunday's Earth Day release however saw Philips branding their bulb as the environmentally friendly choice. Now in its 42 year, International Earth Day aims to bring attention to climate change and pollution, and highlight ways to save energy.

 

Interview with Christian O'Brien, Managing Director of Vista Light

We sat down with Christian O'Brien, Managing Director of Vista Light and one of this year's The ARC Show exhibitors about his thoughts on the lighting industry.

What do you most like about working in the lighting industry?
The exciting part of our business is working with real creative people from the design fraternity & working with them on projects to help realise their vision .  

What recent lighting innovation has impressed you the most?
LED is on the lips of the industry and I think it’s impressive seeing the industry really running with the technology and producing higher efficacy, better binning &colour consistency,  that can be used throughout projects.

What is your proudest career moment to date?
I’m very proud of our company & other architectural lighting SME’s and how we’ve progressed through difficult financial times, there is lot of negative press with regards to the economy & it’s good to see growth happening.

What technological developments in the lighting industry can we expect in the next five years?
One of the greatest things about our industry is the constant development and with consortium’s like Zhaga who are driving standardised interfaces for LED’s that can be interchangeable & upgraded over time.  Also the development of cradle to cradle (C2C) manufacture which will help industry dependence on natural resources and finally the development with lighting controls and IP controls.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
I was told some 18 years ago when I first started to really understand the RIBA sequence of works-stages & how, as lighting manufacturers we can really assist the Lighting Designers, Architects & Consultants at the right time with the right information.