What if the key to unlocking the full potential of architectural spaces lies in the nuanced interplay of light and design? Join us as we explore this profound question at the Light and Intelligent Building Middle East event in Dubai 2024. In conversation with Kanwal Thareja, a principal architect with over 28 years of expertise, and Harmeet Singh, a seasoned lighting designer, we uncover the pivotal role of education and forums in bridging gaps within the lighting design community. Kanwal recounts his professional journey and underscores the necessity of educating clients about the critical value of lighting consultants. Harmeet shares the struggles of his early career and how accessible educational resources dramatically transformed his path. Listen as they reflect on the significant advancements at the Light Middle East event over the years and the transformative power of proper lighting design.
The extensive portfolio of Harmeet Singh includes major projects like Hyderabad and Goa airports. As he transitions from hospitality to corporate spaces, Harmeet emphasises the importance of collaboration with supportive architects to enhance lighting design's impact on extended human interaction. Mr. Thareja stresses the need for architects to prioritise lighting from the conceptual stage, highlighting its transformative effect on buildings at night. This engaging discussion sheds light on the evolving role of lighting in creating vibrant and dynamic architectural environments, providing valuable insights into how lighting design can elevate the architectural process.
Quotes of the Day:
"As a lighting designer, one of my prime tasks is education. I need to educate my client." — Kanwal Thareja
"This initiative helps bridge the gap. In 2002, I wanted to pursue lighting design but couldn't afford the education. This kind of forum brings in a lot more talent into our learning curve and helps in avoiding those pitfalls." — Harmeet Singh
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sometimes we are making those mistakes just
because we don't know, andthat's where it's you know.
At the same time, I know theworld works around the economics
, but this kind of an initiativehelps bridge that gap, Because
I remember I wanted to dolighting design in 2002.
I couldn't afford it and Idecided not to do so because it
(00:23):
was too expensive for me at thattime.
I've learned on job.
This kind of forums bring in alot more talent into learning
curve education makes a lot ofdifference.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
you know, the education is like in India, at
least right when I tell myclient like I need a lighting
person, so why do you need tohave a lighting consultant?
Just buy lights and hire avendor and he will put lights on
.
No, I need a lightingconsultant, he will create an
ambience.
I need a lighting consultantwho will suggest the right kind
(00:55):
of product, the right kind ofambience.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Welcome back to the Virtual Lighting Design
Community Podcast, a globalplatform that empowers, inspires
, educates and connects thelighting design community.
This podcast is brought to youby our premium supporters Aero
Hospitality Lighting, creativeLighting Asia, erco, the Signify
Lighting Academy and PhilixLighting.
(01:22):
In this special episode, wetake you to the heart of the
Light and Intelligent BuildingMiddle East event in Dubai,
where the virtual lightingdesign community had its own
stand just near the ThinkLightarena.
At this prestigious event, wehad the pleasure of hosting
thought leaders and high-profileindividuals from the lighting
industry alongside our esteemedcommunity members.
During this episode, martinKlassen, one of the co-founders
(01:43):
of the virtual lighting designcommunity, sat down with Kanwal
Tharaja and Harmeet Singh.
As part of the engagingconversations at the event,
kanwal Tharaja, a principalarchitect, brought over 28 years
of experience in architecture,design and services planning to
the table.
On the other hand, harmeetSingh, a seasoned lighting
professional, shared insightsfrom his career, which includes
(02:04):
directing more than 200 projectscontributing to lighting master
planning and spearheading therevitalization of significant
landmarks.
For Harmeet, tapping intoeducational resources and event
as a budding lighting designerwas key to bridging the gap in
his knowledge.
In 2002, he wanted to pursuelighting design but couldn't
afford the education Forums,like Light Middle East, brought
(02:25):
in a lot more talent into thelearning curve and helped avoid
those pitfalls.
Kanwal highlighted that, as alighting designer, one of his
prime tasks was education theneed to educate his clients.
For anyone wanting a visualexperience, please do check out
our YouTube channel, where youwill find the video version of
this episode, as well as manyother great interviews and
presentations by our industrythought leaders.
(02:47):
Our YouTube handle is atvldcommunity and, of course, it
wouldn't be complete withoutmentioning our online platform,
where the magic happens.
Join us and your fellowlighting enthusiasts, where you
can gain access to the completearray of presentations,
interviews, stories, ongoingconversations, a host of
(03:08):
resources and much more.
So please do check that out andexplore the community.
Now on with the show.
Enjoy Intro music.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
My name is Martin Klaassen and welcome to the
virtual lighting designcommunity.
We are currently at LightMiddle East in Dubai 2024.
