What do you see as the role of lighting and light poles in landscape design?

Lighting plays a pivotal role in landscape design, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics. Beyond basic safety functions, lighting can also add depth and visual interest to outdoor spaces. Strategically placed lighting can highlight architectural features and natural elements, like accentuating the texture of tree bark, or mimicking the natural glow of moonlight, creating a serene ambiance.
To do all this, you need to be able to raise lights up so they can illuminate the spaces, and people, below. The fixture may hold the light source, but the pole is what people see when walking or driving by. It obviously serves a structural function, but it can be beautiful too. Different materials, finishes, and shapes can all contribute to transform a pole into more than 'just a pole'.
Ultimately, thoughtful lighting design transforms outdoor spaces into captivating environments that are both beautiful

 
and functional.

What is one of the biggest jumps in lighting and design evolution you've seen during your career?

The 2000s brought the LED revolution-a major inflection point in lighting infrastructure. LEDs offered dramatic improvements in energy efficiency, longevity, and controllability. This opened the door for really creative design and integration into diverse environments. We have a bridge project with long LED light tubes, nearly half as long as the pole itself, to illuminate the pathways. We have a project in Finland that is designed to look like birds sitting in a tree. And we have a project in Omaha where the light poles look like baseball bats, all of which are not only functional but aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for their environment.

What is a "smart pole," and what value does it bring to an urban environment?

Smart technology integration with lighting poles began to emerge in the early 2010s. These integrations increasingly incorporated cameras, sensors, wireless controls and data analytics. These systems provide valuable services such as traffic control (both vehicular and pedestrian), monitoring and energy use optimization. Now we're seeing more and more tech integration - 5G, public Wi-Fi, loudspeaker and siren capabilities, environmental sensors and even EV charging ports. Really the number of integrations is somewhat endless, And all those add-ons that were clamped or strapped or drilled in to be connected, well it turns into a bit of a Frankenstein situation.
Multi-function, or 'smart' streetlights turn static poles into versatile urban nodes, enhancing public safety, environmental monitoring and connectivity. These nodes are wider than traditional poles but integrate all the technologies as part of the pole design, keeping a clean sleek look. Poles with internal integration also protect sensitive equipment from the elements and potential vandals. When you use a multi-function node, you have a system that was designed for customization and evolution over time.

Where do you envision the evolution of lighting infrastructure going in the next 50 years?

Looking ahead, lighting infrastructure is poised to become even more adaptive and responsive. Emerging trends I think about include where solar-powered systems will go, AI-driven lighting control, increased connectivity and communications capability, and integration with augmented reality experiences.

As seen in LASN magazine, July 2025.