Our latest News

This Saturday Oct. 30, I will be one of the guests for NHK's live show “Paris, we miss you”, which presents the city's new features to Japanese audience who cannot easily come and discover them at the moment.

Under the new cupola of the Printemps store and its upcycling corner, we’ll talk about architecture, trends, design, art, fashion ...

It will be broadcasted between 6 and 11 p.m. (Japan time) and my turn is at 7:45 p.m.! In the meantime, we are preparing this as best as we can ;)

The first edition of the traveling exhibition "Hermès in the making" has just ended in Copenhagen.

Featuring on the craftwork of artisans of scarves, bags, jewelry ... was a priority for the scenography as much as for the lighting design.

We focused therefore our lights to refine the materials, make them shine, magnify the colors etc. while preserving the comfort of the craftsmen who demonstrated their know-how during these 10 days of exhibition, as well as that of the visitors.

The same concept will travel around  Europe, to the US and in Asia in 2022!

Our HI-NODE Tokyo Port Urban Renovation Project received two awards this month!

The GOOD DESIGN AWARD - a famous and historical award for the quality of the global design, and a local award - the MINATO-KU GREEN URBAN DEVELOPMENT AWARD which rewards the best “green” installations.

For this multifaceted project for a new living space, I imagined the lighting in warm white tones to underline the architecture and to accentuate the welcoming feeling, accompanied by seasonal variations and colorful event scenarios.

Thanks to @Nomura (developper & project manager)

And @Kitayama (general producer)

Remember... Our exhibition LIGHT TREND in Maison&Objet Paris fair, in september

Lighting design for Paris Mode Museum Palais Galliera’s exhibition "Une histoire de la mode"

02.10.2021 - 26.06.2022

For this exhibition of its permanent collections, the museum has chosen precious and rarely exhibited pieces, very sensitive to light, great experience but also heavy responsibility for us. A rotation of works and therefore new lighting settings are planned for conservation reason next March.

A nod to the chronology of this exhibition, the light begins in warm white in the 18th century collection, reminiscent of a candle light, then cools as one arrives at the contemporary collection.

ONLINE CONFERENCE “HIGH-LIGHTING THE NATURE” FOR LIGHT4HEATH – 27/08/21

LIGHT4HEALTH (Health Research-Based Innovative Open Educational Resources and Tools for Lighting Design Students and Professionals)
is an Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership project, which develops a novel educational course to teach health research methods and findings to lighting designers at graduate level. I was proud to take part in their online congress as a speaker.

Conference at "Autograf - l'école des créateurs d'avenir"

Akari-Lisa ISHII is appointed as a member of the EU-Japan Business Round Table.

https://www.eu-japan.eu/news/strengthening-voice-smes-eu-japan-business?e-news=3315

The 1st post-COVID presential conference

France has a great progress in vaccination and the 1^st non-remote conference took place after the pandemic.

French lighting designers’’ association’s annual meeting, being held in zoom last year, took place in a cool venue in Paris this year. It’s always a bit stressful to speak in front of many lighting professionals though, I enjoyed live interactivity with many reactions.

The theme of the conference was “how LED changed my life?”. I took my light-up project in Chantilly Palace garden as a case study.

WE WON A COMPETITION!

We won the competition of a huge urban redevelopment project of Val de Seine area close to Paris.

The area is under development since 20 years. Our mission is to succeed it and finish it in 10 years. It’s hard to imagine how it will look like in 2030 but we are so excited.

The enthusiastic kick-off meeting took place recently.

INTERVIEW ON LIGHTZOOMLUMIERECOM

Light Zoom Lumière, the famous web magazine specialized in lighting in France, publishes my interview in series of 3 issues until end June.

It covers a wide range of questions, from “how I became a lighting designer” to my philosophy of work and design, through my representative realization pictures.

