Leni Schwendinger
Owner/Principal | Leni Schwendinger Light Projects, NightSeeing™
New York, NY, UNITED STATES
"Fun, moving, exciting! Is how I would describe Leni's Talk and LightWalk."
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Biography
Leni Schwendinger
Lighting Urbanist
In a field where public lighting and illumination increasingly influence the global language of urban design and urban experience, Leni is considered visionary in her approach to the next generation of luminous environments and cityscapes.
With over 20 years of work as both lighting designer and public artist, she has refined her lighting philosophy and in doing so, has redefined the possibilities for light in the public realm.
She has been the recipient of numerous professional awards, including several ‘Lumen’ awards from the Illuminating Engineering Society; the Society for Environmental Graphic Design; and the NYFA Fellowship for emerging artists. Current projects include lighting the exterior of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven; the Times Square Reconstruction Project; and a public lighting strategy for Dohaland, Heart of Doha. Leni has been featured in Architectural Digest, Metropolis; Dwell; and numerous other design publications.
Industry Expertise (8)
Arts and Crafts
Energy
Fine Art
Education/Learning
Architecture and Planning
Travel and Tourism
Lighting
Design
Areas of Expertise (10)
Urban Nights
Lighting
Nighttime Environment
Cities
Design
Lighting Design
Color
Public Space
Night Tours
Nighttime Design
Accomplishments (12)
Lumen Citation for Transformation of an Urban Environment by the New York Section (professional)
2010-06-18
"Triple Bridge Gateway", the light, color and environmental installation was honored with a 2010 Lumen Citation for Transformation of an Urban Environment by 2010 IESNA Illumination Award Program.
Award of Merit from SEGD (Society of Environmental Graphic Designers) (professional)
2008-11-20
Light Projects was the 2008 Award of Merit Recipient for the project "Chroma Streams: Tide and Traffic".
International Women's Entreuprenurial Challenge Award (professional)
2012-05-17
Leni Schwendinger was awarded the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge in 2008. The International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge – IWEC – awards are a joint project initiated by the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona in association with the Indian Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI-FLO) and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce (MCC).
New York City SBS/NYU Stern School of Business: Executive Training Course (professional)
2011-12-15
2011, Strategic Steps for Growth
GE Lighting Design Award (professional)
2012-04-18
Award for Louisville Second Street Bridge and Streetscape
"Shadings", a film and music performance at Carnegie Hall (professional)
2011-03-04
Shadings -- a collaboration between internationally renowned lighting designer Leni Schwendinger and critically acclaimed composer Laura Schwendinger (also her cousin) was performed at Carnegie's Zankel Hall. This marked the premiere of Leni's short film, Shadings, which takes the orchestral soundscape as a jumping off point for a lush meander through the spectral cities and gardens of Japan.
New York Construction Best of Awards (professional)
2008-11-04
2008 Best Marine Project Award: Hoboken Ferry Terminal and Clock Tower Restoration
Communication Arts: Award of Excellence (professional)
2006-05-09
2006 Award of Excellence, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum: for the exhibition design "Fashion in Colors"
New York Foundation on the Arts, Fellowship (professional)
2001-07-15
2001 Artist Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Arts
Award of Merit from SEGD (Society of Environmental Graphic Designers) (professional)
2009-06-10
2009 Award: The Coney Island Parachute Jump (Brooklyn, New York). This project was an opportunity to meld 21st century technology with a 20th century industrial structure—interpreting an iconic urban-vernacular structure through light, time and movement.
American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (professional)
2009-02-01
2009 Design Award: Brooklyn Museum, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art
"Shadings", a film and music performance at Carnegie Hall (professional)
2011-03-04
Shadings -- a collaboration between internationally renowned lighting designer Leni Schwendinger and critically acclaimed composer Laura Schwendinger (also her cousin) was performed at Carnegie's Zankel Hall. This marked the premiere of Leni's short film, Shadings, which takes the orchestral soundscape as a jumping off point for a lush meander through the spectral cities and gardens of Japan.
Education (1)
London Film School: Certificate, Film making 1974
Affiliations (1)
- International Association of Lighting Designers
Links (8)
Testimonials (7)
Alexis Nollet , Sponsor/Technilum | NightSeeing Frankfurt Luminale
Leni’s NightSeeing in Frankfurt was a great event that showed people the city lights with a very artistic and detail oriented approach. Technilum team was delighted to help organizing this event and bringing it to the Luminale as well as following Leni’s NightTalk & NightWalk with an amazing group of international people ! We received a lot of congratulations, people were super happy about the talk and the explanations about the lights and shadows in the city!
Tony Crinion , Event Director at United Business Media | NightSeeing London ARC Show, IALD
Leni's participation at The ARC Show within the IALD Conference brought a new and highly innovative element to the event.
Michael Levine, Director of Land Use and Planning Manhattan Community Board 1 | NightSeeing NYC: Madison Square Park
“I am using your Night City movie to inspire my Pace University Urban Planning class. The video sparks discussion, students’ imaginations are stirred and ideas flow.”
