Monday, 11 December 2006 | Levent OZLER
Festival of Lights USA Brings International Designers to Georgia
A select group of lighting designers and architects gathered in historic Conyers, Georgia, for four days to "light up the town" in a celebration of the art and science of light. Hosted by Acuity Brands Lighting and fashioned after the annual event in France of the same name, "Festival of Lights USA," was an event designed to expand participants' knowledge of lighting and color in outdoor environments. The November 8 -11 venue included lectures, exhibits and the creation of a spectacular temporary nighttime display. Philips served as a major sponsor of the sold-out event.
The highlight of the festival was the illumination of a dozen buildings or public areas located throughout the Olde Town section of Conyers. Twelve teams of lighting experts demonstrated their skills with exhibits that were open for public viewing during the final two days of the program. Thousands of area residents walked the streets enjoying the lighting displays and festival atmosphere complete with carnival rides, entertainment as well as booths with art & crafts, food and fun activities.
World-renowned architectural lighting designers Rogier van der Heide, Michael Rohde, Leni Schwendinger, and Patrick Gallegos delivered lectures during the event. All proceeds raised by the event will be donated to the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) Education Trust Fund.
"The response from the professional designers and the community-at-large was tremendous," said Britt Lee, vice president, Marketing. "We tried something new this year by expanding the lighting exhibits to an actual streetscape for all to enjoy. It really celebrated the beauty and importance of lighting."
The "Festival of Lights USA" was the fifth such event sponsored by Acuity Brands Lighting, the corporate parent of well-known lighting brands, Lithonia Lighting, Hydrel, Holophane and others. Previous workshops were held at the company's Atlanta-area headquarters campus and culminated in a private display of the teams' outdoor lighting displays. This was the first such event open to the public.
Festival of Lights USA: http://www.festivaloflightsusa.com/
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