In French only (sorry), but if you like to see pictures at least…

https://www.lightzoomlumiere.fr/interview/akari-lisa-ishii-des-beaux-arts-a-la-conception-lumiere/

HOTEL LIGHT-UP TO WELCOME VISITORS

We worked for the light-up of a new Daiwa Roynet Hotel, this time close to Kanazawa Station in the north of Japan.

Kanazawa is an old town rich in culture including a special “Kaga Yûzen” kimono motif. Our 1^st design concept inspired by this was not realized because of the local landscape control committee. But we are very glad that the hotel is finally dressed up by elegant white accent lights to welcome visitors. The nuance of the white changes according to the season, from refreshing cool white in summer to cozy warm one in winter. We tried to find “the best white the visitors may want to see” in each season.

The restaurant on the ground floor is already opened. Hope the hotel follows very soon!

YOKOHAMA AIR CABINE OPENS

A new ropeway line has just opened in Yokohama. The panoramic view from the cabins passing over the sea is just amazing. At night it has another attraction.

For its Canal Park station, we created an original video artwork called “Life Windows”. As the city has been one of the first openings to the foreign countries since centuries, we took the window as the main motif. The video expresses the beauty of the planet filled with water, light, and lives, through a vertical journey from the deep ocean up to the space.

Our scenario was inspirated by the ecological concept of the transport system, said “Japan’s 1^st urban-type ropeway with circular-energy”. The images are illustrated by an original sound composed by I.C.O.N. Music Label and plenty of lighting effects.

BACK TO THE NORMAL LIFE – Retail lighting preparation

France is in the crescendo unlock process of the 3^rd lock-down. Retails and restaurants are preparing it up-tempo.

I was in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport after 14 months since my last trip. This time, not for travelling, but to work on a retail lighting in the terminal. We introduced a special system to adjust the nuance of white light between warm and cool ones which enables to adapt the lighting ambiance according to the brand’s color chart and its display design. The result is awesome!

Unfortunately, I can’t publish the brand’s name. In case you pass by Terminal 2E one day, try to figure it out.

Kita-Kyushu Art Festival for SDGs was closed on May 9^th despite the difficulty with COVID-19. You can still watch Light Art ” Light X ” (with original sound) by Akari-Lisa Ishii on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IdL2Ca3I0

Within the 5-minute-spectacle, 5 chapters express the richness of the natural local environment, its development during the international modern industrialization, then its initiative to the sustainability.

Hydrogen energy supplies a part of our light-up installation, as an SDGs inspired artwork.

LIGHT – SPACE - PERCEPTION

I am preparing an article about the relationship between “light, space and perception” for an Italian architecture design magazine.

The theme inspires me a lot. I had many chances to present this kind of them from lighting designer’s point of view so far, but chanting the viewpoint to architectural side, it makes me aware of new things.

These pictures are from my experimental installations a few years ago trying to metamorphose spatial perception by different lights. The article will include my non-realized and realized works. I’ll keep you posted.

The lighting adjustment lasted over 2 nights until 3 AM. It was worth making such efforts as the result came up exactly how we wanted.

The general lighting was covered by a white, but special nuance of white to match with the surrounding architecture and greenery. Toppings of original lighting patterns coming from the local plant were added high and low.

Plus, “color shadow” effect (you see your shadows dyed in colors!), too. Hope many people enjoy the plaza at night for longtime.

FINAL ADJUSTEMENT FOR DANTON PLAZA, LE HAVRE

Finally we are finishing up this urban renovation project in Le Havre, a port city in the western France, on which we’ve been working since 2014.

The purpose of the project is to create a civic plaza on the land that was a prison until 2011, trying to bring in the nature in the town so that it could be used as “a outdoor living room” of everyone.

Our lighting design is full of tips to get people close and enjoy the place by some cheerfulness and even some surprises. Our final adjustment is going over night.

It's our 17th anniversary!

AVENUE OF THE PORTE DE CLICHY AND SKY UNDER RING ROAD

Among our urban redevelopment projects, the one for the Porte de Clichy in Paris including the passage under the ring road is actively progressing. It is always a joy to see a project "grow", especially when it has a useful as well as creative dimension.

