- Various honors and speaking engagements elevate the growing firm’s visibility globally
- New project wins in Europe, Asia Pacific and the United States, including museums and HQ offices
- Lighting design pioneer and leader, Morlights, celebrates 20 years in business this fall
Known for its global work with significant clients including the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, HOK and Boka Restaurant Group, Morlights has also announced several new project wins. Among the most noteworthy is a commission as lighting designer for Chicago O’Hare Airport’s $300 million Terminal 3 project, known as ElevateT3, set to expand passenger corridors, holdroom space, and reconfigured TSA checkpoints. The firm has also been tapped for the new Andretti Global headquarters located in Fishers, Indiana, a 90-acre campus for the motorsports leader with architect RATIO, and development manager Bradford Allen. Other projects are at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, a new aquarium in Mexico, and the restaurant Ummo in Chicago.
At the same time it is winning new projects globally, Morlights CEO and founder Avraham “Avi” Mendall Mor, CLD, IALD, has been presenting the firm’s work and unique project delivery approaches to varied audiences nationally and in Madrid, Spain. Upcoming talks include a session at ArchLIGHT Summit, as well as for the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). Mor, a leading lighting expert for museums, recently presented at the American Alliance of Museums annual meeting held in Baltimore and the interiors-focused NeoCon 2024 in Chicago this June.
“We’re glad to be at the forefront of designs for a new generation of cultural, scientific and history museums and learning environments, among the most dynamic and exacting challenges we can take on,” says Mor. “We are very proud of Morlights’ ability to handle such varied projects inspiring with high design while balancing budget sensitivity, striking a balance between artistry and technology by breaking down the lighting process and taking a stand for simplicity, cultivating our clients’ stories and experiences – all while advocating for cost effective solutions, energy savings and seamless team communication.”
Lighting Honors for Indigenous Community School
Among Morlights most celebrated successes has been its work on the Indian Community School in Franklin, Wisconsin, which was recently featured on the cover of Designing Lighting, an influential U.S. design publication. In their story titled “Unveiling Indian Community School’s Design Metamorphosis,” the lighting design is credited with “transforming educational spaces,” wrote the magazine. “They addressed challenges like outdated technology and aesthetic integrity while creating a dynamic learning environment. The project reflects a blend of innovative technology, environmental considerations, and a deep understanding of the school’s architectural ethos, setting a new standard for educational lighting design.”
Mor and his team will also present the school design solutions at ArchLIGHT Summit, a program from September 17-18 at the Dallas Market Center. “Our session is all about integrating lighting design with cultural values, a critical design skill today as demonstrated in the Indian Community School case study,” says Mor. “This is where we learn the importance of creating lighting solutions that not only enhance architectural aesthetics but also reflect and celebrate the cultural identity of the community served.”
Other projects with significant cultural underpinnings include the new aquarium in the resort town of Mazatlán on Mexico’s northern Pacific coast, led by hotelier Ernesto Coppel Kelly and designed by architect Tatiana Bilbao. There, Morlights designed the exhibit lighting working with Space Haus.
In many of its recent projects, Morlights has assisted clients by offering its new Acquisition Services, where the firm manages lighting products, fixtures, controls and systems on behalf of the owner for a modest fee. The approach protects the owner and end-users while ensuring full life-cycle and sustainable, optimized lighting performance over the life of their facilities.
About Avraham M. Mor
Founding Principal, Avraham “Avi” M. Mor, CLD, IALD has been practicing lighting design for over 20 years. Mor has grown his business from a small operation with only a handful of clients to a bustling firm with projects of all sizes located around the nation. His work spans commercial, hospitality, educational, and residential projects—ranging from business interiors, hotels, restaurants, and outdoors events to educational institutions, museums, condominiums and private residences. Mor has been recognized by the U. S. Department of Energy, where he serves as a committee member and forum reviewer for The Next Generation Lighting Industry Alliance. He also speaks widely at conferences on the future of solid-state lighting and luminaire technology. He is the third Certified Lighting Designer (CLD) in the world, a professional member of the IALD, and member and former regional president of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). Mor is also an affiliated professional member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago Section. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a BFA in Theater Design with an emphasis in Architectural and Theatrical Lighting Design. In his spare time, Mor is both a cruising and a racing sailor.
About Morlights
Lighting matters. From museums and airports to theaters and restaurants, Morlights creates impactful, immersive, meaningful experiences through lighting design. The award-winning, Chicago-based firm has completed works across the country – and beyond – with clientele including Studio Gang Architects, Museum of Science and Industry, Pacific Science Center and Andretti Global. Morlights strikes a balance between artistry and technology, creativity and practicality, theatricality and efficiency, by breaking down the lighting process and taking a stand for simplicity, advocating for cost effective solutions, energy savings and seamless team communication.
Visit www.morlights.com