LiGHT illuminates London’s Business Design Centre with experiential luminaires

The invention of the incandescent lamp in the 19th-century and its subsequent evolution over the past two centuries has birthed an industry that commands a notable presence in the design sector and is responsible for manufacturing unique experiences, at cosmic scales. A celebration of the lighting design industry, UK’s inaugural exhibition LiGHT, held at the Business Design Centre in London on November 22 and 23, 2022 platformed designers, architects, and specifiers involved in developing and producing high-end lighting products. Organised by [d]arc media, a UK-based collective with a focus on lighting, the two-day event witnessed a footfall of over 3,000 visitors and a presentation of more than a 100 lighting brands pertaining to the architectural and decorative specification market.

“The show has been a resounding success with the design community coming out in force to support this first year. LiGHT 22 caters to the ever-growing design sector in London and further afield and is a new offering for lighting design built on [d]arc media’s knowledge and experience of the lighting specification market that spans more than 20 years,” explained Paul James, managing director at [d]arc media about LiGHT 22, an extension of the ARC Show and [d]arc room, which ran from 2004 to 2009 and from 2017 until 2021 respectively.

The exposition, unique for being solely dedicated to high-end lighting specification exhibition in the United Kingdom, offered a chance for visitors to source their desired lighting products, establish a link with other lighting designers in the market, and witness an elaborate showcase of all kinds of lamps and light fixtures, by both established and emerging brands. “We have had nothing but positive feedback from exhibiting brands and visitors alike and I am really looking forward to what next year’s show will bring,” said Paul James.

The United Kingdom has the largest design industry in Europe and the second largest internationally. In the last 10 years, London alone has witnessed the doubling of design-led practices, with the lighting industry occupying a major space in this market. Over half of the 217 lighting design firms in the UK are located in the Greater London area, ostensibly the world's largest concentration of lighting designers in a single location. In an attempt to cater to this sector, [d]arc media curated the boutique exhibition LiGHT 22 for designers and specifiers.

The exhibition was held in the magnificent Business Design Centre in Islington, London. The grade II historical structure built in the Art Deco style with a single span roof, was constructed in the 1880s but was abandoned after World War II. Preserved and restored over the years, the iconic building is an expansive space suitable for presenting innovative lighting design creations.

Of the several lighting brands that made a presence at the lighting fair, a few include ERCO, ADO Lights, Aldabra, Arkilight, Auralis, B.lux, Brick in the Wall, Curiousa, Formula Luci, K-Lite, Kreon, Labra, LITE, Luminus, Madrix, Meteor, Mushroom Lighting, Pilke, Tempus, Umage, and Zero.

One of the most well-received programmes from the showcase, [d]arc thoughts, a talk programme, curated in partnership with lighting control specialist Lutron, served as a space for knowledge dissemination of all things related to lighting. More than 250 people attended Masters of Light(ing), which included a keynote panel of designers—Sally Storey from Lighting Design International, Mark Major from Speirs Major, and Nick Hoggett from dpa lighting consultants. A few other talks curated under [d]arc thoughts included The Future of Materials, Design for Wellness, Starting out in Design, The Weaponisation of Light, and Dark Skies.

While [d]arc thoughts involved the visitors with a symposium of interesting and pertinent conversations around light and design, LiGHT Works, another limb of the event, served as a relaxing space where attendees could take breaks or work, without having to leave the Business Design Centre premises. Integrated with wi-fi, charging points, work desks, and comfortable seating, the space, illuminated by table lamps from Tala—a lighting brand from Britain, also served as an example of the role of lighting in lightening moods and tempering the mood of spaces.

LiGHT was held from November 22 to November 23, 2022 at Business Design Centre, 52 Upper St, Islington, London, N1 0QH.