Carla Wilkins: IALD President and Enlighten Europe Paris

In January 2026, Carla Wilkins stepped into one of the most influential roles in the profession. Becoming president of the International Association of Lighting Designers, the IALD. It is a fitting new chapter for an architect trained whose career has helped shape the way cities, cultural landmarks, and public spaces are experienced through light.

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At Enlighten Europe 2026, held in the beautiful city of Paris, France, from June 17 to 19, I meet her again after Light + Building in Frankfurt. Carla Wilkins brings valuable insight into the strength of the IALD network, the importance of global collaboration, and the evolving direction of the profession. With the event gathering lighting professionals from across Europe and beyond, her perspective offers a timely look at how the industry is growing, adapting, and inspiring the next generation of designers.

In this conversation, we speak with Carla Wilkins about the power of the IALD community, the highlights of Enlighten Europe 2026, and what lies ahead for the future of lighting design.

What is IALD’s mission?

Carla Wilkins: The mission of IALD is not only to advance the profession of lighting design, but also to promote a broader understanding of the power of light in human life. Light shapes how we experience architecture, cities, landscapes, and each other. As lighting designers, we contribute to wellbeing, sustainability, culture, and the quality of life in our communities.

What are its main activities?

Carla Wilkins: The association’s work focuses on bringing our community together, supporting education, advocating for the profession, and engaging in regulatory affairs. We create opportunities for lighting designers across the world to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and grow professionally. At the same time, we work to ensure that lighting design is represented in discussions around standards, legislation, sustainability, and the future of our cities. Ultimately, we want to strengthen the voice of lighting designers globally.

How was Enlighten Europe organized?

Carla Wilkins: Enlighten Europe was organized by the IALD staff together with a committee of volunteer members. This group reviewed all of the submissions from the call for presentations and curated a program that reflected both the diversity and quality of our profession.

In addition to the conference itself, we also brought together the Business Forum and the Lighting Industry Resource Council. These meetings create opportunities for lighting designers and manufacturers to meet in person and engage in open dialogue. The feedback was extremely positive because both sides appreciated the chance to exchange perspectives in a collaborative environment.

How many participants were there? How many sponsors?

Carla Wilkins: 290 participants and 23 sponsors.

What are your best memories of this event?

Carla Wilkins: There were many memorable moments throughout the conference. From Ian Ritchie’s inspiring keynote at the beginning to Akari-Lisa Ishii’s wonderful presentation on the history of lighting in Paris at the end, the program was filled with highlights.

What I found particularly inspiring was seeing designers from different countries share local approaches and challenges. Innovation today is happening everywhere, and the exchange of ideas across cultures is becoming one of the greatest strengths of our profession.

What I remember most, however, are the people. The atmosphere was incredibly open and engaged. There was a genuine desire to learn, exchange ideas, and challenge one another in a positive way. Some of the most valuable moments happened between sessions, during conversations over coffee or dinner, where new connections were made and future collaborations began. Those encounters are what make a community strong.

What projects is the association currently working on?

Carla Wilkins: One of our major priorities is expanding our global presence and growing our membership. The more lighting designers we represent, the stronger and more influential our profession becomes.

We are also continuing our work in regulatory affairs and public policy because decisions made in these areas have a direct impact on how we design and use light. At the same time, we are investing in educational programs and resources to help designers continue developing their skills and knowledge throughout their careers.

While growing our global presence remains a priority, we are equally focused on demonstrating that lighting designers contribute far beyond aesthetics. We play a role in sustainability, human health, responsible use of resources, and reducing the impact of light on the natural environment. These topics are becoming increasingly important in our educational programs, advocacy efforts, and regulatory work.

How do you see the future of the lighting design profession?

Carla Wilkins: I am very optimistic about the future of lighting design. Across the world, there is a growing understanding that light is about much more than visibility. It influences health, wellbeing, safety, culture, and our relationship with the environment.

Having founded Lichtvision in 1997, I have had the privilege of witnessing a remarkable evolution of our profession. What was once seen as a niche discipline is now increasingly recognized as an essential part of the design process. At the same time, we continue to benefit from new technologies, innovative materials, digital tools, and a growing body of research about the impact of light on people and nature.

The challenge for us as lighting designers is to combine these opportunities with our responsibility toward the environment and society. The demand for qualified lighting designers will continue to grow because good lighting requires expertise, creativity, and a holistic understanding of how people experience space.

Light has been part of human civilization for thousands of years, yet it continues to evolve. That is what I find so fascinating about our profession. We work with one of humanity’s oldest mediums, while constantly discovering new ways to shape a better future through light.

Lighting design is evolving from a discipline that illuminates spaces to a discipline that shapes human experience and environmental responsibility.

Carla Wilkins Biography

Based in Berlin, she brings 35 years of professional experience to the post, along with an architectural background that has informed her distinctive approach to lighting design. As a founding partner of Lichtvision since 1997, she has played a central role in expanding the field beyond technical illumination, helping redefine lighting as a powerful part of visual and spatial storytelling. Today, she oversees both concept and planning at the firm and serves as its global creative head.

Over the course of her career, Wilkins has worked in New York City, Cologne, and Berlin, building an international portfolio that spans master planning, high-rise developments, memorials, art installations, and commercial and residential architecture. Her major projects include Berlin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Downtown Doha Phases 2 and 3 in Qatar, Beethovenhaus Bonn, the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, the Staatsbibliothek am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, and Felix Platter Hospital in Basel.

Widely published and a frequent lecturer, she is also deeply engaged in the professional community. In addition to her leadership at IALD, she is a member of Werkbund Berlin and the Bruno Taut Forum. Her appointment as IALD president marks a celebratory moment for the lighting design world—one that reflects both her creative influence and her longstanding commitment to the future of the discipline.

Learn more

• IALD Enlighten Europe Comes to Paris: Discover the Program
• Quesnoy Boutisses: Joint First Prize, 2026 Concours Lumières
• « You asked for the ideal source! » Victor Palacio

Top photo: Carla Wilkins, IALD President, lighting designer, Enlighten Europe 2026, Paris, France – Lighting design industry’s leading conference, 17-18 June 2026 © IALD, photography by Stephane Laure