PLDC 2015 Conference Programme Announced

28th – 31st October, 2015.
Rome, Italy

The final list of speakers and topics has been selected from more than 260 submissions and the PLDC organisers are proud to present a high-class, future-oriented and innovative conference with speakers from 25 different countries!

As in previous years, PLDC will be built around a four-track conference. Traditionally, the first three tracks will cover Lighting Application Case Studies, Lighting Application Research and Professional Practice Issues.
The fourth track varies from convention to convention and is dedicated to a topic that is currently key to lighting design developments worldwide. For PLDC 2015 in Rome, the Steering Committee has selected a topic in response to on-going market developments and studies: “Light and Culture”. The track will feature presentations on recently completed projects, indicate how lighting has changed in cultural spaces (museums, art galleries, cultural heritage sites, etc.), how different cultures perceive light and consequently how this influences lighting design. The impact of new technologies on the culture of light, and how their application is shaping design or lighting strategies, will also be addressed in this track.

Austrian media-artist, director, choreographer and composer Klaus Obermaier has been announced as the first Keynote Speaker. His interactive installations offer great inspiration for lighting designers, architects and all related professions!

Supporting programme

As in previous PLDC editions, the conference will be accompanied by an informative, inspiring and innovative supporting programme. The manufacturers’ exhibition from the partners in the industry is developing at a fast pace – to date almost 75% of the exhibition is already sold out!!
The pre-convention meeting day is shaping up to be a full additional conference day: The Cities’ Forum will be inviting lighting designers, architects and city planners to gather and learn about latest developments. Partner Cities of PLDC will be presenting their ongoing and planned activities and will be joining in the Face2Face talks to network with lighting specialists and discuss cutting-edge topics in city planning and lighting in the public realm.
The first excursions have been announced and more information will follow shortly. Visit pld-c.com for more details.

Based on the evaluations provided by the Paper Reviewing Committee, 15 authors of self-running poster presentations have been selected by the Steering Committee to add additional value to the conference programme. The poster presentations are also classified according to the four conference tracks Professional Practice Issues, Lighting Application Case Studies, Lighting Application Research and Light + Culture.

PLDC 2015 will offer a new component: Experience Rooms. These spaces are designed to allow attendees to become actively involved in specific activities, experience light and darkness, or play a part in ongoing research studies.

The grand final of The Challenge will be held on Saturday, 31. October as an official part of the PLDC programme. The finalists were selected during Round III of The Challenge at a mini-conference in Edinburgh at the beginning of February.
Participants of The Challenge are young talents, some still students at renowned universities around the world, some newly qualified professionals who recently started working for established professional lighting design practices in the USA and Europe. As Iain Ruxton, lighting designer at Speirs and Major/UK summed up after the event in Edinburgh/UK: “The standard of the papers has been very high and it leaves me thinking the future of the profession is in good shape!”
The following talents will be competing against each other in Rome:
Team Brendan: Pernille Krieger/DK and Eik Lykke Nielsen/DK
Team Emrah: Roslyn Leslie/UK
Team Florence: Isabel Sanchez/E/USA
Team Iain: Stephanie Denholm/UK
Team Tapio: Mahdis Aliasgari/IR/S

For more information, visit PLDC.

Photo credit: apparition jump by Klaus Obermaier

02 Mar