Industry News

The AWARE art installation, which was featured at Dallas Market Center’s ArchLIGHT Summit, has been permanently moved to the UNT College of Visual Arts and Design’s Department of Design to promote sustainability and inspire Interior Design students and future generations of designers. ArchLIGHT Summit, the lighting trade event and educational platform for the architectural and design communities, took place on September 19-20, 2023.

The AWARE installation is an experiential art installation by Your Lighting Brand and The Lighting Exchange led by Co-Founder & Principal Jonathan Ayala was designed to drive awareness to viewers of the need for sustainability in the lighting industry by using different lighting components..  

“Having the AWARE exhibit as a permanent fixture at the Interior design school on campus serves as a daily source of inspiration for our students and as a reminder about the important role sustainability places in interior design,” said Jeannine Vail, Assistant Professor of Interior Design at the University of North Texas.

The  College of Visual Arts and Design is accepting donations to cover the cost of additional materials and installation. Planned student engagement activities surrounding the installation include researching and producing banners to display with the installation on topics such as History of Lighting, Policy in Lighting and Sustainability (such as LEED and WELL), Artificial vs Natural Lighting, Product Development, and Effects on Lighting and Behavior. Ideas for community engagement are also being explored. Online gifts may be made to Support the College of Visual Arts and Design and designate your gift for AWARE or contact Felicia Lewis, senior director for CVAD development and fundraising, [email protected], 940-369-8042.  

Vail’s students will be making light fixtures in the month of April as part of The Robert Bruce Thompson Student Design Competition, and she will be encouraging them to use sustainable materials and methods for those projects. Additionally, Ayala has volunteered to guest lecture in this timeframe via Zoom to discuss sustainability and lighting.

“We are thrilled to have found a new home for the AWARE installation and that this important sustainability story has the opportunity to begin a new chapter,” said Ayala. “The University of North Texas fully embodies what this installation stands for, and we are honored to be contributing this symbol of sustainability to their future students and faculty.”

The University of North Texas was present for Student Day at ArchLIGHT Summit, September 20, along with other universities from across the country to take part in educational programming, student-oriented interactive sessions, and demonstrations. In addition to dedicated programming, students were urged to walk the showroom floor to listen in on panels and learn the latest lighting technologies.

The next ArchLIGHT Summit will take place September 17-18, 2024. Registration is now open. For more information, visit www.ArchLIGHTSummit.com and follow ArchLIGHT Summit on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest developments and information.

For information on Dallas Market Center, visit our website. In addition to hosting ArchLIGHT Summit, Dallas Market Center hosts Lightovation, the largest residential lighting show in North America. The next edition will take place June 19-22, 2024. Keep up-to-date on information about that event by following the Lightovation Facebook page and joining the Lightovation – Lighting Industry Discussion Group.

About Dallas Market Center

Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers, interior designers, architects, and specifiers with top manufacturers in home décor, furniture, gifts, lighting and fashion. Inside its dynamic, five million square foot campus, nearly 200,000 customers from all 50 states and 85 countries seek industry trends, business education and new products from exhibitors throughout the year via dominant trade events for gift, home décor, holiday and floral; the nation’s most comprehensive apparel and accessories markets featuring the latest styles from East Coast and West Coast designers; the largest residential lighting trade event in North America; a new lighting event, ArchLIGHT Summit, for architects, specifiers, and designers; and the largest and most successful open-daily design center. The marketplace is located in the strongest economic zone in the country. In addition, more than 80 percent of Dallas Market Center buyers report that they do not shop other market centers. To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center and Lightovation Apps. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting Dallas Market Center and ArchLIGHT Summit on social media.