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ASK AN EP



By Jonathan Brin

From LD+A Magazine | January 2019

Why lighting?
Because lighting has the ability to take a project from good to great and it plays such a pivotal role in the aesthetic and the functionality of a building. Lighting grabs your attention and without effective lighting, even the most beautiful architectural work falls short of its fullest potential. Lighting allows me to be creative in my work.

Favorite project?
The renovation of the Memphis Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital. The project involved completely renovating the original building from the 1920s. It has some great architectural features on the exterior. I got to be a part of the process of designing the lighting, which included highlighting some of the unique features on the front façade. The project is currently under construction and I look forward to seeing the end result.

Best part of your job?
Every day is different and I get to engage my brain in a process that includes problem solving and creativity. Every project has something new: new parameters, new challenges, new goals. I also get to collaborate with others, visit job sites and see my designs go from ideas on paper to some-thing tangibly incorporated within a physical space that people will use for many years.

Biggest obstacle you’ve encountered?
As an Emerging Professional, one of the biggest obstacles is that your experience and knowledge usually start at ground zero. With more experience and the help of great coworkers, my industry knowledge has grown significantly over the past three years. On the job, one of the biggest obstacles I’ve encountered is project budget constraints. There might be a lot of potential for creative design in a project, but a project budget does not always allow for it.

Most important thing for the future of the lighting industry?
High quality, effective lighting must remain the driving edge for luminaires. The industry needs to have viable, appealing solutions as the first generation of mainstream LED fixtures will be failing in the not-too-distant future. It is important not to lose sight of a fixture’s main purpose: light. Having a low cost, long-lasting, energy-efficient fixture that delivers beautiful light should always be the main goal—everything else should be secondary.

What’s Next?
I plan to take my P.E. exam within the next year. I would love to put my stamp on project documents for something of significant value to a community. This “dream project” would fulfill a great need and make people proud to have it in their community.

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