Aperitivo #2
Light and Landscape – Design for Humans, Plants, and Other Species

studioatomic

Event
Brooklyn, NY

2025

Aperitivo #2:
Light and Landscape – Design for Humans, Plants, and Other Species
An insect-friendly conversation

On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Studio Atomic welcomed friends, colleagues, and collaborators to our Dumbo studio for the second edition of our Aperitivo series—an evening of drinks, dialogue, and design. This time, our focus turned outward: to the landscape, and to the ways in which exterior lighting can serve not only people, but also plants, insects, and the ecosystems we share.

As lighting designers, we’ve observed a gap in how sustainability is addressed in exterior lighting—particularly when it comes to the impact on animals and insects. Too often, the conversation stops at aesthetics and cost, without fully considering the environmental consequences of our choices.

With this event, we aimed to open up a more expansive and forward-thinking dialogue. We believe there’s a growing need—and opportunity—for the industry to explore lighting solutions that are both technically effective and ecologically sensitive.

To support this conversation, we partnered with SELUX as our technical sponsor. Their commitment to sustainable lighting practices, especially in outdoor environments, aligns with our own values and with the direction we hope to see more manufacturers embrace.

Our panel featured Yadiel Rivera-Diaz, Landscape Architect at Marvel, and Joshua Spitzig, Lighting Designer at Buro Happold—two voices offering unique perspectives on how we can better integrate environmental responsibility into landscape and exterior design. Together, we discussed strategies like shielding fixtures, reducing brightness, and minimizing upward light spill, all aimed at reducing disruption to nocturnal species. We also touched on how some local environmental reviews and zoning ordinances are beginning to include these principles, though their adoption still varies widely by region.

The conversation wasn’t just about best practices—it was about raising awareness, asking better questions, and rethinking how we design for the night. Because when we talk about lighting the landscape, we have to remember: we’re not the only ones living in it.