And I have the pleasure tointerview a famous architect and
a famous lighting designer fromIndia.
I won't try to pronounce yourname, so I will let you
introduce yourself.
You as an architect andlighting designer.
(03:50):
Please introduce yourself andtell me a little bit about what
it is you do, who you are.
Maybe some of your projects toget a bit an idea of yeah, and
lucky to be here.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I am common Thursday architect.
I came from India and ourpractice name is a conversation
architects and we are inpractice from last 30 years and
luckily we are in practice forthe last 30 years and luckily we
are working with mostprestigious clients in India and
working with different manyprojects, like from all fields
of architecture, from commercial, residential and all
(04:26):
institutional projects and all.
So that way we are blessed andwe have multi kind of projects
and happy with the kind ofconsultant we are blessed and we
have multi kind of projects andhappy with the kind of concerns
we are working with.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
What sort of projects like for hospitality or
corporate.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, we are lucky, as I said, like we are lucky to
have different kind of projects.
We are doing residentialmulti-story projects.
Right now we are doing 55 storytall building in Delhi it's
becoming one of the firstbuildings in Delhi which is the
tallest building, which has theluxury towers with the kind of
service apartments.
So that's the reason I thoughtI should visit Dubai To get more
(05:03):
kind of experience and exposureof how to deal with the tall
story buildings and all.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
So you obviously appreciate lighting design, and
that's why you?
Have a lighting designer alsohere.
That's the reason.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Harmeet is kind of a lighting consultant for us,
working with us, so he told me Ishould visit this place and
experience of lighting istotally different kind of a
thing, because in India thelighting plays a major role.
Any kind of a building withoutlighting is kind of a dark hole.
major role, yeah, any kind of abuilding without lighting is a
kind of a dark hole.
So all of my projects are likekind of all the live up in the
(05:38):
evening and all they lookbeautiful in the evening.
That's only because thelighting consultants and this
show and light middle is anotherwonderful second time coming
here, okay, and I'm so impressedwith the kind of improvement
for the last year and good to behere, and I just passed on to
Harmeet.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, Harmeet Tell me a little bit about.
So I'm Harmeet Singh, fromIndia and a lighting designer.
A practice will be 20 next year, 20 years old.
Practice Done, almost about 500projects from small to big,
from airports like Hyderabadairport, goa airport and doing
(06:18):
Delhi airport master planningfor the AeroCity very diverse
projects.
Hospitality is where we started, as all of us we did as
lighting designers and thengraduated to now.
These days I'm very extensivelyworking into the corporates
which is doing lighting designfor Google, microsoft, apple, as
well as Morgan Stanley's,goldman Sachs and larger spaces.
(06:41):
We're getting more and moreclose to human beings and more
interactive, rather than just asI say, I was designing for
lighting in spaces where youwould spend about two hours
restaurants or hotels, or threehours at the stretch.
Now I'm designing for spaceswhere people are sitting for 12
(07:02):
hours, 14 hours, apart from theresidences.
So I think that's a big changefrom and also brings in a lot of
consciousness onto how to dothat.
Also brings in a lot ofconsciousness onto how to do
that, because now from two hoursto 12 hours of interaction with
human beings, of theenvironment, what we've built
and I have been working with MrKavil Thareja and a lot of
(07:24):
projects, where infra project,which we are with him on it,
enjoying ourselves and loving it, what we do.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
It's a really great point, because it's not often
that we see architects andlighting designers travel
together to get our intelligence.
I guess what you're doing hereto get the latest, because
you're obviously based in India,but this is where a lot of
things are happening, so you getnew technologies.
So I love the idea that both ofyou travel together because we
need each other in lighting andin architecture, so it's great.
(07:55):
Maybe can you, and then, afterI, pass it on to our architects.
But what?
What is your, in your opinion,the important aspect of lighting
, design and architecture?
Why is it that we need eachother?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
so I, first of all, I I come from a very old school
Light for architecture, notarchitecture for light, although
these days the world is movingvery different.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
You may think differently about it.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Yes, yes, of course.
So the way it is thearchitecture.
We contribute to what has beenbuilt and try and bring it to
the level, be it as an identityat night or that matter, how
comfortable a human being isinside, in the form of it, how
(08:43):
while using it.
That's the, that's the way, butI can vouch for it.
Without having a greatarchitect partner to move
towards lighting as a design, wewouldn't have been able to
deliver anything onto it,because sometimes boundaries are
(09:05):
very blurred between,especially, lighting design and
architecture.
