A highlight from the DARC thoughts programme

Last week at LiGHT Expo London (LIGHT 25), I had the privilege of being featured by InteriorDaily as one of the standout talks in the darc thoughts programme — a brilliant surprise and a real honour.

Out of Our Lane: What Lighting Designers Must Learn from Medicine

My session explored a topic that has become impossible to ignore: how modern light is reshaping human health.

We looked at everything from the role of mitochondria and the consequences of losing infrared light in our interior environments, to the growing epidemic of circadian disruption. If light is the operating system for the human body — and it is — then every mismatch, every imbalance, sends a cascade of effects through our physiology.

This isn’t theory. It’s biology in real time.

A Needed Conversation

Taking the stage offered a chance to dive into these issues and challenge the industry to rethink its starting point. We can’t solve today’s lighting problems with the same mindset that created them. A shift in understanding is essential and long overdue.

Grateful for a World-Class Platform

A huge thank you to Darc Magazine, Helen Ankers, Matt Waring, and Paul James for shaping an exceptional programme. The event ran like clockwork, and as a speaker, the seamless setup made the entire experience uplifting and energising.

Light & Health Is Finally Taking Centre Stage

What’s most encouraging is this: conversations around light, health, and human biology are no longer niche. They’re stepping into the centre of the industry, exactly where they belong.

And if last week is any indication, the momentum is only growing.

Willie Duggan

Willie grew up in the family business, stacking boxes, wiring fittings and making deliveries. He went on to study engineering and then lighting design. After working as a lighting designer in London he returned to lead our design team. You can also find Willie chasing a ball round the rugby pitch, at a gig or threading the boards on stage.