Moving in the darkness

A TUNNEL

Can you count how often you are in a complete darkness? The complete darkness derives us of certain sensations or skills that we obtain during our light experiences through years. A small proof of this: tunnels of one of the Dubai aqua-parks. Your brain sends no signals of whether it is going to be right or left turn, whether there are any obstacles on your way. Information is perceived this very moment of action incapable of any predictions. Navigating in light we 'plan' the route through the vision, darkness leaves us with the only question: what's next?

To cut it short: light operates our lives, darkness brings a pinch of fun

Electrrrrric

JACK JOHNSON'S ALBUM Sleep Through The Static was made with 100% solar energy: all the songs were recorded onto analogue tape machines powered by the sun in Hawaii and Los Angeles.

That's how the music (acoustic songs performed by a surfer singer who gets inspired by the ocean waves and open skies) seamlessly blends with the light... and you go on whistling his tunes and feeling the sun on your skin and thinking of how pleasures can sometimes be guilt-free and environmentally conscious.

Dance Dance Dance

DUBAI FOUNTAINS, Dubai, UAE

Unsurpassed: 275m long (the size of two football fields), water nozzles shoot water sprays to heights of over 150m (equivalent of a 50-storeyed building), 6600 lights and 50 coloured projectors provide the full spectrum of colour with a total output of 1,5 million lumen. These are the "dry" facts.

Unforgettable: we were trying to film it several times but would forget to press the record button... How can water and light create such plasticity and convey complex Arabic choreography? For the real thing, go Dubai Burj Khalifa. For our a-la b&w comic book Marvel-style video, click on play.

SWITCHitON

SWITCH RESTAURANT, Dubai, UAE

The fav dining out place of a lighting geek should give as much emotional food as... oh what was on the menu?

Karim Rashid's Switch Restaurant and Lounge in Dubai Mall lives up to its name: it is the embodiment of transformation. The sand-dune-shaped walls with continuous colour changing, play on light and shadow, striking black ribbon of the ceiling with Arabic ornamental script, lit up fluid floor, lighting wall decor... it's all about illusions, it's all about impressions, it's all about light.

PS. And you eventually forget your mojito is non-alcoholic :)

LUXurious Knowledge

LUXIPEDIA HOME PAGE, Fagerhult Lighting Academy

Light has always been a source of inspiration for different visual arts like painting, photography and cinema, it has brought up brilliant metaphors used in poetry and music but in all its creative spectrum there's a whole scientific field lying underneath.

To better describe the multiplicity of light and uncover the latest developments in lighting, Fagerhult Lighting Academy have launched Luxipedia, an interactive encyclopedia with a clear navigation and articles that shed light to a broad range of topics. A handy instrument that we are using!

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NEW ZEALAND

One of the key parameters in light perception is reflection. The reflection factor of material is always considered when making lighting calculations as the beam of light touches surfaces and either travels through them or is absorbed or bounced back thus creating various impressions. This is the essence of lighting design.

The best samples of lighting design are provided by nature though. New Zealand's environments could serve as the un-3D-redefined background for any sci-fi movie. The image itself is surrealistic enough, with the still water acting as a mirror enabling the rock chain literally fly high over the earth. No computer image superimposed. 100% natural.

photo: courtesy Dmitry Loshagin

Air & Lines

URAL AIRLINES OFFICE, Ekaterinburg, Russia

We are happy to present the project of Ural Airlines HQ in Ekaterinburg, Russia - our friend, architect Timur Abdullaev, and his bureau In.Form's creation.

The complex forms of the building are meant to reflect and unite the complexity of versatile functions and structures of the Ural Airlines company, one of the biggest Russian carriers. The interior lighting had also to be aesthetically in line with the concept, highlight the architectural details (i.e. irregular angles and curves), add on volume and be as technologically advanced as the aircraft industry.

That's how the solution was developed - Air & Lines. Massive wall luminaires, protruded on heavy-duty metal arms under the glass dome, and floating round-shaped fixtures helped to accentuate the air. The lines penetrate the whole office area: continuous strips of light following the curves, star-like structures in the lobby, linear vertical light emphasizing the columns.

The project participated in the OfficeNext2010 award and was among the top 3 nominees for the Best Brand and Concept award.

And we are proud to be a part of it :)

photo: courtesy 3D Sfera