What is happening is we need toget into the skin, we need to
get into it, and unless uharchitect as supportive as uh,
mr thareja comes in and saysokay, I'm willing to change this
for you, I am willing to extendmyself to do this, I'm willing
to, it won't happen.
It's, it's, that's.
(09:26):
That's what I've been blessedother way around that uh got a
chance to work with these many,but let's see from the architect
.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
What do you think?
How important is lighting foryou?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Yeah, it is a kind of a collaborative kind of a
system and all, first of all,architect need to have exposure.
Actually, most of the time,like the clients are closer to
us and we know our clients, weknow the budgets, we know
everything and all, because wespend too much of time, hours
kind of, with the client.
So client has certain kind ofvision, so that we understand
(09:55):
that and he has a budget.
Then, finally, you need to haveexposure.
Architects, they don't haveexposure sometimes.
Sometimes they say, whateverthe money is left, we put it
into lighting.
Lighting comes later, the lastpart, where you have little
money, and you put it into thatway.
But that doesn't work.
That should not work.
The architect, when they designfrom the initial stage, they
(10:18):
have to conceptualize, they haveto see how the building is
going to look.
You see, if you look at thehours, the day times and the
night time sunset 5, 3030 in themorning we have plenty of hours
.
The building in the dark, thebuilding in the dark.
So that is a major point whenyou can visualize the building
(10:39):
from interior and outside right.
Yes, yes, so that has to beappreciated.
Earlier, the building, afterthe dark, the building was dead.
But nowadays it's not thebuilding comes.
Once you come back, you see theglamorous part of the building.
Right, yeah, yeah.
So glamour comes in the evening, right yeah, yeah.
So you need to have a good kindof lighting system to exploit
(11:02):
the evening.
Basically, right, so we need tohave a kind of lighting
consultants and we give ourfeedback to lighting consultants
.
You should, you should and viceversa.
We are learning a lot.
It is a learning for me.
Sometimes I say, okay, we needto put that much of light, that
many kind of lights and all, andno, don't do that, there's so
(11:23):
many limitations.
And all, right, it is acollaborative yeah, we are
collaborative but definitelyneed a more kind of an architect
to visiting these kind ofplaces and all.
I hardly see any architectsvisiting this lighting.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
No, that's why I'm very happy to see you, because
that also shows us that you havean interest in lighting.
You understand lighting and theimportance of what it brings to
the buildings you design.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah because once I know the kind of things which
are available right now, I cantell my lighting consultant yes,
I want like this, so can we dothis?
And all you won't believe.
Yesterday we were having adinner somewhere right and he
was facing the restaurant.
I was facing the kind of mainroad, so I saw the multi-story
building here and there's anight view.
The building is coming next toBurj Khalifa.
(12:09):
So I told him Harmeet, lookback, look at this building.
If I do this, is it possible?
He said no, it is not possibleat all.
The kind of lighting you see,it is not practical.
It is not practical.
So the more time we spendtogether lighting consulting and
architects, it's good for thecommunity.
Good for the client, good foreverything.
(12:30):
So it is a kind of exposure.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
So this year's theme is enlightened futures.
Both of you can respond to thisquestion.
So these enlightened futures inwhich we touch upon social
issues, ethical issues likedarkness, circular economy,
integration of smart elementsinto lighting You've been
(12:56):
walking around a bit.
Tell me a bit what you feel isimportant.
How does that help us to getbetter lighting into buildings?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Well, these concerns have been for a while there and
all of us need to address itsooner or later, and that's what
it's good that we have startedat least talking about it now.
If you start from the deep down, that level, you see plastics
and as you grow into the deepermiddle of the mature suppliers
(13:28):
and manufacturers I don't know Ishould say this or not, but
what is happening is there is amaturity scene and I don't want
to become country-wise oranything, so what is happening
is the sensibility.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
It's there yet.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Yeah, we know all this.
Only the thing is the economicsand the commercials is moving
us dance in a very different way.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
There is a use for everything.
Yes, you know, we havefive-star hotels, we have
one-star hotels and all havedifferent applications,
different sort of lighting.
So in that respect, we alsohave five-star lighting brands,
we have one-star lighting brands.
It makes sense.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
But at the same time, martin, what I think is I do a
lot of product design as well,and I've worked with biggest
names where our products are, asof now, designed and sold in
market, which some of us areusing as well.
It's about the strategy of usingthe right materials.
When you want to go to circular, we're talking about circular,
(14:29):
Of course it's very importantmaterials when you want to go to
circular, we're talking aboutcircular.
Of course it's very important.
But at the same time, if thematerials are wrong and not
circulable, it's going wrong andit's not about first star, one
star, three star, four star.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
No, no, I'm just saying that as a sort of
metaphor.
