Member of the Month

February 2022

Matt Franks
PE, IALD, LEED AP, MIES
Associate Principal, Project Director
Senior Lighting Consultant, Arup

Q: How did you first get started in the lighting industry?
My college degree was in architectural engineering, and where at the University of Kansas, about midway through the program, I had to pick an emphasis. The choices were mechanical engineering, structural engineering, construction management, and electrical/lighting design. My interests were in the design focused aspects of architecture and engineering, and lighting design seemed like a subject that really focused on design from an experiential standpoint. And so, I chose that. In 2000, after I graduated, I came to New York to work for Arup and was one of the first people in our lighting design team in the Americas. I have been there ever since. I enjoy the ability to work with architects and designers to shape how people move through and experience architecture and space and found that even as a relatively junior level designer you have a tremendous amount of influence on the outcome.

Q: How did you first get involved in the IESNYC?
I was involved in the student chapter of the IES in college, so when I came to New York, I joined IESNYC to stay connected to the lighting industry and have access to educational programs. The lighting design community in New York City is very close-knit, and there is a great value in having a venue outside of my formal role at work to connect to that community. As a Past President and current Board Member of Designer’s Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY), we collaborated with the IESNYC on events such as Moonlighting, and a lighting community tour of the restored TWA Hotel at JFK.

Q: How do you see your role as a member of the IESNYC?
I see my role as a member as an opportunity to participate in the greater lighting design community in New York City through programs and events. I’ve also been thankful to be able to contribute to the IES while serving on several committees – including the Daylighting and Museums committees. I was the co-author, with Matthew Tanteri, of the “Daylighting section of IES RP-30 – Recommended Practice: Lighting Museums,” when it had a major revision in 2014. I’ve also participated in Open House@Night with the IESNYC, the Section’s collaboration with OHNY, which is a series of lighting design focused talks and tours as part of the OHNY Weekend. Most recently I presented the lighting design of the Robert R. Douglass Pedestrian Bridge in Lower Manhattan with Claire Weisz, the architect at WXY architecture + urban design who designed the bridge.

Q: In your opinion, what are the best assets of the IESNYC?
I think the Society’s tagline of being “The Lighting Authority” says it all. The value of the IES is that it sets the standards for lighting design, enabling lighting professionals to define excellence in lighting design. Locally, having an awards program like IESNYC Lumen Awards which celebrates lighting design has a big impact on the community. The Lumens demonstrate the value of good lighting design—and at Arup, we’ve been lucky to have won Lumen Awards for our project work, including awards for Glenstone (2020), The Corning Museum of Glass (2016), and Fulton Center (2015), and value the opportunity to showcase our work on these projects to the lighting community and beyond. As members of the lighting community, we have a responsibility to contribute where we can further the profession and demonstrate the value we bring as lighting designers, and IESNYC is a great venue where we can do this.