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The right kind of light can work wonders with whatever space you want to emphasise, says lighting whiz Shiu-Kay Kan of SKK fame
When a light shines…
By Smriti Daniel
Shiu-Kay Kan loves and understands light in a way that very few people do. With a reputation for being a lighting designer extraordinaire, Shiu-Kay is also a consultant and manufacturer in his own right. Having consulted and designed for the likes of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and renowned musicians from bands like U2 and Coldplay, he is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with.

His work is based on an appreciation of how light and the way we use it, is central to the way we see and feel about the world we inhabit.
“The first thing I notice, when I walk into a room is how light or dark it is,” he says, explaining that naturally different parts of the house require different types of lighting. This is true of different countries as well. “In Europe, for instance, with the population growing older, strong lighting is the trend,” he says.

SKK, as his brand is known, caters to a variety of tastes and needs – from residences and large buildings to designer lamps and Christmas lights. Shiu-Kay’s workshop in Soho, London, has turned out such classics as the Kite Light, tiny low wattage programmable robot lights, and more recently lamps designed to honour Peter Jackson’s production, King Kong. Of late he has become involved in Sri Lanka, and has been designing for some local businesses here.

Key in all his projects is energy conservation, reveals Shiu-Kay, adding that while it is a big deal, it must never be done at the expense of the atmosphere of a place. Instead, he says innovative lighting strategies can achieve targets in energy reduction even as the building or interior appears unchanged. Case in point is the Galle Face Hotel. Shiu-Kay who will be doing some consulting for this classic hotel, explained that the target was to reduce energy spent by about 30%. The key lies in doing it without changing the feel of the place itself. Further complicating the process is the fact that all this must be done as gradually and inconspicuously as possible.

Originally from Hong Kong, Shiu-Kay now lives and works in the U.K. Trained as an architect at the Royal Institute of British Architects RIBA, Shiu-Kay chose to live in Milan for a while, as he learnt design. It was at this point that he did some lighting design for Fiorruci Jeans (an Italian brand famous for its unconventionality and vibrant colours). Soon after, Shiu-Kay was to return to London. Once he got there, determined to generate some work, he designed and built a lamp, and took it to one of Sir Terrence Conran’s shops. “They simply loved it,” says Shiu-Kay, and as simply as that his career in London took off.

“In the 80s, the U.K. was a chain store country,” he says, explaining that he did a lot of interiors for such shops, combining his architectural skills with his lighting design. Then recession hit the U.K. in the early 90s, and soon the only people who could afford to employ the services of someone like SKK were the rich and the famous.

Beautiful town and country houses with sprawling interiors became his new canvas. One of his first big assignments was to be the home of the Countess of Bismarck.

Working in harmony with the client and with his team, Shiu-Kay reveals is essential if the end product is to satisfy all. Though he is technically a lighting specialist, he adds that his job actually encompasses much more, for he helps clients with crucial decisions such as room placement and design. Today he counts on his client-list the likes of Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame (he did his house and his studio), and members of bands like Coldplay and U2.

Shiu-Kay reveals that some of his clients fascinate him. “Why are they successful… How does one write a song today, and find that 20 years later it is still relevant?” Obviously, he aspires to this sort of immortality in his own designs.

Aside from residences, Shiu-Kay has been involved in lighting hotels, stores, restaurants, factories, national monuments and even very special birthday parties, such as Margaret Thatcher’s. He is also known for his work on the Memorial Gate on Constitutional Hill in London. Erected in honour of the Commonwealth soldiers who lost their lives in World War II, the gate presented a challenge to Shiu-Kay. In the end he chose to light the monument from below, using discreet CDM lights that were installed underground with bronze louvers (resembling shutters) over them, preventing glare.

“People consume design now,” he says, explaining that a lamp bought ten years ago from a good designer would be considered a ‘modern classic’ in the U.K. today. In addition, for those who cannot afford to make dramatic changes to their interiors, varying or jazzing up the lighting can make a marked difference, giving a room a fresh appeal. “Lighting can be a very powerful tool,” he says, “for instance, in a restaurant, the wrong lighting can make perfectly good food look bad.” Even brand names like to use lights designed especially for them, says Shiu-Kay, adding that he has undertaken such work for companies like Next and Gap.

“The awareness of design is catching up here, as it has in other countries,” explains Shiu-Kay, adding that Sri Lanka could carve its own niche in this international market by exporting ‘Fusion Design.’

Among the projects he is currently juggling, are a number of hotels in Sri Lanka, a factory as well as his first nightclub project – H2O. “I’ve always wanted to do a nightclub,” he says pleased, filled with plans for all the hi-tech fun lights he’s going to use.

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