Yes, agreed agreed.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
The quality would definitely.
There is a crispness or a, Iwould say, luminar.
I would like to keep theefficiency aside, but at the
same time, if technically adiffused light may not be very,
very popular among lightingdesigners, but at the same time
(15:06):
it has an application.
What you said, exactly, that'sit.
But making it out of a rightmaterial and the right.
Quality is a responsibilitywhich we need to have, be it in
a one-star or cheapest one orthe most expensive one, because
the cheap one is really veryexpensive for the environment.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
You know what I often say as a line designer One of
my prime tasks is education.
I need to educate my client,and I'm sure you, as an
architect, do the same thing.
Yeah, education is the rightthing.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I think you highlighted that Education makes
a lot of difference.
You know that education is likein India at least right when I
tell my client, like I need alighting consultant, why do you
need to have a lightingconsultant?
Just buy lights and hire avendor and he will put lights on
.
No, I need a lightingconsultant, he will create an
ambience, the ambience I knowwhat kind of ambience I am
(15:54):
looking for.
No, sir, I need a lightingconsultant who will suggest kind
of a right kind of a product,right kind of an ambience, right
kind of a kind of a fittingfixtures and all.
So we need a consultant.
You know, finally, you knowwhat happens.
The thing which I am facing islike my lighting consultant they
advise a good kind of light,finally, the budget comes in,
(16:14):
all.
So budget is huge, which isfine.
But same kind of product youget at a lesser price, and all
right.
So in this market which I amnot confident about, the price
which they are quoting into it,the price which you see in the
market in the catalog and theprice which I see in the market
in the catalog and the pricewhich I see in this exhibition
is major difference, yes, andwhere I am not very confident.
(16:39):
This is like how do you do this?
This is like what?
It is basically right.
The actual price and the marketprice is totally different.
And the lighting, they are verygood, and the exposure, all
these kind of products, the kindof materials we should know, so
what I say, the client shouldhave certain kind of education.
You should call a couple of gooddevelopers, like anywhere in
(17:01):
the world, you call somedevelopers, some architects, so
that they get a kind of a goodexposure and the education.
And once they get educated, yes, a good exposure and the
education.
And once they get educated, yes, they're free to do any kind of
product up to them.
You use for one star, threestar, four star, five star,
depending on budget.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
But it should be exposed and all right see
sometimes you need to alsojustify the client why you need
to have a premium brand.
Very often is not because ofthe quality of the product, but
also the service that theproduct and the brand gives.
Now I want to make a littlebridge from we talked about
education, educated climate.
You were here interviewed onthe virtual lighting design
(17:40):
community stage and one of ourkey elements of our community is
lighting.
Education is sharing ofknowledge, right?
So you didn't know about VLDCbut we explained a little bit to
you.
I would love to hear yourunderstanding and appreciation
(18:03):
of what the Virtual LightingJack community can do for our
lighting community in general.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Makes a major, major difference.
This is the kind of first timeI heard where this is going to
be a kind of a landmark, kind ofa decision and it will expose
and give us a good education fora client, for an architect, any
kind of personal setting,whoever is not attending today
but is virtually connected.
Virtually connected.
(18:28):
Right so that makes a lot ofsense.
It is one of the best kind ofexamples to do that and it
should be appreciated and shouldbe promoted more and more.
I can share these kind of ideaswith my clients, my architects,
my friends in Delhi, so this isa kind of good platform Should
be promoted well in our week.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I think it's a lovely economical way of reaching out
to education.
Education is not cheap.
We all know that.
We all have seen colleges and Ithink it brings in a lot of
knowledge and accessible to many, many, many people who want to
(19:08):
learn, and sometimes we aremaking those mistakes just
because we don't know, andthat's where it's you know.
At the same time, I know theworld works around the economics
, but this kind of an initiativehelps bridge that gap, because
I remember I wanted to dolighting design in 2002.
(19:29):
I couldn't afford it and Idecided not to do so because it
was too expensive for me at thattime and I went into work with
Philips, work with many other.
I didn't have this kind ofthing.
I've learned on job.
I'm an illiterate lightingdesigner.
I say always which is, which is,which is there.
So at the same time, this kindof forums bring in a lot more
talent into a learning curve andavoiding those initial errors.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
We also want to spread the word outside the
lighting community.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
That's why I'm so happy that you are here as an
architect, because we need alsoarchitects to be part of this.
You have to work with lightingelectrical engineers, you name
it.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
So in that respect, that was the idea of
interviewing the two of youtogether the architect and.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
So thank you very much for this interview.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
Thank you so much and all the best.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
We hope you enjoyed this episode and you've gained
some insight or inspiration thatyou can take away or perhaps
apply.