We recently held a test for lighting scheme of the underside of the ring road, to create a surprise effect by the virtual sky image diffusion, simulating the night landscape masked by this highway.

An important renovation project is undergoing to transform the Porte de Clichy area into a new attractive and lively Plaza of Grand Paris. For the lighting of this space, we thought of a pleasant public lighting that accompanies various users linking two cities- Paris and Clichy.

Famous graphic designer Kashiwa Sato released a book in which he talks to representative creative personalities. I am delighted to be part of it.

In the 10 page-interview, we exchange our points of view about links to the society, culture and also technology in our works. His questions were keen and to the point, I felt a great curiosity and a deep understanding that he has in other design fields than his own.

A “must read” for design-lovers and others, in Japanese.

Our lighting design of Tokyo National Stadium relayed on the professional web magazine Lightzoom.

Since 4 years, I contribute with pleasure to the “DesignStoriesinc.com” web magazine, hoping to convey my thoughts, ideas, emotions etc. that came up to me through my work. It was created by renowned Japanese writer Naruhito Tsuji, who lives in Paris like myself.

For this article, I choose to write about our project for the new Eco-zone Louvres-et-Puiseux in France, especially the issue of this type of project where we can create the night cityscape from A to Z: the ecological aspect in artificial lighting, the pleasure of creation, the hope of satisfying users, the practical and the arty aspect etc.

https://www.designstoriesinc.com/panorama/ishiiakari2/

A thought for the Nagano Toumyou Festival which begins today. Its message of peace and hope is precious.

This is the first time since several years that I’m not attending it because due to the sanitary situation there isn’t light and sound opening ceremony. But I still feel involved in the event and I hope its light will bring a little peace, serenity, to everyone.

In addition to lighting design, I also realize, sometimes but with great pleasure, graphics projects (logos, product interface, printed matters, posters etc.), often linked to light, but not only, for other companies, associations and so on.

Recently the bi-annual brochure « Lighting Sensor » has just been published. It presents the works of Motoko Ishii, including some collaboration works with I.C.O.N. This brochure is close to my heart as I have been designing its graphics for more than 20 years!

You can discover my other graphic creations here: www.icon-lighting.com/en/graphisme

PARFUMS CHRISTIAN DIOR CORNER, LE BON MARCHE, PARIS

This new project with the brand is up! A beautifully designed space presenting fragrances, make-up and skin care, as well as new line-ups such as jewelry and sunglasses.

It was therefore necessary to think and adjust a subtle light, adapted to each type of product. Attentive to the color temperature, to reflections etc. but also to the architecture of the corner (visibility from neighboring spaces, internal visual comfort, enhancement of design and materials etc.).

From its opening in December, this new corner welcomes enthusiastic consumers. We continue our tight collaboration with the brand always with great pleasure.

Many thanks to Lumieres magazine for the great article about our lighting design on the art exhibition "The Golden Age of Danish Painting (1801-1864)" in the Petit Palais museum, Paris.

This magazine has sharp view-points on lighting design. Despite actual complex situation, as always, the article is very complete. You can discover details of our precise lighting design concept adapted to the scenography. Paper and online version but only in French.

https://www.filiere-3e.fr/2020/12/18/lage-dor-de-la-peinture-danoise-au-petit-palais/

By the way, this issue is contributed to the theme  "museographic lighting », and also refers to our work at the Yves-Saint-Laurent museum. Even on the cover page!

TV LIVE BROADCASTING : MISSION COMPLETED !

The live broadcast from Paris for Japanese national TV NHK’s candle special has successfully completed yesterday.

The lock-down obliged to adjust the direction many time but the report shooting went smoothly since months. I thank sincerely NHK staffs for this rich experience in such a difficult period.

