Balancing Light - Human. Environmental. Artistic. Creating Equilibrium in Design.
THINKLIGHT 2027 will be exploring the delicate balance between these three essential dimensions of light; the human, the environmental and the artistic and shares how designers can create work that responds to all three.Across three focused days, the conference will examine the tensions and synergies that define contemporary lighting practice. From human-centric design and wellbeing to ecological responsibility and dark-sky awareness, to the poetic and artistic power of light as a medium, the programme invites designers, architects, artists, manufacturers and thinkers to consider what becomes possible when balance is achieved.
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Day One focuses on the human experience of light and architecture: how illumination shapes comfort, perception, identity, community and wellbeing within the built environment. Day Two celebrates light as artistic expression using emotion, narrative, atmosphere and cultural storytelling, exploring the creative possibilities that transform lighting beyond function into experience. Day Three shifts outward to consider environmental impact, sustainability, circularity, energy, ecology and the responsibility lighting designers carry toward the planet and future generations.
THINKLIGHT 2027 proposes that the future of lighting design does not belong to a single ideology or metric, but to a more holistic approach where human needs, environmental responsibility and artistic vision remain in constant dialogue. The challenge is not choosing one over another but learning how to hold all three in balance.
Our 2026 speakers
Dr. Amani Mohammed Al-Samani
Chief Engineering Lead | Abu Dhabi City Municipality
Ahmed Bayashout
Founder & Design Director | Studio A
Alexia Gkika
Senior Associate Project Manager | Coen + Partners
Amy Rennie
Discipline Leader – UK Lighting | Buro Happold
Andrew Bates
Associate Director – Lighting | Red Sea Global
Axel Margos
Lighting Designer | WSP
Carla Jardim
Architectural Lighting Designer
Catalina Casas-Cordero
Senior Lighting Manager | Red Sea Global
Carla Wilkins
IALD President-Elect / CLD & Global Creative Director | Lichtvision Design
Dane Sanders
President | Clanton Associates
Daniel Hodierne
Design Director | AFRY Architects
David McNeil
Partner | dpa Lighting Consultants
Giovanni Zambri
Managing Director | SMITH TAIT
Kush Suneja
Design Manager & Founder | Spatial Vibes Lighting Consultants
Kaori Hiroki
Senior Associate | Loop Lighting
Kristina Allison
President, SLL & Environmental Lighting Lead | WSP UK
Lama Arouri
Managing Director | Studio N
Martin Lupton
Co-Founder | Light Collective UK
Michael Grubb
Founder | Michael Grubb Studio
Nilusha Oshani Rajapaksha
Director | Candela Lighting Design
Nivedita Sehrawat
Partner | Design Matrix
Nonita Sabin
Associate Director | Neolight Global
Paul Nulty
Founder | Nulty
Regina Santos
Founder & Design Director | Light Fusion Specialist Lighting
Robin Ganser
Partner | Coen + Partners
Samantha Soueidan
Senior Lighting Designer, | CD+M Lighting Design
Sharon Stammers
Co-Founder | Light Collective UK
Sakina Dugawalla – Moeller
Founder | Light Func
Siddharth Mathur
Partner | Studio Lumen
Tom Niven
Director of Lighting | BDP
Will Whiter
Dubai Studio Director | Kettle Collective
Yah Li TOH
Principal | Light Collab
Ziad Fattouh
Managing Director | Delta Lighting Design
All sessions are CPD certified
Our 2026 sponsors and supporters
THINKLIGHT Knowledge Partner
Strategic Partner