If you enjoyed this episode andyou've gained some insight or
inspiration that you can takeaway or perhaps apply.
If you enjoyed this episode, itis always appreciated if you
could take a moment to share thepodcast with your peers and
friends or leave a review onyour favorite podcast app.
Consider subscribing to thepodcast and our YouTube channel
to stay up to date with ourlatest content.
(20:45):
Do check out our onlineplatform as well at vldcommunity
.
If you would like more, why notgo back and listen to some of
our previous episodes and hearmore from our thought leaders?
Thanks for listening and wewill be back with more great
presentations or interviews verysoon.
Till next time.
Sometimes we are making those mistakes just
because we don't know, andthat's where it's you know.
At the same time, I know theworld works around the economics
, but this kind of an initiativehelps bridge that gap, Because
I remember I wanted to dolighting design in 2002.
I couldn't afford it and Idecided not to do so because it
(00:23):
was too expensive for me at thattime.
I've learned on job.
This kind of forums bring in alot more talent into learning
curve education makes a lot ofdifference.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
you know, the education is like in India, at
least right when I tell myclient like I need a lighting
person, so why do you need tohave a lighting consultant?
Just buy lights and hire avendor and he will put lights on
.
No, I need a lightingconsultant, he will create an
ambience.
I need a lighting consultantwho will suggest the right kind
(00:55):
of product, the right kind ofambience.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Welcome back to the Virtual Lighting Design
Community Podcast, a globalplatform that empowers, inspires
, educates and connects thelighting design community.
This podcast is brought to youby our premium supporters Aero
Hospitality Lighting, creativeLighting Asia, erco, the Signify
Lighting Academy and PhilixLighting.
(01:22):
In this special episode, wetake you to the heart of the
Light and Intelligent BuildingMiddle East event in Dubai,
where the virtual lightingdesign community had its own
stand just near the ThinkLightarena.
At this prestigious event, wehad the pleasure of hosting
thought leaders and high-profileindividuals from the lighting
industry alongside our esteemedcommunity members.
During this episode, martinKlassen, one of the co-founders
(01:43):
of the virtual lighting designcommunity, sat down with Kanwal
Tharaja and Harmeet Singh.
As part of the engagingconversations at the event,
kanwal Tharaja, a principalarchitect, brought over 28 years
of experience in architecture,design and services planning to
the table.
On the other hand, harmeetSingh, a seasoned lighting
professional, shared insightsfrom his career, which includes
(02:04):
directing more than 200 projectscontributing to lighting master
planning and spearheading therevitalization of significant
landmarks.
For Harmeet, tapping intoeducational resources and event
as a budding lighting designerwas key to bridging the gap in
his knowledge.
In 2002, he wanted to pursuelighting design but couldn't
afford the education Forums,like Light Middle East, brought
(02:25):
in a lot more talent into thelearning curve and helped avoid
those pitfalls.
Kanwal highlighted that, as alighting designer, one of his
prime tasks was education theneed to educate his clients.
For anyone wanting a visualexperience, please do check out
our YouTube channel, where youwill find the video version of
this episode, as well as manyother great interviews and
presentations by our industrythought leaders.
(02:47):
Our YouTube handle is atvldcommunity and, of course, it
wouldn't be complete withoutmentioning our online platform,
where the magic happens.
Join us and your fellowlighting enthusiasts, where you
can gain access to the completearray of presentations,
interviews, stories, ongoingconversations, a host of
(03:08):
resources and much more.
So please do check that out andexplore the community.
Now on with the show.
Enjoy Intro music.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
My name is Martin Klaassen and welcome to the
virtual lighting designcommunity.
We are currently at LightMiddle East in Dubai 2024.
And I have the pleasure tointerview a famous architect and
a famous lighting designer fromIndia.
I won't try to pronounce yourname, so I will let you
introduce yourself.
You as an architect andlighting designer.
(03:50):
Please introduce yourself andtell me a little bit about what
it is you do, who you are.
Maybe some of your projects toget a bit an idea of yeah, and
lucky to be here.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
I am common Thursday architect.
I came from India and ourpractice name is a conversation
architects and we are inpractice from last 30 years and
luckily we are in practice forthe last 30 years and luckily we
are working with mostprestigious clients in India and
working with different manyprojects, like from all fields
of architecture, from commercial, residential and all
(04:26):
institutional projects and all.
