Photo: Courtesy of LD Systems
A stadium-sized network switch to fiber optics
When the lighting, audio and video elements of The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which welcomes 20 million visitors each year, became too much for a purely DMX network, Nathan Brittain, the lead designer and lighting console programmer of the Texas rodeo with LD Systems, made the decision to switch to a Luminex GigaCore system. The new network with fiber optics and many additional nodes supports all the elements of the event that runs every February into early March at NRG Stadium in Houston and includes livestock auctions and shows, educational exhibits, arena competitions, a carnival and 20 consecutive nights of big-name-artist concerts. “It’s pretty phenomenal,” said Brittain. “It’s massive and very impressive.”
The network is managed by a switch: the front-of-house with fiber runs to a switch in a catwalk, another in an overhead rig and another on stage, where four Luminex Ether, DMX 8 and numerous LumiNode 4s further support illumination of a five-pointed star, truss towers and the revolving stage. RLinkX fixtures provide a backup to the system, allowing data from a failed fiber cable to take an alternate route and ensure the multifaceted show can go on without a hitch.
A new exhibition, “The Persistence of Hand Drawing: Interior Rendering Today,” curated by Donald Albrecht and Thomas Mellins, has opened at The New School of Interior Design (NYSID) Gallery and will run until April 3, 2025. Focused on established and emerging contemporary designers who continue to draw interiors by hand to enhance observation of space, the exhibition displays work by 12 New York-based architects and interior designers as well as works pulled from the school’s archives for added context. The show provides a look at how these all-human-made portfolios offer more romantic views than computer renderings, suggesting it is easier to imagine people within spaces depicted by hand and, thus, proving to be more persuasive tools for clients. The included image, Park Avenue Apartment by Peter Pennoyer, is just one example of the work on display. Learn more about the show at www.nysid.edu.
A bonus photo submission by LD+A reader Pamela Micks. You can find the rest in “Last Look” on page 60.
They Said It:
“Electricians need to be trained not only in electrical safety and fire-hazard mitigation but also in recognizing and addressing cybersecurity risks”
Andrew Harper and Jae Yong Suk, “Empowering Electricians,” p.50
The amount the global outdoor landscape lighting market is forecasted to grow from 2023 to 2028.
Source: Research and Markets
Atrium, an independent lighting and controls specialist, and KUMUX, focused on transferring the benefits of natural light to artificial light sources, have announced a partnership to promote dynamic lighting for well-being.
Forge, an international LED tech designer and manufacturer, has partnered with CUPOWER, specializing in production and sales of LED drivers, to provide progressive LED drivers with a focus on sustainability.
Spark Studio Lighting Design has rebranded with a new logo, color palette and brand voice to reflect its evolving position within the lighting industry.
The “2024 Illumination Awards” article in LD+A, September 2024 contained inaccurate information for the GABRIELLE CHANEL. FASHION MANIFESTO project. The correct details are listed below. We apologize for the error.
GABRIELLE CHANEL. FASHION MANIFESTO London, United Kingdom
Designers: Zerlina Hughes, Saumya Monga – Studio ZNA
Owner: Victoria and Albert Museum
Photos: Thomas Adank
