{"id":2169,"date":"2019-04-01T13:34:16","date_gmt":"2019-04-01T20:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alconlighting.com\/blog\/?p=2169"},"modified":"2021-10-19T14:59:27","modified_gmt":"2021-10-19T21:59:27","slug":"gerd-pfarre-lighting-designer-writer-lecturer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alconlighting.com\/blog\/lighting-design\/gerd-pfarre-lighting-designer-writer-lecturer\/","title":{"rendered":"Lighting Lessons from Lighting Designer, Writer, Lecturer Gerd Pfarr\u00e9"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2017, Architectural Lighting<\/i>\u00a0interviewed lighting\u00a0designer and founder of Pfarr\u00e9 Lighting Design<\/span><\/a>, Gerd\u00a0Pfarr\u00e9, shedding light on the legendary designer’s process,\u00a0the basics of lighting design, and\u00a0his thoughts on the\u00a0future of lighting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Pfarr\u00e9\u2019s lighting career is a storied one, he did not start out in the industry. Pfarr\u00e9 first worked in\u00a0carpentry and cabinet making, eventually leading him\u00a0in the direction of\u00a0architecture and lighting design. He is quoted as saying this early background gave him\u00a0“a strong backing especially for the design of custom-made solutions.” In 1983,\u00a0Pfarr\u00e9\u00a0joined\u00a0Ingo Maurer\u2019s lighting workshop as one of its first design employees, and by\u00a0the late 1980s, he’d set up his own studio, Pfarr\u00e9 Lighting Design, in Munich, which he continues to run today. While he\u00a0still considers Maurer his\u00a0mentor,\u00a0Pfarr\u00e9 has gained a celebrated reputation for his own customized lighting solutions that can be seen across the world, including cities like Moscow, Frankfurt and\u00a0Tashkent,\u00a0Uzbekistan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning from Pfarr\u00e9<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

During the 2016 <\/span>AL<\/i><\/span> interview,\u00a0Pfarr\u00e9 provided much advice on what\u2019s important when creating the perfectly lit space. His advice for young lighting designers? \u201cBurn your fingers while focusing a damned hot fixture. Learn to scribble an idea on paper while talking to someone.” But not all of his guidance was directed at professionals. Those working on lighting projects in their homes, offices or retail spaces can also benefit from Pfarr\u00e9\u2019s advice.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the interview,\u00a0Pfarr\u00e9 advises those currently designing their own lighting plan to focus on the light that is being shed.<\/span><\/p>\n

“When I start working on a project, I\u2019m thinking light, and how it enters a space, not product,” he told AL<\/i>.\u00a0“That\u2019s the honest, creative way to approach design work.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Pfarr\u00e9 also suggests concentrating on quality not quantity \u2014 encouraging those designing spaces to have more discussions about lighting quality and visual comfort to focus on\u00a0how new lighting technologies respond.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The Future of Lighting<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

In 2013, Pfarr\u00e9 Lighting Design utilized color-changing LEDs in the HafenCity subway station in Hamburg, Germany. In the installation, Pfarr\u00e9 used light boxes that featured side and end panels that were brought to life by 280 RGB color-changing LED fixtures. The light boxes, which were constructed of shipping-container-sized steel and glass, were connected to a control system allowing the lights to change color either individually or as a coordinated unit. These color changing LEDs are one example of how Pfarr\u00e9 and his team have incorporated innovations in lighting in their projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

When looking at advancements in field, such as Commercial LED Lighting<\/span><\/a>, Pfarr\u00e9 said in the interview that these new technologies have expanded the field of design and helped designers to use light \u201cmore intelligently.\u201d However, while these advancements may have expanded the field, Pfarr\u00e9 said he does not believe technology can replace the creativity and artistry of the designer himself. <\/span><\/p>\n

Looking towards the future, Pfarr\u00e9 anticipates more responsive lighting solutions, noting the importance of “visual comfort.”<\/span><\/p>\n

You can find the entire interview\u2014brief, poetic\u2014here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2016, Architectural Lighting interviewed lighting designer and founder of Pfarr\u00e9 Lighting Design, Gerd Pfarr\u00e9, shedding light on the legendary designer’s process, what\u2019s most important when lighting a space and what the future holds for lighting. While Pfarr\u00e9\u2019s is a career is a storied one, he did not start out in the industry. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":2170,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[180,312,748],"tags":[],"thb-sponsors":[],"ppma_author":[775],"yoast_head":"\nLighting Lessons from Lighting Designer, Writer, Lecturer Gerd Pfarr\u00e9 — Insights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alconlighting.com\/blog\/lighting-design\/gerd-pfarre-lighting-designer-writer-lecturer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lighting Lessons from Lighting Designer, Writer, Lecturer Gerd Pfarr\u00e9\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In 2016, Architectural Lighting interviewed lighting designer and founder of Pfarr\u00e9 Lighting Design, Gerd Pfarr\u00e9, shedding light on the legendary designer's process, what\u2019s most important when lighting a space and what the future holds for lighting. 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