So that way we are blessed andwe have multi kind of projects
and happy with the kind ofconsultant we are blessed and we
have multi kind of projects andhappy with the kind of concerns
we are working with.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
What sort of projects like for hospitality or
corporate.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, we are lucky, as I said, like we are lucky to
have different kind of projects.
We are doing residentialmulti-story projects.
Right now we are doing 55 storytall building in Delhi it's
becoming one of the firstbuildings in Delhi which is the
tallest building, which has theluxury towers with the kind of
service apartments.
So that's the reason I thoughtI should visit Dubai To get more
(05:03):
kind of experience and exposureof how to deal with the tall
story buildings and all.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
So you obviously appreciate lighting design, and
that's why you?
Have a lighting designer alsohere.
That's the reason.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Harmeet is kind of a lighting consultant for us,
working with us, so he told me Ishould visit this place and
experience of lighting istotally different kind of a
thing, because in India thelighting plays a major role.
Any kind of a building withoutlighting is kind of a dark hole.
major role, yeah, any kind of abuilding without lighting is a
kind of a dark hole.
So all of my projects are likekind of all the live up in the
(05:38):
evening and all they lookbeautiful in the evening.
That's only because thelighting consultants and this
show and light middle is anotherwonderful second time coming
here, okay, and I'm so impressedwith the kind of improvement
for the last year and good to behere, and I just passed on to
Harmeet.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, Harmeet Tell me a little bit about.
So I'm Harmeet Singh, fromIndia and a lighting designer.
A practice will be 20 next year, 20 years old.
Practice Done, almost about 500projects from small to big,
from airports like Hyderabadairport, goa airport and doing
(06:18):
Delhi airport master planningfor the AeroCity very diverse
projects.
Hospitality is where we started, as all of us we did as
lighting designers and thengraduated to now.
These days I'm very extensivelyworking into the corporates
which is doing lighting designfor Google, microsoft, apple, as
well as Morgan Stanley's,goldman Sachs and larger spaces.
(06:41):
We're getting more and moreclose to human beings and more
interactive, rather than just asI say, I was designing for
lighting in spaces where youwould spend about two hours
restaurants or hotels, or threehours at the stretch.
Now I'm designing for spaceswhere people are sitting for 12
(07:02):
hours, 14 hours, apart from theresidences.
So I think that's a big changefrom and also brings in a lot of
consciousness onto how to dothat.
Also brings in a lot ofconsciousness onto how to do
that, because now from two hoursto 12 hours of interaction with
human beings, of theenvironment, what we've built
and I have been working with MrKavil Thareja and a lot of
(07:24):
projects, where infra project,which we are with him on it,
enjoying ourselves and loving it, what we do.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
It's a really great point, because it's not often
that we see architects andlighting designers travel
together to get our intelligence.
I guess what you're doing hereto get the latest, because
you're obviously based in India,but this is where a lot of
things are happening, so you getnew technologies.
So I love the idea that both ofyou travel together because we
need each other in lighting andin architecture, so it's great.
(07:55):
Maybe can you, and then, afterI, pass it on to our architects.
But what?
What is your, in your opinion,the important aspect of lighting
, design and architecture?
Why is it that we need eachother?
Speaker 1 (08:11):
so I, first of all, I I come from a very old school
Light for architecture, notarchitecture for light, although
these days the world is movingvery different.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
You may think differently about it.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Yes, yes, of course.
So the way it is thearchitecture.
We contribute to what has beenbuilt and try and bring it to
the level, be it as an identityat night or that matter, how
comfortable a human being isinside, in the form of it, how
(08:43):
while using it.
That's the, that's the way, butI can vouch for it.
Without having a greatarchitect partner to move
towards lighting as a design, wewouldn't have been able to
deliver anything onto it,because sometimes boundaries are
(09:05):
very blurred between,especially, lighting design and
architecture.
What is happening is we need toget into the skin, we need to
get into it, and unless uharchitect as supportive as uh,
mr thareja comes in and saysokay, I'm willing to change this
for you, I am willing to extendmyself to do this, I'm willing
to, it won't happen.
It's, it's, that's.
(09:26):
That's what I've been blessedother way around that uh got a
chance to work with these many,but let's see from the architect
.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
What do you think?
How important is lighting foryou?
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Yeah, it is a kind of a collaborative kind of a
system and all, first of all,architect need to have exposure.
Actually, most of the time,like the clients are closer to
us and we know our clients, weknow the budgets, we know
everything and all, because wespend too much of time, hours
kind of, with the client.
So client has certain kind ofvision, so that we understand
(09:55):
that and he has a budget.
Then, finally, you need to haveexposure.
Architects, they don't haveexposure sometimes.
