Architectural Lighting Design Podcast

This episode explores the hidden costs of artificial light at night on nocturnal animals. Drawing on recent studies, we examine how urban illumination disrupts the survival and development of insects, alters the feeding and movement patterns of bats,... more

Architectural and lighting design are global professions, yet the way people perceive and prefer light—especially the color of white—varies widely across cultures and environments. This episode explores the subtle but profound influences that geograp... more

This episode unpacks one of the most persistent misconceptions in lighting design: the belief that a higher Color Rendering Index (CRI) automatically means better light. We explore how CRI is a measure of fidelity—how closely colors appear compared t... more

Once hailed as the ultimate sustainable solution, LEDs are now revealing an inconvenient truth: they are fueling a mounting e-waste crisis. Unlike traditional lamps that could be replaced, most LEDs require disposing of the entire luminaire—creating ... more

This episode explores the growing challenges posed by aging LED lighting systems as warranties expire and failures become widespread. The discussion examines how the lack of standardization and replaceable components makes maintenance increasingly di... more

In the 1920s, leading lightbulb manufacturers across Europe and America secretly agreed to limit the lifespan of bulbs to just 1,000 hours. This global conspiracy—known as the Phoebus Cartel—was one of the earliest and most infamous examples of plann... more

In our new series, we turn from the pioneers of the past to the challenges of the present. This first episode explores overillumination—the excess of artificial light in our cities and homes. Once a symbol of progress and safety, brightness has becom... more

In this finale of Pioneers in Light, we trace how theatrical roots grew into a global profession. From McCandless and Rosenthal to Kelly, Price, Feder, Lam, Brandston, and Claude Engle, these pioneers gave light its method, poetry, architectural lang... more