Robert White IALD, LC, IESNA is a Principal and Lighting Designer at Illuminart. He’s also an educator, an advocate of high standards and adhering to the rules and an official supporter of the environment through membership of the US Green Business Council. Robert took a little time to talk with illumni about the lighting industry, his love of it and place in it and what might happen next in the topsy turvy world we find our selves living in.

Haworth Showroom - Toronto, Ontario

Robert hi, and thank you for your time. This is about the 25th interview illumni has conducted but it’s the first time I think that we have spoken to someone who specifically refers to light as an ‘etherial’ medium, which of course it is.  Is this description indicative of the way you approach your lighting projects?

Its actually a combination of many things but a balance of science, technique, logistics and when we are able – room to add magic touches that elevate the design beyond technical proficiency.

Qatar National Convention Centre (Design Concepts by Lee Prince
Light + Design UK)

illuminart we understand, had its beginnings in the effervescent 70′s, lighting for touring rock bands and theatre productions. Knowing full well that usually ‘what happens on tour stays on tour’ are there any truly memorable moments you can tell us about?

It’s actually founding Principal Stefan Graf who has all those amazing experiences locked in his head. They start with his high school band opening for Zeppelin at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit through his life changing experience of seeing YES live in the mid seventies through his touring days with Grand Funk Railroad and his early work pioneering moving lights!

DDA Façade & Lighting Improvement Projects - Detroit, Michigan

Derelict buildings have been a part of the urban landscape since man started building urban landscapes. It’s not hard to imagine thousands of man hours being eaten up by officials of various sorts racking their brains for affordable ideas to get the damn things rejuvenated. Yet you came up with a simple (most good ideas are), cost effective highly visible and inspirational way of doing just that. Could you tell us how it all happened? 

Trying to revitalize Detroit’s seemingly endless supply of really cool, but empty and decaying buildings proved daunting. The simple scarcity of funds severely limited how many luminaires we could afford to work with. We also agreed to limit ourselves to one circuit of power. This necessity of austerity forced us to think of the lighting compositions as having lots of “space between the notes”. Like with a good hand rendering (remember those?!) the mind will connect the dots and complete the picture so we lit just the bare essentials. A little light on the building to capture some of its texture and a little glow from within and we were pleasantly surprised how good they looked. The response from the local community was really great and honestly it helped us grow as designers. Some of the buildings were partially occupied and we had a few more dollars to work with but the lonely ones in need of some love remain my favorites.

Qatar National Convention Centre (Design Concepts by Lee Prince
Light + Design UK)

Unlike most lighting design companies you provide audio visual as well as lighting solutions. I guess the Chevvy Dealer Management Event at the Superbowl is an example. This looks to be a pretty exciting side to the business?

It is actually – lots of emerging and merging technology going on. It struck me at the 2013 Detroit International Auto Show how these worlds continue to grow into each other. Using video as a visual content provider as well as a light source will start to happen more I think. For Illuminart, building a seasoned, solid design team of consultants that delivers the desired results is so important.

College for Creative Studies Campus - Detroit, Michigan

You are a graduate of the College of Creative Services and a teacher there. And you helped to design the campus lighting. Sounds like you have a great connection/affection for the place?

I do! My early days as a student were fraught with an amazing mixture of stress and a TREMENDOUS learning curve. I had to learn to swim (or sink trying!) to keep up and about halfway through things started to click and I accelerated in design skill and ability to creatively execute concepts. I graduated and was invited back a few years later to teach some design courses. They developed a lighting class in 1997 and I have been honored to be teaching it since. Working with Rick Rogers President of CCS, Randal Metz from Grissim Metz landscape architects, and Graham Beal Director of the Detroit Institute of Arts on the campus renovation was great. It was truly collaborative and I had the support to try some things with lighting that went well beyond throwing light onto the walkways!

Qatar National Convention Centre (Design Concepts by Lee Prince
Light + Design UK)

How do you think ‘Lighting Designer’ is perceived as a creative career compared with other pursuits such as interior designer, architect, art director or film maker?

Lighting design is still finding its way through the world and although it has matured as a profession it will never really become a static discipline with a fixed set of rules and measures that all design problems can be forced into. Technology keeps innovating new design possibilities to be sure but it’s again trying to capture that “magic’ that keeps us trying new things. Its like trying to create that perfect song or sonata. The perception or pre-conceived notion of  what a lighting designer is? I’m not sure there is one. We can picture the “Black Cape Architect”, the stylish interior designer, and the introspective film maker. In my experience, though, lighting designers can be all of the above, mixed with a touch of the theatrical world and an edginess of a dance party techno geek.

McNamara Terminal - Detroit, Michigan

Is it reasonable to observe that trends come and go but strong, simple innovative ideas, in their various forms remain with us for decades/centuries? 

Beyond question and with lighting it is and will be the same. The technology will change but in most instances, using a mature hand with lighting technique and a smartly executed dose of innovation or cleverness will endure.

Club Panacea - Detroit, Michigan

How do you light a Bible Museum?

Like all worship oriented spaces with sensitivity and respect to the message being fostered. This is not design to enthrall other designers. It is an opportunity to understand and communicate with grace and subtlety.

Qatar National Convention Centre (Design Concepts by Lee Prince
Light + Design UK)

Part of the Illuminart philosophy is to balance energy efficiency and lighting quality. Are there justifiable sacrifices that must be made to achieve this? 

No! In fact we are finding these limitations drive creativity. A haiku of watts per square meter if you will!

Haworth Showroom - New York City

If America falls over the fiscal cliff or at the very least has a pretty big stumble, what do you feel will be the effects on the lighting industry?

The world is growing ever more accustomed to good looking things be they buildings, interiors, furniture, cinema and even adverts. Lightings importance in appreciating all of these things is recognized as critical. Our fiscal struggle like so many other places in the world keeps hanging around like an unwelcome house guest. I figure we have survived and thrived as an industry thus far. If things tumble again then have at us I say!

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