Architonic Live Talks: moments of brilliance at Light + Building 2024

Against the backdrop of evolving sustainability concerns, digitalisation and smart infrastructure demands, Light + Building 2024 emerged as a crucial nexus where stakeholders from across the globe exchanged ideas and fostered progress-driving collaborations. Under the motto 'Be Electrified', the international meeting place for the lighting and technology industry once again brightened up Messe Frankfurt from 3 to 8 March with discussions about the building sector's much-needed energy transition and showcases of cutting-edge products.

But in an era characterised by rapid urbanisation, the fair transcended mere commercial exhibition; it symbolised a collective commitment to forging sustainable, intelligent and interconnected designs of tomorrow. By spotlighting breakthroughs in energy-efficient systems, renewable energy integration, intelligent building management and security solutions with lectures, trend predictions and special awards – to name only a few –, the event underlined the urgency of a shift towards more sustainable and human-centric environments.

'The atmosphere at the exhibitors' booths, in the halls and throughout the exhibition grounds was simply fantastic. We are extremely pleased that so many exhibitors and visitors, as well as our long-standing partners, have continued the success story of the world's leading trade fair for lighting and building-services technology in 2024,' summarises Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe Frankfurt. 

As part of the discussions about how to equip the buildings of tomorrow with inspired lighting solutions, Architonic Editor-in-Chief Simon Keane-Cowell came together with three studios at the forefront of contemporary lighting design on Light + Building's forum-like stage for candid conversations that covered everything from circadian rhythms to the death of Mozart. Missed the exclusive releases on our Architonic Instagram? Fear not. The full conversations are available below so you can catch up directly and return at your leisure.

‘Light is a brush that reveals material property’: In his interview with Simon, Stefano Capranico of full-service architecture and design network UNStudio discussed the elemental role of light in building and workplace design. Watch the full video above to hear him speak about balancing natural and artificial light, why German offices stand out in terms of illumination and the way our bodies can be subconsciously changed according to lighting rhythm.

Rhythms of a different kind were also a topic of conversation in Simon's next interview. Mikkel Lehne, CEO of experiential art and design studio Void, dove deeper into how drawing on the cadence of nature built his team's foundation for activating public space with light in their experimental 'Delta' project running through Oslo’s Tullinkvartalet development. Curious? Find out more about this and why they like to make 'life difficult for themselves' in the video above.

For his third conversation, Simon sat down with Nazanin Farahbod and Moritz Waldemeyer of Studio Waldemeyer for a lesson on how to maximise dramatic moments in and with lighting. What this has to do with the death of legendary musician Wolfang Amadeus Mozart or LED-bedazzled jackets? Watch the conversation to find out, see a few of the duo's most jaw-dropping projects over the years and challenge your notion of what areas outside of architecture and design could do with a thought-out lighting concept.

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