People in Lighting: Hannah Smith

Hannah Smith is in charge of Lighting Design at Urbis Schréder
Hannah Smith
Lighting Design Manager - Urbis Schréder

Companies are defined by the people who work for them: for over a century, Schréder has been at the forefront of lighting thanks to its employees worldwide. Throughout 2021 we’ll be focusing on the people who make Schréder what it is, including their career path, landmark projects and their thoughts on where lighting is headed next.

Hannah Smith is the Lighting Design Manager at Urbis Schréder in the UK and has been with the company for six years. With a passion for placemaking, she manages a team that works with project managers and customers on lighting exterior environments. They undertake extensive lighting studies and create designs that combine compliance using relevant standards with stunning aesthetics. Hannah and her team then provide customers with 3D visuals made in Blender, Relux, Dialux and Photoshop to really bring lighting schemes to life, so they can understand the range of possibilities available before work starts. 

 

I studied Product Design, but lighting’s ability to transform space is fascinating...

While I was studying, I did a placement at an interior lighting company. I’ve always had an interest in how light completely changes a space and an environment and worked there after I graduated. An opportunity arose at Urbis Schréder and I thought, this is exactly what I want: using light to change spaces, learning from other people, and understanding the whole industry.


We’re starting to change how people visualise space…

Lighting is about how you make people feel. Traditionally, in exterior lighting, you’re driven by standards, requirements, regulations and risk assessments, whereas interior was a bit more flexible, you design for the people and how they feel about that environment. That’s changing. We are now seeing customers really think about how people use a space, how lighting affects them, especially women going out at night. It’s not just about numbers, it’s about creating places where people feel safe and want to stay in. 
 

Our work is bringing ideas to life, with partners…

Collaboration is all about making ideas come to life, so we work with councils, consultants, everyone involved to realise what’s possible. Being a designer for a manufacturer is fascinating, because I’m at the heart of a pluri-disciplinary process. I know what’s technically possible, and work with all the stakeholders to realise their vision. I worked with a team of great experts to deliver a bespoke lighting solution for the Olympic Steps leading to Wembley Stadium, a really iconic project and it was a fascinating experience. The lighting looks great! 

Schréder delivered bespoke lighting solutions to light Wembley Way, enhancing safety and the fan experience


No two jobs are the same…

We do a lot of residential lighting, a lot of housing estates, Section 38s and no two are alike, no road is the same. I like the challenge and the variety these projects can provide to a designer. 


Great lighting complements the environment it’s put in...

Firstly, you don’t have to put in huge infrastructure to make an impression. The first project I managed was in Coventry, where we used 12-metre high columns, but made them out of wood, so they felt “soft” and toned in with the environment. We took a similar approach for St. Mary’s School near Ascot, where bespoke timber columns softened the ambiance by blending in with the woods. It doesn’t have to be a massive structure,  doesn’t have to be colour-changing, it just has to create a good feeling.

Wooden timber columns were chosen when lighting St Mary's Ascot to harmoniously integrate the landscape


And it tells a story, too…

Salt Hill in Galway is another favourite of mine, even though I didn’t work on it. It’s a great example of lighting that’s really transformed a space and created a buzz. It’s all about people, and how they enjoy the views of Galway Bay at night. We used tuneable white LEDs so that it complies with the strictest of European requirements to protect dark skies and the wildlife there. I also love the project we did in Lisburn - the posts are inspired by the city’s linen trade, they really tell a story and celebrate local history.

Urban lighting should create a nice atmosphere or tell a story to celebrate local heritage like in Lisburn


The UK market is very specific when it comes to photometry… 

We work with colleagues in the photometry department of our R&D centre, R-Tech in Belgium to develop lenses specifically for the UK market as the optic requirements are very different. We mainly work with illuminance, whereas in Europe, they mainly calculate the luminance. In the UK, we tend not to put brackets on our columns, which also affects photometric distribution. It’s lots of little things like that which make a difference - and we’re keeping an eye on what happens now we’ve left the EU. 


In six years, I’ve gone from being a trainee to managing my own team...

I started as a lighting designer, working on projects at the start of the conception phase, when a customer wants to change their environment with a design involving lighting. Then I moved to the projects side, which is about making it happen - delivering columns, handrails, everything. 
Now I’m in charge of a team of lighting designers who work on a variety of projects from tenders for big regeneration programmes or smaller scope projects where we can create beautiful images and videos to help the customer visualise that space and see what we can do. 


So Schréder has been great for my personal development...

It wouldn’t have been possible without people believing in my abilities. Now, I want my team to succeed, I’ve taken on a junior employee this year. The development and the career progression that’s available is great, they’re always pushing people to try something new. Also, I’ve had great mentors - I should mention Nigel Townsend, the technical director. He’s been my mentor, he’s pushed me to be better, do different things and challenge myself.

Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn.