Randy Burkett

How would you characterize your firm’s lighting style?
We’ve molded a practice that really looks at both the art and science of light and have tailored our approach for specific projects and clients to meet their expectations and what they need from a lighting consultant, which is not always the same thing. A project that might be seen by a client or end user as beautiful and inspiring, is typically grounded in some level of technical rigor that goes unnoticed or unappreciated by the layperson. Rarely do we see a lighting design so weighted in pure aesthetic or technical concerns so as to render the other unimportant. Ultimately, most projects exhibit some weighted balance between the two extremes.

How important is sustainability to your customer base?
It’s becoming increasingly important and most clients that come to us have strong opinions about sustainability, which are often pushed from different directions. They’re interested and they want to do what’s right. They will even ask us if there’s anything we do as part of the sustainability efforts in our discipline, which they can tell others about when they see or use the space. When you see a LEED plaque in a building it now means something—it’s a perceived brand of excellence in design.

What do you feel is the most important aspect of lighting design?

Overall as a professional lighting designer, the most important aspect is delivering a quality product to your client. That product changes from client to client and project to project, and you have to understand all the extraneous circumstances before you can provide a quality product. You hope that the outcome is always a satisfied client and a successful project.