Global Classrooms of Chicago Visits Lightology for Hands-On Education

On Wednesday, a lively and engaged crew of high school students from Global Classrooms of Chicago stopped by our showroom for a hands-on learning experience. Students from Kenny Bae’s Urban Planning class visited Lightology to learn about lighting and electricity.

It was a different crowd than our usual student tours, typically given to college-aged students of design. We welcomed the younger group with open arms and were thrilled to find them so captivated by the tour, led by Lightology sales consultant and lighting expert, Jeremy Baker.

Favoring hands-on experience over textbook learning, Global Classrooms of Chicago engages students from various Chicago public schools in a supplementary, industry-driven education.

They are working on a project to re-light a room with more energy-efficient, less expensive fixtures. They stopped by today to get a feel for creative, more efficient & economic ways of doing so. At the end of their project they will submit a business proposal, and the best plan will be used to re-light one room of their school.

About Global Classrooms

Established in 2001, Global Classrooms has grown into an international program working in 24 cities around the world. Sponsored by the United Nations Association of the USA (USA-UN), the program’s purpose is teaching students in underserved communities to be global citizens by bridging “the gap in the Model UN community between experienced programs and traditionally underserved public schools.” (USNA.org)

At the core of the Global Classrooms’ curriculum is the Model UN Conference, where students roleplay as international delegates and debate a variety of issues that challenge today’s global community.

Chicago’s Model UN Summit is TODAY!   (April 26, 2013)

GC Chicago – Lightology Student Tour – Photo Gallery

To learn more about Global Classrooms and Global Classrooms of Chicago, visit their website.

Congratulations to Sonneman, Winner of ASID NY Metro ‘Top Pick’ 2013 Award for Lighting Design

Last month marked the 12th annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show. Held in New York at Pier 94, the show drew a mixed crowd of design professionals and homeowners alike to exhibits from more than 400 luxury home furnishing companies.

The event was co-sponsored by the New York Chapter of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers), which honored retailers, manufacturers and design firms in 11 distinct home design categories as its ‘Top Picks’ for the show. 

Contemporary lighting favorite Sonneman ® – A Way of Light won the ASID 2013 ‘Top Pick’ Award in the Lighting Design category. Highlights of the Sonneman display included sleek and innovative LED fixtures like the new Quattro™ desk lamp and the Corona and Starflex™ pendants.

Starflex™ LED Pendant – Sonneman® A Way of Light

Corona LED Pendant – Sonneman® A Way of Light

Joining the next generation of LED task lighting, the revolutionary Quattro™ desk lamp is 25% brighter and 25% more energy efficient than traditional LED desk lamps. Available soon at Lightology.com. © Sonneman® – A Way of Light

Innovative Design – LED Technology

We had the opportunity to interview Robert Sonneman about his new LED innovations at the January Dallas Lighting Market, the biggest event of the year for the US lighting industry.

Sonneman® – A Way of Light

Founded by Robert Sonneman in 2003, the lighting manufacturer develops sleek and functionalist lighting at the forefront of cutting-edge contemporary design.

Robert Sonneman pioneered modern lighting making it an art form. World renowned and acclaimed for clean lines and alliance to form and function, his award winning designs have been at the forefront of the design world for over four decades. Sonneman’s designs have been on display at the Museum of Modern Art and the Chicago Art Institute, among other museums.

Update: Design Bureau interviewed Robert Sonneman for the magazine’s July 2013 issue. Read their blog post for some great excerpts. 

About ASID

With over 30,000 members, the American Society of Interior Designers is the oldest and largest professional organization for interior designers in the US. Local chapters like ASID NY Metro serve local communities.

Congratulations, Edge Lighting! 2012 NGL “Best in Class”

 Last month, Next Generation Luminaires (NGL) held an awards ceremony for the winners of its 2012 Outdoor Design Competition. Congratulations to Edge Lighting for earning the highly sought-after “Best in Class” trophy for its TV LED and Dial LED wall sconces.

Congratulations to Edge Lighting for a stellar performance in the 2012 Next Generation Luminaires Outdoor Competition.

Co-created by the US Department of Energy (DOE), the annual NGL competition recognizes design and production excellence in high quality, white-light LED light fixtures available on the commercial market. Judged based on quality of light (color, consistency, distribution, and brightness), serviceability, energy efficiency, value, innovation and controllability, the winning products represent innovative, energy-efficient lighting at its finest.

Of the 176 LED products submitted to the NGL 2012 Outdoor Competition, 37 received awards as “Recognized” winners. At the judges’ discretion, only five of the 37 winning products merited the “Best in Class” distinction, reserved only for those products standing head and shoulders above the rest. Edge’s TV LED and Dial LED were two of the five.

One of three lighting manufacturers to clinch this title, Edge Lighting was the only company to earn “Best in Class” for more than one product.

 Past Wins for PureEdge Lighting

Since 2009, a total of seven Edge Lighting products have earned NGL awards, including “Best in Class” for TV LED and Dial LED wall sconces, as well as four “Recognized Winner” award in previous competitions. Edge Lighting’s sister company, Pure Lighting, also earned an award in 2009 for its stunning Stratus Wall Grazer.

2009 – Stratus Wall Grazer – Pure Lighting

– Nautilus LED – Edge Lighting

2010 – Taos LED, Sun3 LED, and Port LED – Edge Lighting

2012 Indoor Competition– Soft Line Indirect LED – Edge Lighting

*There was no competition held in 2011

 

About NGL

Created in 2008 to “recognize and promote excellence” in LED lighting fixture design, the NGL Design Competition is organized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD).

At the time, LEDs had only recently made the commercial leap from cheap flashlights with blinding bluish light to practical, beautiful and energy efficient white-light fixtures. Those who recognized LED lighting’s huge potential (lighting industry professionals, environmentalists, etc) decided that it was time to recognize those who were turning that potential into reality.

