As sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration in lighting design, the conversation is moving beyond energy efficiency to encompass the entire life of a product. From material selection and manufacturing to installation and long-term use, the decisions made throughout the design process can have lasting consequences.
This broader perspective is the focus of Making a Lasting Impact: How Sustainability and Longevity Became Core Principles at A-N-D, a conversation hosted by KODA Lighting as part of its New Era Design Series.
The event featured Matt Davis, President and Co-Founder of Vancouver-based lighting studio A-N-D, who discussed the company’s evolving design philosophy and the relationship between creative experimentation, technical development and responsible production.
Established during the LED boom of the 2010s, A-N-D has spent more than a decade developing an integrated approach to lighting design. With design, prototyping and production taking place under one roof, the studio maintains a continuous dialogue between its designers and manufacturing team, allowing practical considerations to inform creative decisions from the outset.
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For Davis, this approach extends well beyond the appearance of the finished fixture.
“We’ve worked to ensure is that there is a certain level of professionalism all the way through from when a light comes out of the box, through to installation and use… Instead of just designing an object and then putting a light bulb in it, we wanted to go in a totally different direction,” he explains.
The discussion considered how this close relationship between design and production can support more sustainable outcomes without compromising the expressive possibilities of lighting. It also raises a broader question for the industry: how can designers create objects that remain relevant, functional and desirable over time?
Drawing on more than a decade of experience in lighting and business management, Davis offered insight into the processes and principles behind A-N-D’s work, including the importance of collaboration in developing fixtures that balance technical performance with visual impact.
Hosted by KODA Lighting, the conversation offered architects, interior designers and lighting professionals an opportunity to consider longevity not simply as a measure of durability but as a fundamental design principle.
KODA Lighting
kodalighting.com
A-N-D
a-n-d.com