Donna Walcavage, Principal / Vice President, Design + Planning, AECOM | NightSeeing NYC: Madison Square Park
“When you walk around with Leni, she shares a deep -- intense and vivid -- look at the City, a new awareness of the night landscape.”
Lucia Cajaty - Rio de Janeiro , RioLuz | NightSeeing Frankfurt Luminale
Night Seeing com Leni foi experiência extraordinária, mostrando iluminação-arte ; experiência única somente comparada ao luar beijando as ondas do mar. A luz provocante e provocada beija a noite e leva à excitação dos amantes de Frankfurt. É mais que belo os efeitos criados por Leni.
John Toffalo, Glasgow City Council | NightSeeing London ARC Show
The NightSeeing programme was a refreshing change from other lectures/workshops I have attended. Getting out into the urban environment and local community to see how light affects all aspects of our lives which are often taken for granted was surprisingly interesting and informative.
Damu Radheshwar, Associate Partner, Ennead Architects | NightSeeing Bryant Park, NYC
Light Walk with Leni made the obvious noteworthy. Now I see the shadows in a whole different light.
Event Appearances (14)
Integation of Digital Elements and Lighting in the Dynamic Design Process
Integation of Digital Elements and Lighting in the Dynamic Design Process New York City
2009-10-12
NightSeeing Frankfurt Luminale 2012
Light + Building Luminale Frankfurt, Germany
2012-04-18
Color and Light: Humanizing the Urban Nighttime Environment
Lighting Fair Guangzhou Int’l Lighting Technology Symposium, CN
2009-06-11
Immersive Color; Shades of Light
Print Magazine’s Color Conference New York City
2011-10-05
Color and Light: Humanizing the Urban Nighttime Environment
Lighting Fair Guangzhou Int’l Lighting Technology Symposium, CN
2009-06-11
Marketing your Creative Business
9th Annual Women’s Business Leadership Conference New York City
2011-10-26
Community Involvement-an Essential Factor for Innovative Public Lighting Success
IALD Enlighten Americas Celebration of Urban Light New Orleans, LA
2011-09-24
Creative Lighting for Public Spaces and Infrastructure
LightFair International Philadelphia
2011-05-19
Luminous Legibility
The Illuminated City Portland State University
2011-04-09
See what Light Can Do panel
Philips Euroluce Press event, “See what light can do” Milan, IT
2011-04-12
Creative Lighting for Public Space
American Institute of Architects (AIA)-UK Chapter London, England, UK
2011-01-11
Luminous Legibility
Philips Lighting Livable Cities Press Event Lyon, FR
2010-12-09
Luminous Landscapes; an Artist's Approach to Design
American Society of Landscape Architects Annual Meeting Washington D.C.
2010-09-11
Brilliant Passionate Cities: The New Sustainable Night
Lighting Experience 2012 Buenos Aires, Argentina
2012-07-06
Sample Talks (4)
Community Involvement: An Essential Factor For Innovative Public Lighting
Synopsis: Delve into the experiential factor of public realm lighting. Leni Schwendinger will share design charrette techniques developed to enable community members to focus on the after-dark experience of their districts and neighborhoods. Framing the creative use of light in a brainstorm setting educates the end-user and facilitates open-minds. Workshops translate into effective lighting master plan, lighting strategy and/or lighting guidelines. Additionally, Leni will discuss her insights into the social politics required to manage the multi-headed client and stakeholder group for public projects.
Luminous Landscapes; an Artist’s Approach to Design
A brief survey of creative lighting projects to broaden understanding of the use of lighting in public space: Light as communication, Light in relation to intimate and large-scale projects, Humanizing Brutalist forms with light, Immersive environments using light and Light as sculpture Colored Light Lesson: Using colored light has become user-friendly and with the advent of LED, an easy application. The speaker proposes two approaches; the sublime and the carnivalesque. Explanation of color theory as it relates to colored light. Offers language to value use of colored light for environmental projects. Case studies.
Immersive Color; Shades of Light
Leni Schwendinger’s visual discussion includes a survey of international installations for which color, light and materials are integral to communicate concepts. Leni invites the audience to explore the startling differences between CMYK pigment color and hues of light, starting with the primaries; Red, Green and Blue. A shift in perspective is required for adaptation of color theory to the additive qualities of color mixing with light. Leni explains this design orientation through real-life examples. Journeying through colorful, creative projects as diverse in scale as bridges, gardens, and museum exhibitions; viewers will leave with memorable luminous visions.
Brilliant Passionate Cities: The New Sustainable Night
As nighttime activities and flexible working hours increasingly redefine urban experience, greater emphasis is focused on illuminating the after-dark environment. Leni discusses the issues and commissions that enlarge the possibilities of architectural design, our cities’ parks, plazas, waterfronts and streets through transformational public palettes-- exemplifying lighting as the essential element of our 24/7 world.
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
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