It was so meaningful to convey a positive and bright message of candlelight in this moment. Many thanks to all who watched it and to more than 10 thousands positive and heart-warming tweets from the audience!

https://www.nhk.jp/p/sekahoshi/ts/XXVKVK94GZ/

I’ll be on live broadcast of NHK TV next Thursday in the program called “The world is full of desirable things”.

Direct from Paris, the episode is named “Just before Christmas! Candles on live from France”.

Travel with me through out France to discover heart-warming beautiful candles. My original design candle will be presented at the end of the program.

I really wish to convey this important message of light, the wonderfulness of a tiny candle light, in such a dark and difficult period through Japanese national TV.

Broadcasted by NHK Sogo1 on Dec. 17, 2020 from 10:30 PM to 11:45 PM.

I meet you there from my living room in Paris!

It's important to continue the reflection and transmission about the lighting design as this field is actively evolving.

Yesterday, I attended the annual assembly of the Association of Lighting Designers in France, who pursuits this mission since 25 years.

For the first time, we are more than 100 members! This expansion enables us greater exchanges.

IN DESIGN NOTE MOOK

The design filed stays stimulating and active. It’s encouraging to know especially in this period.

"Design Note", Japanese mook (magazine book) dedicated a special edition to the 20 years of the famous graphic designer Kashiwa Sato's firm and requested a celebrating message to 26 of his well-known “friends” mainly creates, opinion leaders.

His interesting work is linked to social movements and every time we meet up our exchange is always meaningful and creative. I was honored and delighted to participate in this anniversary issue as one of his friends.

Despite the actual situation, we keep on working on our projects with great pleasure.

Last week, we took part in the final adjustment of the retail corner of a French luxury brand at Bon Marché department store in Paris, where we applied subtle and very elaborated lightings for delicate objects and colors (perfumes, jewelry, sunglasses etc.).

Ready to re-open!

The Soene Akari Park event just took place in Tokyo. It promotes light and energy saving every year for 5 days, since 2012.

Since last time, we are appointed to produce the video projection on the National Science Museum. Making its script, visual and sound design is always a great moment of creativity as well as of reflection on future energies, particularly hydrogen.

We are so glad that the event could be held during these 5 evenings, thanks to the reinforced sanitary measures, and its successful result.

I’m really delighted to participate in the “ART for SDGs : Kitakyushu Art Festival Imagining Our Future", with a unique light artwork on a historic industrial site.

For this great challenge, many thanks to the artistic director Mr. Fumio Nanjo with whom I wished to collaborate since a long time.

In April 2021, for 11 days, the artists will exhibit their artworks in the city (parks, museums, etc.).

This Monday the official announcement of the event was released and relayed in the press, from mainstream to cutting-edge art medias.

For example: https://bijutsutecho.com/magazine/news/headline/22938

I keep on contributing to the Tokyo Tourism Committee, despite the current situation restricting travels and thanks to new communication technologies.

The committee, chaired by the mayor herself, takes place regularly and in the actuel context, it seems more than useful.

Since 2015, with our divers and international experiences, the aim of the committee is to improve this aspect of my hometown. I share my opinions especially about night time and night scape.

Yesterday evening, the French Association of Lighting Designers (ACE) held Partners' Evening, where we exchanged and discussed each one's ecological approaches.

The light continues to progress and adapt to the needs of today.

It’s a pleasure to feel that our field of lighting design remains united and constantly evolving.

The long-awaited exhibition "The Golden Age of Danish Painting (1801-1864)” opens this week at the Petit Palais (Paris). We worked on it for a long time.

Hailed by the press and visited by the Princess of Denmark, it leads us into a chronological and thematic scenography. We adapted the lighting according to it to emphasize the sensations of visitors.

You can visit it until January 3.

A great article about our new website was published in a professional lighting design media:Lightzoom Lumière

https://www.lightzoomlumiere.fr/article/i-c-o-n-nouveau-site-web-de-lagence-de-conception-lumiere/

I look forward to be speaking during the event [d]arc room livestream tomorrow (17/09 4h30-5h) and especially exchange in live chat with the audience.

