Archive for the ‘Studio News’ Category

Electrolight needs you!

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

We are currently looking for an amazing person to join us as a guest designer.

Could it be you?

You will be based in our Melbourne studio working on some of our fabulous projects which range from hospitality and gaming through to retail, high-end residential and university projects. Oh, and a hospital as well.

This position will not be advertised conventionally – we are looking for someone who follows us through our blog and social media channels and hence is in tune with who we are and what we’re all about. For background reading see our facebook and twitter pages.

Who should apply? Firstly, you should be a lighting enthusiast. The sort of person who never stops looking at, thinking about and messing around with light. The sort of person who talks about lighting at parties. You’ll need to be friendly, open-minded, collaborative, flexible, creative and not take life too seriously.  You should also be a proficient, independent user of AutoCAD, Photoshop, Indesign and one of the lighting analysis programs (we use AGI 32). Having good sketching and 3D CAD (we use revit) skills would be good. You’ll probably have about 5 year’s experience in lighting design.

While there is room for flexibility from our end, we would envisage a period of employment initially for 6 months, based in our Melbourne studio. For international candidates we will assess the visa situation but would not foresee any issues (we have had 2 x guest designers from the UK previously). Ideally, we would like to appoint the successful candidate as soon as possible.

Does this sound like the job for you? If so please email our practice manager Elisha Howard elisha (at) electrolight.com.au with a cover letter telling us all about yourself and a CV and folio.

Many Hands

Monday, December 12th, 2011

We were asked the question “What inspires you?” by Light Collective who curate the back page of the leading international lighting design magazine Mondo Arc.  A page in the December/January edition of the magazine was given over for the response.

So what does inspire us? And moreover, how do we communicate this for the world to see? When presented with great challenges such as this we did what we always do – made some tea and talked about it. At some length! We agreed that collaboration is the most important aspect of our approach to work and central to our inspiration. But how to communicate this?

We also wanted our response to be representative of where we’re from – Mondo Arc is an international publication after all and we are very proud Melbournians!

We eventually arrived at the old saying “many hands make light work” and knew that this was it; we had it. Next thing was to figure out how to express this. Someone said “with light, of course”. Next thing we had the gobo catalogue out, found a theatre projector, identified a location (just HAD  to be Melbourne’s world famous Hosier Lane), teed up one of Melbourne’s best photographers Matt Irwin, designed and had fabricated a neon sign, hired a generator and headed to site one evening, praying we wouldn’t fall foul of the weather or City of Melbourne by-laws inspectors (we had enough to organise without getting a permit to shoot as well!).

We were really pleased with the result – hope you like it too.  See the digital edition and go to page 178 to see it for yourself.

Many hands make light work

Setting up

 

 

Trials and tweaks

 

Lonsdale Street, Dandenong

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Lonsdale Street Dandenong has been one of our favourite projects over the past few years.  Now it has come to a close and the last job has been to send out our wonderful photographer Shannon McGrath to capture the scheme.  And what a great job she has done – check out the photos below…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LightCycle – designers help a good cause

Monday, August 1st, 2011

One of the most satisfying things about this year’s LightCycle competition is that it has created an opportunity for designers to make a contribution to the fabulous good cause that is Donkey Wheel House.

Here’s what Donkey Wheel House say about themselves:  ”We have a passion for social change, constantly seeking ideas that move away from today’s problems and instead, create a new world. We believe extraordinary change happens when people think differently – and that leaders of grass roots level change need to be supported and nurtured so that their ideas can take root and flourish. We have therefore always sought passionate leaders with ideas that demonstrate a DIFFERENT way of thinking.”

The lighting to the basement level of DWH is in need of renovation. the LightCycle competition has generated some fabulous lighting creations.  All entrants to LightCycle have agreed to donate their light to Donkey Wheel House.  Thus, the competition has married a good cause in need of some lights with some of the most talented designers in Melbourne and the result is that DWH will be lit, to an extent at least, by  entries to the LightCycle competition.

At Electrolight, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has got involved with LightCycle. We gave you a difficult challenge and a short amount of time and you responded so wonderfully. And your efforts will go a long way to helping a very good cause.

The Meaning of Light

Friday, July 1st, 2011

The third and final event of our ‘Socialight’ series of events was the Meaning of Light which was held this week at ACMI in Fed Square.

We asked 7 (yes 7) people, whose backgrounds could not have been more different a simple question: “What does light mean to you?”

We heard from leading aboriginal artist and advocate Vicki Couzens about light in the context of dreamtime and her culture generally.

Then Shannon McGrath shared some beautiful images from her portfolio including some never before published new works which were sublime.

Then prolific visual artist Alexander Knox showed us some amazing images and movies of his work which is all about light in all its forms, natural, artificial, direct, reflected.

Monash University’s scientist Dr Tracey Sletten then blew us all away with her research into the effects of blue light on the human circadian system.

Next up was Kirsten Bauer, leader of Aspect Landscape Architecture studio who showed photos that demonstrate a profound appreciation of natural daylight, of shadows and the changes in light over time and the effect of this on landscape.

Marc Pascal showed us the inner workings of his mind as well as his workshop in giving us the back-story behind his wonderful lighting creations.

Finally architect, broadcaster and academic  Stuart Harrison concluded by taking us a whirlwind journey from 2001 A Space Odyssey, to houses from the Northern Territory to the south of New Zealand via Tron.

It one one of those magical nights where each and every one of the speakers were wonderful, their content extraordinary. The audience realised how special it was and was suitably engaged and appreciative.  Makes me smile to think of it; was certainly worth the effort to organise.

Shannon McGrath finds Nirvana

Electrolight projects amongst the awards

Monday, June 27th, 2011

I had the pleasure on Friday night of attending the Victorian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects awards presentation dinner.