Sometimes they say, whateverthe money is left, we put it
into lighting.
Lighting comes later, the lastpart, where you have little
money, and you put it into thatway.
But that doesn't work.
That should not work.
The architect, when they designfrom the initial stage, they
(10:18):
have to conceptualize, they haveto see how the building is
going to look.
You see, if you look at thehours, the day times and the
night time sunset 5, 3030 in themorning we have plenty of hours
.
The building in the dark, thebuilding in the dark.
So that is a major point whenyou can visualize the building
(10:39):
from interior and outside right.
Yes, yes, so that has to beappreciated.
Earlier, the building, afterthe dark, the building was dead.
But nowadays it's not thebuilding comes.
Once you come back, you see theglamorous part of the building.
Right, yeah, yeah.
So glamour comes in the evening, right yeah, yeah.
So you need to have a good kindof lighting system to exploit
(11:02):
the evening.
Basically, right, so we need tohave a kind of lighting
consultants and we give ourfeedback to lighting consultants
.
You should, you should and viceversa.
We are learning a lot.
It is a learning for me.
Sometimes I say, okay, we needto put that much of light, that
many kind of lights and all, andno, don't do that, there's so
(11:23):
many limitations.
And all, right, it is acollaborative yeah, we are
collaborative but definitelyneed a more kind of an architect
to visiting these kind ofplaces and all.
I hardly see any architectsvisiting this lighting.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
No, that's why I'm very happy to see you, because
that also shows us that you havean interest in lighting.
You understand lighting and theimportance of what it brings to
the buildings you design.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah because once I know the kind of things which
are available right now, I cantell my lighting consultant yes,
I want like this, so can we dothis?
And all you won't believe.
Yesterday we were having adinner somewhere right and he
was facing the restaurant.
I was facing the kind of mainroad, so I saw the multi-story
building here and there's anight view.
The building is coming next toBurj Khalifa.
(12:09):
So I told him Harmeet, lookback, look at this building.
If I do this, is it possible?
He said no, it is not possibleat all.
The kind of lighting you see,it is not practical.
It is not practical.
So the more time we spendtogether lighting consulting and
architects, it's good for thecommunity.
Good for the client, good foreverything.
(12:30):
So it is a kind of exposure.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
So this year's theme is enlightened futures.
Both of you can respond to thisquestion.
So these enlightened futures inwhich we touch upon social
issues, ethical issues likedarkness, circular economy,
integration of smart elementsinto lighting You've been
(12:56):
walking around a bit.
Tell me a bit what you feel isimportant.
How does that help us to getbetter lighting into buildings?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Well, these concerns have been for a while there and
all of us need to address itsooner or later, and that's what
it's good that we have startedat least talking about it now.
If you start from the deep down, that level, you see plastics
and as you grow into the deepermiddle of the mature suppliers
(13:28):
and manufacturers I don't know Ishould say this or not, but
what is happening is there is amaturity scene and I don't want
to become country-wise oranything, so what is happening
is the sensibility.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
It's there yet.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Yeah, we know all this.
Only the thing is the economicsand the commercials is moving
us dance in a very different way.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
There is a use for everything.
Yes, you know, we havefive-star hotels, we have
one-star hotels and all havedifferent applications,
different sort of lighting.
So in that respect, we alsohave five-star lighting brands,
we have one-star lighting brands.
It makes sense.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
But at the same time, martin, what I think is I do a
lot of product design as well,and I've worked with biggest
names where our products are, asof now, designed and sold in
market, which some of us areusing as well.
It's about the strategy of usingthe right materials.
When you want to go to circular, we're talking about circular,
(14:29):
Of course it's very importantmaterials when you want to go to
circular, we're talking aboutcircular.
Of course it's very important.
But at the same time, if thematerials are wrong and not
circulable, it's going wrong andit's not about first star, one
star, three star, four star.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
No, no, I'm just saying that as a sort of
metaphor.
Yes, agreed agreed.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
The quality would definitely.
There is a crispness or a, Iwould say, luminar.
I would like to keep theefficiency aside, but at the
same time, if technically adiffused light may not be very,
very popular among lightingdesigners, but at the same time
(15:06):
it has an application.
What you said, exactly, that'sit.
But making it out of a rightmaterial and the right.
Quality is a responsibilitywhich we need to have, be it in
a one-star or cheapest one orthe most expensive one, because
the cheap one is really veryexpensive for the environment.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
You know what I often say as a line designer One of
my prime tasks is education.
I need to educate my client,and I'm sure you, as an
architect, do the same thing.
Yeah, education is the rightthing.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I think you highlighted that Education makes
a lot of difference.
