The History and Function of Track Lighting
With a reputation for being dated and generic, track lighting gets less respect than other lighting forms. But, given the history, purpose and record of track lighting, the reputation is undeserved. Track lighting, invented in 1961, offers an important commercial lighting design and function.
Paul Revere’s Lanterns and America’s Independence
As the United States of America celebrates Independence on the Fourth of July, it’s worth remembering lighting’s role in the American Revolution. Revere’s light signal was a backup plan designed to warn patriots in Charlestown, a borough across the river from Boston, in case Revere was arrested by the British occupying Boston and thus unable to initi
10 Famous Architect Quotes Expressed by the Late, Great Grumpy Cat
"98% of what gets built today is sh**. There's no sense of design nor respect for humanity or anything. They're bad buildings and that's it." – Frank Gehry. Fun fact: One of Frank Gehry's most famous works as an architect is his own private Santa Monica residence.
Guide to Lighting America’s Flag
The Continental Congress passed an act establishing an official flag for the new American republic on June 14, 1777. President Truman declared June 14 as Flag Day August 3, 1949. Anyone considering displaying America’s flag for Flag Day today or on Independence Day on July 4th might want to give some thought to proper illumination.
Color Rendering Index – What Is CRI?
A color rendering index (CRI) is a quantitative metric of the ability of an artificial light source (i.e. LED, Fluorescent, Halogen, Incandescent, etc.) to accurately reveal the colors of a subject in comparison to a natural light source. A CRI of 90 means that the artificial light source is replicating roughly 90% of the visible color spectrum that the su
A Brief History of California’s Title 24 Regulation
A brief history of California’s Title 24 lighting regulation, from its origins and main parts.
Lighting Lessons from Lighting Designer, Writer, Lecturer Gerd Pfarré
In 2016, Architectural Lighting interviewed lighting designer and founder of Pfarré Lighting Design, Gerd Pfarré, shedding light on the legendary designer's process, what’s most important when lighting a space and what the future holds for lighting. While Pfarré’s is a career is a storied one, he did not start out in the industry.
5 Lighting Design Tips from Starbucks’ Directors of Store Design
When designing for a retail space, it is important to consider not only the design aesthetic that needs to be achieved but also the patron and the intended experience. Lighting design for retail spaces vary from displaying delicate pieces of jewelry to endless shelves of apparel; and when it comes to coffee shops, the detail and effort into lighting de