AAMI Park pretty much swept the board winning the Victorian Architectural Medal, The William Wardle Award for Public Architecture, the Colorbond Award for Steel in Architecture and the Melbourne Prize.  Our congratulation to Cox Architects and everybody associated with the project.

500 Bourke Street also did very well winning the Commercial Architecture award and the Joseph Reed Award for urban design.  Congratulations to John Wardle Architects.

For us both projects represented considerable technical and aesthetic challenges.  The integration of light in both projects was particularly pleasing and we are delighted to have played a small part in the overall success of each project.

AAMI Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

500 Bourke Street

Ready Steady Light

Friday, June 24th, 2011

We had the most wonderful day yesterday down at Fed Square for Ready Steady Light – a competition organised by Electrolight as part of the Light in Winter festival.

There were 5 teams who were issued with a selection of everyday objects such as an ironing board, bicycle, clothes line, etc and a big box full of lights. Teams were asked to turn the objects into wonderful works of art: 5 unique and brilliant light sculptures.

Our teams were led by architect Antony Di Mase, theatre lighting designer Nicola Andrews, and students Anthony Branson, Jacob Hulsbaek and Melanie Deroon.  The thing in common for all entrants was a love of lighting.

We roped in some helpers for the day: Landon Bannister from Eagle, Karren De’Ath from Lumascape, Andrew Sherrif from Norka and our principal sponsor Tim Lawrence from Philips Lighting.

At midday a briefing was held (the principal instruction being not to damage Paul’s bike) and the teams got busy taping, cable tying, weaving lights into and onto their objects which became unrecognisable in no time flat.

The frenetic activity went on for 4 hours until ‘tools down’ was called.

We all returned to the amazing pyramidal ‘Light Hearts’ structure in Fed Square plaza where the sculptures were hoisted to a prominant position to be judged by eminent local architect James Staughton and Light Hearts creator Bruce Ramus.

The judges job was not an easy one and after much deliberation they handed down their final decisions, which was…

in joint third place – Trolley by Melanie Deroon’s group and Hills Hoist by Jacob Hulsbaek’s group

in second place – Bike Light by Antony Di Mase’s group

and our winners, in joint first place were V is for Virtue (the step ladder) by Nicola Andrews’ group and Anthony Branson’s amazing ironing board.

Our heartfelt thanks to all who took part, gave up their time, provided the everyday objects, the lights, prizes, the encouragement (and of course the wonderful team at Fed Square) to make it all possible.

If you would like to see a full set of photos from the event go to our facebook page

V is for Virtue

Just about the most fun you can have with a clothes line

The beautiful sculptures in all their glory


Fabulous Foyers and Facades

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

Last night we kicked off our ‘Socialight’ series of events with Fabulous Foyers and Facades; a tour around some of the notable foyers and facades in Melbourne.

Starting at Fed Square it was a brisk walk from 101 Collins St to Regent Theatre to Royal Mail House, 500 Bourke St, 181 William St, 31 Queen Street and then up to the sky deck of Eureka Tower where we looked at the Victorian Arts centre and AAMI Park stadium.

We conducted the tour in 2 groups of 20 and had a great time looking at all the amazing lighting schemes.  Despite the cold, everyone had a great time (although I think many were glad to finally come inside when we reached the Eureka Tower).  The view from the 88th floor sky deck was just amazing!

Royal Mail House - Lighting by Alexander Knox

Paul telling a story at 500 Bourke St

Arts Centre viewed from Eureka

Dandenong Lonsdale Street

Friday, June 10th, 2011

After at least 3 years of effort by our team, BKK, TCL, artist David Sequeira, VicUrban and the City of Greater Dandenong we finally got to complete one of our favourite projects of all time: Lonsdale Street in Dandenong.

Lonsdale St has been totally transformed from a car-centric busy road to a pedestrian-focussed space with excellent public trasport facilities and a public realm designed for people instead of cars.  This has manifested in a whole new layout, stone paving, new trees, seating, open space and plantings.  But for us the jewel in the crown of the project has to be the light sculpture which runs the length of Lonsdale Street, some 600m.  It comprises a series of light sticks, custom designed for the project, with a glowing LED top section. Each stick is a slightly different colour to its neighbour, collectively showing a rich spectrum and representing the myriad cultures that exist in Dandenong, one of the most ethnically diverse areas in Australia.

LightCycle

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be any more community lighting amazingness from Electrolight, along we come with the third instllment of LightCycle.  LightCycle is a biannual sustainable light fixture design competition as part of the State of Design Festival.

In the first LightCycle in 2007, entrants were asked to use a compact fluorescent lamp and create a light fixture that embodied the principles of environmental sustainability.  The competition was part of the 2007 Melbourne Design Festival.

In 2009 the compact fluorescent lamp was replaced by a 1m strip of LED and again entrants were asked to create a sustainable light.  The exhibition formed part of the 2009 State of Design Festival and was held at Guildford Lane Gallery in Melbourne’s CBD.

This year we will issue entrants with a brand new, warm white LED lamp from Osram housed in a super-slick plug, braided cable and lampholder from top Australian lighting manufacturer Dean Phillips.  Entrants bring their creativity and craftsmanship to make a new light fitting to inspire and amaze, forming a major event in this year’s State of Design Festival.

And the twist this year is that we are partnering with the Donkey Wheel Charitable Trust by hosting the event at Donkey Wheel House.    Selected entries will go on permanent display at DWH, transforming the basement space and creating a fantastic opportunity for the design community to help a great cause.  Of course there will be other prizes on offer for the winners as well.

Date: 22 July 2011.  Watch this space for more information soon…

2007 LightCycle entry: Slow Motion Catastrophe by Simon Knott, Tai Snaith and Rory Hyde