You know that education is likein India at least right when I
tell my client, like I need alighting consultant, why do you
need to have a lightingconsultant?
Just buy lights and hire avendor and he will put lights on
.
No, I need a lightingconsultant, he will create an
ambience, the ambience I knowwhat kind of ambience I am
(15:54):
looking for.
No, sir, I need a lightingconsultant who will suggest kind
of a right kind of a product,right kind of an ambience, right
kind of a kind of a fittingfixtures and all.
So we need a consultant.
You know, finally, you knowwhat happens.
The thing which I am facing islike my lighting consultant they
advise a good kind of light,finally, the budget comes in,
(16:14):
all.
So budget is huge, which isfine.
But same kind of product youget at a lesser price, and all
right.
So in this market which I amnot confident about, the price
which they are quoting into it,the price which you see in the
market in the catalog and theprice which I see in the market
in the catalog and the pricewhich I see in this exhibition
is major difference, yes, andwhere I am not very confident.
(16:39):
This is like how do you do this?
This is like what?
It is basically right.
The actual price and the marketprice is totally different.
And the lighting, they are verygood, and the exposure, all
these kind of products, the kindof materials we should know, so
what I say, the client shouldhave certain kind of education.
You should call a couple of gooddevelopers, like anywhere in
(17:01):
the world, you call somedevelopers, some architects, so
that they get a kind of a goodexposure and the education.
And once they get educated, yes, a good exposure and the
education.
And once they get educated, yes, they're free to do any kind of
product up to them.
You use for one star, threestar, four star, five star,
depending on budget.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
But it should be exposed and all right see
sometimes you need to alsojustify the client why you need
to have a premium brand.
Very often is not because ofthe quality of the product, but
also the service that theproduct and the brand gives.
Now I want to make a littlebridge from we talked about
education, educated climate.
You were here interviewed onthe virtual lighting design
(17:40):
community stage and one of ourkey elements of our community is
lighting.
Education is sharing ofknowledge, right?
So you didn't know about VLDCbut we explained a little bit to
you.
I would love to hear yourunderstanding and appreciation
(18:03):
of what the Virtual LightingJack community can do for our
lighting community in general.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Makes a major, major difference.
This is the kind of first timeI heard where this is going to
be a kind of a landmark, kind ofa decision and it will expose
and give us a good education fora client, for an architect, any
kind of personal setting,whoever is not attending today
but is virtually connected.
Virtually connected.
(18:28):
Right so that makes a lot ofsense.
It is one of the best kind ofexamples to do that and it
should be appreciated and shouldbe promoted more and more.
I can share these kind of ideaswith my clients, my architects,
my friends in Delhi, so this isa kind of good platform Should
be promoted well in our week.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
I think it's a lovely economical way of reaching out
to education.
Education is not cheap.
We all know that.
We all have seen colleges and Ithink it brings in a lot of
knowledge and accessible to many, many, many people who want to
(19:08):
learn, and sometimes we aremaking those mistakes just
because we don't know, andthat's where it's you know.
At the same time, I know theworld works around the economics
, but this kind of an initiativehelps bridge that gap, because
I remember I wanted to dolighting design in 2002.
(19:29):
I couldn't afford it and Idecided not to do so because it
was too expensive for me at thattime and I went into work with
Philips, work with many other.
I didn't have this kind ofthing.
I've learned on job.
I'm an illiterate lightingdesigner.
I say always which is, which is,which is there.
So at the same time, this kindof forums bring in a lot more
talent into a learning curve andavoiding those initial errors.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
We also want to spread the word outside the
lighting community.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
That's why I'm so happy that you are here as an
architect, because we need alsoarchitects to be part of this.
You have to work with lightingelectrical engineers, you name
it.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
So in that respect, that was the idea of
interviewing the two of youtogether the architect and.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
So thank you very much for this interview.
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
Thank you so much and all the best.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
We hope you enjoyed this episode and you've gained
some insight or inspiration thatyou can take away or perhaps
apply.
If you enjoyed this episode andyou've gained some insight or
inspiration that you can takeaway or perhaps apply.
If you enjoyed this episode, itis always appreciated if you
could take a moment to share thepodcast with your peers and
friends or leave a review onyour favorite podcast app.
Consider subscribing to thepodcast and our YouTube channel
to stay up to date with ourlatest content.
(20:45):
Do check out our onlineplatform as well at vldcommunity
.
If you would like more, why notgo back and listen to some of
our previous episodes and hearmore from our thought leaders?
Thanks for listening and wewill be back with more great
presentations or interviews verysoon.
Till next time.
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