This global and professional lighting forum promise, with international speakers, workshops, product demonstrations, live networking and a wide opening to the public since it’s totally online.

If you are interested, you can book your ticket or find informations on www.darcroom.com

#darcroomlivestream

For the exhibition "The Golden Age of Danish Painting", light settings are progressing well at the Petit Palais Museum (Paris)!

Initially planned for April, it was canceled. So, with the scenography team Didier Blin, we are delighted thats it's finally coming up. It would be sad if the epidemic triumphed over the art.

Maison & Objet fair in virtual format, in a different way this year, will start as an original edition on September 4 until 18. We wish them a great success!

For the perfect security for all, but still rich in contents. It includes showrooms, talks, products selections, universes, collections virtually. Our annual official exhibition "Light Trend” is not included this time but is potentially planned for the next January edition within a new interesting context and a continuous solid collaboration.

I was chosen to give a conference during [d]arc room livestream (on Sep 17th), a very interesting initiative by arc and darc magazines jointly with Light Collective.

It's a global lighting design conference and forum for specifiers, designers and manufacturers. With this online platform, they hope allowing interaction between participants and the audience all over the world. I’m right in the middle of preparation and already excited to communicate with the international public lively on line! 

JAPAN NATIONAL STADIUM

These days, I think of our work on Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. We designed exterior lighting and completed it for the Olympics games which supposed to be held this summer. Millions of enthusiastic spectators should have been rushing into it.

Fortunately, this magnificent architecture by Kengo Kuma was designed for this sports event but also to be well integrated into the urban scape and to be used in the long term. Our lighting was oriented in the same direction , for example with an enhancement of the exterior wood in warm white light, the shadows of the foliage on the them so that the stadium shall be kind of “hidden” in the forest, etc.

I still hope that the stadium will shine more next year! (with the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games).

Asakusa View Hotel annex in Tokyo, for which we create the exterior lighting design, was already reported in the media, even before its opening scheduled for the autum.

For the facades of this Art Deco style hotel (featuring the theme of Japanese entertainments, especially Kabuki and cinema), we imagined different lighting scenarios linked to the seasons and events, for example one of them inspired by Kabuki curtain.

The arcades will be enhanced by several lighting schemes especially by the original sconces that I have specially designed. Thus, the building will be highlighted in this historic and tourist district.

READ ON https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1251737.html

OUR NEW WEBSITE – LAUNCHING

After several months of attentive preparation, our company takes a new step forward to a bright future.

Rediscover www.icon-lighting.com, the address is the same but the content is not!

IES Award of Merit for our facade lighting of Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto!

We are so pleased to receive this award as we work a lot with this chain and its architect. Each time we always analyze the urban rhythm of the neighborhood where it is located to keep a coherent pace with lighting movement, as well as its context to imagine a new concept.

Here, in the ancient capital of Japan, the traditional colors of the noble kimono collars inspired the scheme.

The alumni magazine of my elementary school has just published a two-page article of my interview. After all these years, I was very much touched to reply it.

I dived into my memories and shared my professional experiences, my passion for light, my hopes for the city of Tokyo, and my thoughts for the youth actually in the school.

Yesterday, the Beauty corner of Bon Marché department store in Paris opened to public, a lighting challenge, taken up with pleasure by this good client.

The lighting had to emphasize and unify the scenography, common to several brands, while remaining adaptable to future changes in layout. The research for the feeling of brightness, visibility and quality of light was also essential for this space, not only to enhance the products of course but also due to the architectural configuration (low ceiling, no window etc.).

Last week, the Kabuki-za theater in Tokyo was lit in blue to thank the caregivers who worked hard during this epidemic.

I designed the permanent lighting of the facade (a tunable white light according to the seasons) and the show of its 1st anniversary, a few years ago, so I am deeply aware of its importance in the heart of people in Tokyo. Many thanks to its owner Shochiku for this great initiative.

