Poet of Light
Abhay Wadhwa is to lighting design what the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony was to spectacle. A master at the art of using light to create mood, whatever the client or scale, he’s presenting a keynote address on lighting for different cultures at IIDEX/NeoCon on September 25.
According to lighting expert Abhay Wadhwa of AWA Associates, the choice to fill a room with a dim glow or a vibrant glare is largely a cultural preference. And with offices in Mumbai, India and Hong Kong, no one is more attuned to lighting’s perception around the world. “One culture’s glare is another culture’s sparkle,” Wadhwa says, noting that the same warm amber lighting that would be appealing for an intimate NYC high rise would likely be perceived as overwhelming in a Dubai waterfront living area.
“Working in a global economy offers opportunities for new meanings and new metaphors through research and experimentation,” he explains. “Due to the growing view of the world as one community with a global citizenry, it is important for us to continue responding to climates, traditions, religions, and social customs of the specific areas where we work.” An example is the Dubai Sixth Crossing Bridge lighting design, shown, which was informed by Islam – Dubai’s dominant religion – and its symbolic relationship to light. To literally “bridge” a connection, Sixth Crossing’s lighting changes in sync with the cycles of the moon.
Headquartered in New York, AWA was founded in 2002. The firm has since designed lighting for businesses, residences and public spaces worldwide, including the U Bora Tower in Dubai, Peak Tower in Hong Kong, Ludo Restaurant in NYC and a residence/gallery complex in Gladwyne, PA. The firm has received such awards as the International Illumination Design Award (IIDA) for the Egyptian Funerary Arts and Ancient Near East Galleries at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the GE Edison Award of Excellence, IIDA, Lumen Award, Paul Waterbury Award of Excellence for lighting the Washington Bridge Towers in New York and New Jersey.
AWA’s expertise is customized, site-specific designs that are often based in sustainable practices. Areas of specialization include fibre-optic lighting and solar-powered LED fixtures, which AWA is currently developing for under-developed areas of the world.
Regardless of location, there’s one constant in AWA’s work. “We don’t think of lighting as a main event, but rather as a distinct architectural element or construction material which can be incorporated into architectural details,” he says. “Rather than focus on the ‘fantastic’ aspects of lighting design, our idea of a well-lit space is one where a seamless integration with architectural and design elements takes place and fixtures are not visible.” Guests may not notice the lighting in terms of fixtures and placement, he goes on: “Rather, they experience the space as the architect and designers intend.”
Shannon Anderson
Associate Editor
Azure Magazine
www.azuremagazine.com