User:Maryna Chuprova Expolight/Expolight

Expolight (Експолайт) — lighting design company founded in 2000. Member of the International Association of Lighting Design (IALD). The office is located in Dnipro. The head and founder of the Expolight studio is Mykola Kabluka. When developing light for the interior, city, and natural landscape, experts consider it not an ephemeral substance but a part of the projected environment.

In implementing projects, Expolight refers to its analog of Maslow's pyramid. It is based on the norms and rules of lighting, the technical component. The second degree is related to aesthetics, the articulation of architecture with the help of light design. And the top of the pyramid is the conceptual side of the project, where with the help of light, you can share knowledge, involve the viewer in social problems, and broadcast your ideas.

Activity
The company's founder is Mykola Kabluka, the leading lighting designer and art director. After graduating from the university, he founded the lighting company Expolight and began developing the lighting design culture in Ukraine. Gradually, the company reached the all-Ukrainian level and then the international one. Currently, Expolight is a leader in architectural lighting in Ukraine.

In 2020, Mykola received a Masters's Degree in Architectural Lighting Design at Hochschule Wismar, University of Applied Sciences, Technology, Business, and Design.

In 2019, he was invited to teach at a new private university - the Kharkiv School of Architecture. Specialists from all over the world teach there. Its purpose is to change the approach to outdated architectural education in Ukraine and to provide an opportunity to obtain higher quality and advanced knowledge.

The work uses digital, interactive, and media technologies combined with traditional lighting approaches. One of the main philosophies of the company is: A city thrives only when it is in contact with its inhabitants. "We want to create not just technological but also socially significant things. Each of its Expolight projects is filled with deep symbolism." - says Mykola Kabluka. Зокрема, компанія використовує OLED-джерела світла та враховує світові стандарти зеленого будівництва LEED. In particular, the company uses OLED light sources and considers global LEED green building standards.

Over 1,500 lighting projects have been implemented in the USA, India, China, Morocco, Spain, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, etc. Currently, Expolight has projects in the development stage in Tbilisi, New York, Dubai, Bali, Yerevan, Vilnius, and London, including TBC Forum - the new headquarters of TBC Bank in Georgia.

Cooperation
Expolight cooperates with such architectural studios as   :


 * Zaha Hadid Architects
 * driendl  Architects
 * Avro|Ko
 * UNStudio
 * YOD studio
 * Balbek Bureau
 * YODEZEEN
 * ZIKZAK architects
 * MONO architects
 * MAKHNO studio
 * Yakusha Design

In Ukraine

 * Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Chernivtsi)
 * Park Square (Chernivtsi, Corduby str.)
 * Emily Resort (2022, Lviv)
 * The media facade of the Signature residential complex (Kyiv)
 * Illumination of the park named after Hurov (2021, Mariupol)
 * The largest 3D media hologram in Europe on the screen of Gulliver Shopping Center (2021, Kyiv)
 * «Saga City Space» residential complex (2022, Kyiv)
 * Interactive laser projection show "Transformations through history" on Khortytsia Island (2021, Zaporizhzhia)
 * Symbolic Synagogue in Babiny Yar (2021, Kyiv)
 * Dnipro Light Flowers laser-light art installation (2020, Dnipro)
 * Interactive Boulevard of the Arts on Korolenko St. (2020, Dnipro)
 * Lighting, laser shows, and interactives on Freedom Square (2020, Mariupol)[
 * "Cube" media sculpture in the Chicago Central House residential complex (2019, Kyiv)
 * Illumination of the St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church (2019, Kyiv)
 * "Beacon" in UNIT.CITY (2019, Kyiv)
 * Media facade and lighting design of interiors and landscape spaces of Tetris Hall residential complex (2019, Kyiv)

Worldwide

 * SOHO GALLERY interior lighting (China, 2013)
 * Cajasol Tower architectural lighting (Spain, 2017)
 * Interior lighting of TAINO restaurant and Yopo Tiki Bar (Dominican Republic, 2019)
 * Axis Towers interior lighting (Tbilisi, 2020)
 * Buddha Bar interior lighting (New York, 2020).
 * TBC Bank architectural lighting (Tbilisi)
 * Mao Restaurant interior lighting (Yerevan, 2021)
 * Hard Rock Cafe Yerevan interior lighting (Yerevan, 2022)

Social projects
2020

During the first Ukrainian lockdown at the beginning of 2020, Expolight offered its partners to launch a social project to support medical workers. The Expolight team created a charity fund to collect funds for doctors' treatment. The buildings, which attracted the public's attention with light and color, "directed" everyone who wanted to help to the project site.