The urban redevelopment project of Louvres station district was the 1st geste of renovation for this town as much as a first draft to imagine what the lighting would be in the larger scale for the adjacent Eco-quarter which we are also working.

So, it was interesting for us to be entrusted in the light renovation of the station zone, that includes various types of space (streets, commercial artery, square, central plaza, etc). Lighting concepts would certainly influence to the eco-quater thus were designed with in view the future development.

The lockdown is gradually unlocking in France and teleworking continues at I.C.O.N. for everyone's safety. Our construction sites reopen progressively and the field teams are at work. We supervise them from afar, with a regular photo report for example. We also try with the project management team to organize their work intelligently with sanitary security.
For instance, the ZAC of Eco-zone of Louvres and Puiseux-en-France, a complex project where big works are underway to transform 11.5 hectares of agricultural area into a multifunctional urban space.

Lighting up sunglasses, a more complicated subject than it seems.We observed it with precise tests for one of our future projects.Indeed it was a fascinating and subtle exercise, as it contains many essential factors of lighting techniques: contrast, color, transparency, reflection, texture…, on a small object with elaborated details that must be valued properly by lighting.

A tricky meal where menu, sound and light combine to disturb the notion of time for the guest. Already, a year ago, we created a scenario of light and sound for this concept of itinerant dinner for a famous French brand of luxury watch. This original and iconic project for celebrity guests has been carried out in many countries.
At each new dish, we change the time of the day. Every dish out of 5 represents a type of meal of the day (lunch, afternoon tea, breakfast etc.) but served in disorder. For example, the breakfast menu with coffee and the croissants could be served at the end of the meal, accompanied with the birds’ sing and the golden light.
Very exciting exercise for us, the creators, to “manipulate” the concept of time of the day. Magical experience for the guests.

Some construction sites restart in France, after telework studies. For example, ZAC Ferney-Geneve Innovation projet, for which we work with Obras and Estran, urban planners, has resumed this Monday. With the project team, we are trying to find the best organization and optimize schedule, privileging the remote monitoring and protecting persons on site.

Lumières (French processionnal lighting design magazine) continues online, despite this difficult situation, and published this article about our lighting design on facades of three Daiwa Roynet Hotels, in French and English. The magic of light continues, thanks to all those who create it and/or relay it.

#TELEWORKING #STAYATHOME

The 1st phase of our designed smartpoles installation in the famous Roppongi avenue (Tokyo) is done and their design pleases : )
These connected poles are equipped with IT boards, cameras, speakers, etc. Flow analysis will be a valuable tool for business owners on this busy street (while respecting a strict privacy policy).
Fruit of a collaboration with NEC technologies and Motoko Ishii, their creation was so precise that it required several phases of testing.

Disapointed. Because of the current sanitary situation, I won’t be able to participate in the torch run for Olympic flame unfortunately…

Japanese ancestors told “turn evil and be happy”.
I.C.O.N. remains available by tele-working, calm as a global citizen should be, and continue to innovate the new way of collaboration with all, positively and efficiently, so that our collective effort of today could bring us a brighter future.

Run training for Olympic torch relay in Nagano on April 2 - Tokyo 2020 Olymoic games

#JO #tokyo2020 #olympictorch

Today, Lighting Design Awards 2020 jury, 2nd round.
So many interesting projects. But the most interesting part is the judging criteria because the lighting design moves forward so quickly.

Our work for Air France lounge at Paris Orly airport is finished. A soft ambient light was realized, in line with the interior decoration for the relaxation of the passengers. Some iconic elements like the skylight and the bubble bar give a touch of originality.

Thursday 6th, Nagano Zenkoji-temple Nagano (south-facing) was light up in golden color and the opening was illustrated by medal motifs and Olympic sports by laser beams.
Friday 7th, Bessho-onsen’s Kitamuki-Kannon temple in the city of Ueda (north face) was illuminated with bluish light with a golden accent at the top as if the light thrown from Nagano reached here.