Global radiance: a cross‑border lighting collaboration

As part of the Silhouette Awards program, core sponsors are invited to select mentor–mentee pairings and support them through a closer, more hands‑on relationship. One of the most anticipated elements of this partnership is the annual Creative Challenge, a task designed to push boundaries, encourage experimentation, and strengthen the collaboration between mentor, mentee, and sponsor.

On June 10, Silhouette mentee Maria Ilina and Silhouette mentor Steven Rosen, CEO/founder of Available Light joined forces with Signify (Color Kinetics) and Alexander Weckmer from WEFRA Group (our CSI partner) to stage Global Radiance: a cross‑border lighting collaboration.

Both Steven (US) and Maria (Germany) were equipped with identical sets of Signify Color Kinetics hardware. Through a live‑streamed control signal, both designers could manipulate lighting conditions in real time, adjusting hue, intensity, and dynamic sequences while observing identical results on both sides of the Atlantic. It was a true remote mockup session, something rarely attempted at this level of precision.

Each workspace also contained a curated set of material samples, chosen for their diverse optical properties, including holographic reflective paper, translucent mesh, and textiles.

This Creative Challenge exemplified what the Silhouette Awards stands for: connection, growth, and the elevation of emerging talent through meaningful mentorship.

It also showcased the power of partnership. The generosity and technical support of Anthony Callahan and Scott Dallaire, both from Color Kinetics and the WEFRA Group, made it possible to bridge continents and create a shared lighting environment that felt immediate, immersive, and inspiring.

For Maria and Steven, Global Radiance was a demonstration of how lighting designers can collaborate in new ways, transcending borders through technology and shared curiosity.

And for the Silhouette Awards community, it stands as a shining example of what happens when mentorship meets innovation.