About PureEdge Lighting

Edge Lighting and its sister company, Pure Lighting, are divisions of Chicago-based PureEdge Lighting.

Form follows function at Edge Lighting, solving basic lighting problems with technical finesse while incorporating the essential elements of contemporary, yet timeless design. Edge Lighting develops and manufactures specification grade, energy efficient fixtures that exhibit superior craftsmanship and aesthetics, while utilizing the latest in engineering technologies.

Pure Lighting combines minimalist design with state-of-the-art technology to produce innovative lighting that seamlessly blends into drywall or plaster ceilings. The revolutionary collection features “Truly Trimless” recessed fixtures, advanced LED RGB technology and concealed lighting components that provide a clean, glare-free internal look ideal for commercial or residential applications.

Inside Lightology’s Showroom with Google Streetview

Come INSIDE the Lightology Showroom! With Google Streetview, anyone can now visit Lightology’s incredible showroom, day or night, from anywhere in the world.

Google Streetview now offers a complete tour of Lightology’s first two floors, allowing visitors to peruse a vast array of stunning, unique contemporary lighting fixtures from the hottest US and European designers.

Far more than a virtual window shopping experience, the tour offers opportunities to explore hidden niches, find educational lighting exhibits and view original “Light-art” displays.

Highlights

First Floor highlights include a new PureEdge recessed lighting wall that shows you how to “let the drywall be your canvas”, as well as a breathtaking 360⁰ view of the Atrium.

Climb the Atrium staircase to reach the Second Floor, stroll the catwalks, and venture into the Morpheus Room. Find the back stairwells leading to the Second and Third floors for a journey through the “History of Light.”

Wherever you are in the showroom, don’t forget to look up, left, right, and all around. Click on the arrows to progress through the tour, click on any spot on the floor to go there instantly, and click-and-drag your mouse to rotate your view in any direction—to the left, right, up or down.

Have fun!

About

This tour was made possible by the talented, Google Trusted Photographer, Joni Kat Anderson.

Museum of Light

Last Week, a group of 20 design students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) visited the Lightology Showroom for a Lighting Education Tour. Lighting Designer Diane Fairchild and Architect Richard Kasemsarn brought their “Design with Light” class to Lightology for an immersive educational experience.

Students Tour Lightology – View from the Catwalk

The one hour student tour explored fundamental lighting principles, the properties of light, lighting design techniques, and the evolution of electric lighting technology. This design class is one of many to have taken the tour, which evolved over the years as increasing numbers of student groups requested access to Lightology’s space.

Students Tour Color Temperature Stairway (left) – History of Light Stairwell Bottom Landing (right)

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the International Academy of Design & Technology, and Harrington School of Design are but a few of the prestigious design schools that often ask for student tours at Lightology.

Tour leader Andrew Goldman notes, “We’ve heard a lot of feedback that these student groups leave Lightology with a deeper appreciation and understanding of things they’ve been learning about in class. Our exhibits and displays allow them to see and touch the things they learn in books.”

Ascending the History of Light Stairwell

More than a Showroom

Lightology founder and owner Greg Kay sees the tours as a sign that he must be doing something right. The award-winning lighting designer and Master Electrician opened Lightology in 2001 with a mission to offer the finest modern and contemporary lighting in the world. At the same time, he wanted to create a world-class educational center for lighting design.

“For me, Lightology has always been about more than just selling light fixtures—it’s more than a place to browse and shop,” says Kay.

Color Temperature Stairway

“When I first had the idea to open Lightology, I knew I wanted people to be able to explore the showroom as they would The Museum of Science and Industry, for example.”

Indeed, it’s no stretch to think of Lightology as Chicago’s Unofficial Museum of Light. The modern, glass-enclosed structure boasts 3 stories of stunning lighting displays and looks more like an art gallery than a lighting store. A variety of eye-catching and unexpected Light Art displays add to the ambience.

Visitors may explore a host of permanent, educational and interactive exhibits on the properties of light and color, the history of electric lighting, and the emergence of LEDs as the future of lighting. A breathtaking exhibit in the Morpheus Room demonstrates the impact of light and lighting systems on architecture, design, and human emotion.

In addition to educational tours for design and architecture students, Lightology’s award-winning showroom also hosts a variety of lighting seminars, industry training sessions, and other events. Complementing these educational experiences is a multitude of cultural events, parties, and photo shoots that take place throughout the year. (Even weddings!)

“Lightology is an experience,” affirms Kay. “It’s an adventure, a resource for lighting education, and really an opportunity to expand people’s notions about light, art, and the world around them.”

For more information, contact Fred Kern at fkern@lightology.com or call 773-770-1143.

Design With Light Finalists Announced

Wow … that’s all there is to say.

With over 80 entries submitted, we got to see everything from unique applications to gigantic jellyfish — and we were impressed.

Below are our 13 finalists! And don’t forget, there will be online voting for a People’s Choice Award, so keep in touch with us on facebook or twitter to vote for your favorites.

Thank you all for submitting designs that were creative, unique and just FUN!

Taut by Derek Porter Studio - Derek Porter and Chad Bristow

Stratus by Elliot Eakin

Lights Out by Sam Matson

Sparkle Globe by Sepp Spenlinhauer and Brian Fasset

Record Dress by Curtis Cassell

Seena by Randy Kramer

Illusion by Tricia Thomas

LED Soft Strip/Monorail by Dru Wallon

Light Shell by John Clark

Planter by Aimee Taylor

Hortus Sculptura by Kristin Taghon and Jasmin Marie

Chromashade by Joseph Nicotera

Hello Ma' Honey by Bruce Spiegel