In Kyiv, Odesa, and Dnipro, landmark buildings were lit up in red and white, most strongly associated with medicine. Expolight illuminated the St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, residential complexes CHICAGO Central House, Tetris Hall, Jack House, business campus B12 and Innovation Lighthouse in Unit City in Kyiv, Chkalov Tower and Greek Park in Odesa, Passage Mall, Cascade Plaza and Philharmonic named after Kogan in the Dnipro.

2021

As part of the worldwide events for the International Day of Rare Diseases, Expolight, in partnership with the public union "Orphan Diseases of Ukraine," organized an action to support patients with orphan diseases in Ukraine.

In general, 17 famous locations in 6 cities were illuminated in the blue-green-pink range in Ukraine. Among them is  St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, "Tetris Hall" housing complex, "The Chicago Central House" housing complex in Kyiv, Greek Park in Odesa, Korolenko Boulevard in Dnipro, Freedom Square in Mariupol, Dnipro Light Flowers light art installation, Beacon light art installation in UNIT.City, Mykhailivska Square, and others.

2022

On February 16, 2022, the Expolight team joined the state campaign for the Day of Unity, lighting up its objects in various cities of Ukraine in yellow and blue colors.

In Dnipro, the Dnipro Light Flowers light art installation lit up the sky above the city in national colors for the Day of Unity. These tubes are covered with 5,500 light pixels and, on top, have a powerful light laser that goes into the sky for more than 10 km. That is why the light art installation on five former factory pipes is considered the most giant flag of Ukraine in the world.

Awards
2017


 * CHI Restaurant (The 44th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Logger Head Bar (The 44th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * BAO Restaurant  (The 44th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Tetris Hall Residential Complex (The 44th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Cascade Plaza Residential Complex (The 44th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)

2018


 * Catch Seafood Restaurant (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * MANU Restaurant (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Must Restaurant (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Shabelski Boutique (LIT Design Awards, USA)

2019


 * Beacon of UNIT.CITY (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * RAIN OR SHINE Apartment (The 46th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * NORMAL Restaurant (The 46th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA; Lighting Design Awards, London)
 * NAM Restaurant (The 46th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA; Lighting Design Awards, London)
 * Smartass Fitness Club (The 46th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)

2020


 * Odesa Food Market (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Mediasculpture “The Cube” at Chicago Central House Residential Complex (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Boulevard of Arts (LIT Design Awards, США; The 47th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * St. Nicholaus Roman Catholic Church (The 47th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)

2021


 * Boulevard of Arts (The 38th Annual IALD International Lighting Design Awards, USA; The 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Madison Business Center (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Saga City Space Residential Complex (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Babyn Yar Synagogue (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Buddha Bar New York (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Dnipro Light Flowers post industrial light art installation (The 38th Annual IALD International Lighting Design Awards, USA; The 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Mariupol Freedom Square (The 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * PURI CHVENI Restaurant (The 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Tetris Hall Residential Complex (The 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * SAMNA Restaurant (The 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * FOLLOWER Restaurant (The 48th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)

2022


 * Buddha Bar New York (The 49th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Pivdenny Boulevard, Dnipro (The 49th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA; LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Babyn Yar Synagogue (The 49th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA; The 39th Annual IALD International Lighting Design Awards, USA)
 * Dnipro Light Flowers post-industrial light art installation (The 49th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Interactive laser projection show "Transformations through history" on Khortytsia island (The 49th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA)
 * Illumination of Hurov park (The 49th Annual IES Illumination Awards, USA; LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Emily Resort: Landscape Lighting (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Emily Resort: Event Hall (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Emily Resort: TERRA Restaurant (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * Emily Resort: Hotel Lobby (LIT Design Awards, USA)
 * UNIT.City B14 Chandelier (LIT Design Awards, USA)

Expolight during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022
From the very beginning of the Russian invasion, the Expolight team helped convert the parking lots of the main Dnipro shopping centers into bomb shelters: they installed lighting, made sockets, installed heating, and together with Dnipro architects Sergey Filimonov and Natalya Kashirina, they sewed 300 sets of thermal clothing for the military.

"In peacetime, we create light, and in this difficult time, we equip the underground parking lots of Dnipro city shopping centers, which turn into shelters with light and heat. We want to give light and warmth to people even in wartime. We don't give up. We are fighting, like all our people," Mykola Kabluka wrote in his blog.