IALD Enlighten Europe Conference
08/11/2018
Barcelona, Spain

The IALD Enlighten Europe Conference, organized by the International Association of Lighting Designers took place from 7th November to 9th November 2018 at the Pullman Barcelona Skipper in Barcelona, Spain.

The Lovers of Light panel, held on 8 November 2018, was a dynamic, interactive session that blended serious industry discussions with a lighthearted, game show-style format. Hosted and moderated by Ron Steen (Xicato, USA), the panel featured prominent lighting professionals including Anna Sbokou (ASlight, UK), Chiara Carucci (Tengbom, Sweden), Tad Tyrlski (Independent Lighting Designer, UK), Christopher Knowlton (18 Degrees, UK), Tony Esposito (USA), and Kuldeep Vali (Cooledge, UK).

In this engaging format, panelists debated key industry topics—ranging from the relevance of TM-30 vs. CRI, the value of tunable white and color tuning, to the future of control and IoT in lighting. Each topic featured point-counterpoint arguments, followed by audience participation, where attendees weighed in on the pros and cons. The session concluded with an applause-o-meter to determine the winning side, adding a fun, competitive edge to the thought-provoking discussions.

Following the Lovers of Light panel, the Art Track: Future in Vernacular Lighting talk explored the intersection of traditional architectural influences and futuristic lighting concepts. Presented by Anna Sbokou (ASlight, UK) and Jörg Frank Seemann (Lichtkompetenz GmbH, Switzerland), this thought-provoking session examined how socio-climatic conditions, vernacular architecture, science fiction literature, and system theory can inform and inspire the future of urban lighting.

The discussion delved into the unique lighting effects shaped by regional environments and questioned the impact of globalization on these distinct visual languages. Key topics included whether regionalized lighting languages can coexist with global architectural trends, and how socio-climatic research might predict future lighting directions.

Through critical analysis, the session challenged lighting designers to consider the balance between cultural identity, environmental context, and modern design practices in shaping the cities of tomorrow.