San Antonio, TX (PRWEB) May 25, 2012
The maker of precision-engineered architectural lighting fixtures, Lucifer Lighting Company, has announced that its founder and chief executive officer, Gilbert Lang Mathews, has been given the special designation of Honorary AIA membership (Hon. AIA) by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
A visionary and creative entrepreneur in lighting technology who is active in a wide realm of the arts. Mathews is a longtime supporter of architecture and the AIA in San Antonio, the state of Texas, and nationally.
Commending his extensive accomplishments, the AIA jury called Gilbert Lang Mathews committed to improving his community, to opening minds through active dialogue, and to partnerships that advance opportunities for all. Adding that he has served as an inventor and a collaborator, the jury described Mathews as an inquisitive student, bringing people together who can connect, solve problems, and elevate the value of our profession.
The award was presented at a May 17 ceremony in Washington, D.C., as part of the AIA 2012 National Convention and Design Exposition.
Honorary membership is among the highest honors the American Institute of Architects bestows upon a person outside the profession of architecture, granted to allied professionals of esteemed character who has rendered distinguished service to the profession of architecture or to the arts and sciences allied therewith. The Honorary AIA membership is granted only if the accomplishments of the nominee are truly outstanding and of national significance. The 2012 selections for Honorary AIA membership were made by a jury of two professional architects Pamela Touschner, FAIA, of DLR Group WWCOT in Palm Springs, California, and Christopher Kelley, AIA, with Gensler in Washington, D.C. along with Carol Pedigo, Hon. AIA, executive director of AIA Middle Tennessee in Nashville.
Rare Honor
The AIA does not often grant honorary membership to leaders of manufacturing enterprises, and Mathews was commended in part for his development of innovative, sophisticated lighting technologies at Lucifer Lighting but even more so for helping sustain architecture and the arts elsewhere. Mr. Mathews is an indispensable supporter of AIA San Antonio and has extended his support to the Texas Society of Architects and AIA National, said the AIA jury. His financial support has enabled AIA San Antonio to sustain a very successful world-class lecture series that is free and open to the publicthe only one of its kind in the region.
The lecture series has featured such luminaries as Marlon Blackwell, Billy Tsien, Peter Bohlin, Tom Kundig, Julie Vandenberg Snow and Thomas Phifer, among many other prominent architects. For his support and service to the Institute, he was named an honorary member of AIA San Antonio in 2009 and of the Texas Society of Architects in 2010. Of Mathews, the AIA Gold Medal recipient Peter Bohlin said, Through his support of the AIA, programs at the University of Texas and sponsorship of events like the lecture series, he opens doors for young people to pursue a future enriched by knowledge and exploration. This is a contribution that will have a great impact on our profession for years to come.
Lucifer Lighting is also active in developing continuing education programs for architects and lighting designers.
More than a generous benefactor and underwriter, Mr. Mathews is a vital part of the community of design professionals, says the AIA jury. As an influential member of the wider design community, Mr. Mathews has enabled AIA to better serve its members and strengthened the profession.
A Legacy of Efficient, Elegant Lighting
As CEO and founder of Lucifer Lighting Company, Gilbert Mathews has built a thriving family business manufacturing high-end architectural lighting fixtures that are widely regarded as innovative and of exceptional design quality. Appealing to acclaimed architects and designers around the world, Lucifer Lighting fixtures are found in museums, five-star hotels, top restaurants, corporate headquarters and luxury residences. Many of the products use sophisticated LEDs as the illumination source.
Prior to founding Lucifer Lighting more than 30 years ago, Mathews practiced law with Vinson Elkins in Houston and founded his own law firm in San Antonio, with degrees from the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School and Columbia Universitys School of Law. Mathews became interested in lighting design and manufacture indirectly, through his familys longtime retail business, Frost Bros., a high-fashion retail chain based in San Antonio since 1917. Armed with only his law degree and an inquisitive nature, Mathews saw an opportunity to improve display lighting in the stores. Using bright strip sources that were concealed, his ideas improved the visibility of merchandise on display cases and shelves and the solution led Mathews to establish Lucifer Lighting, named for the Latin term light-bearer.
Since then, Mathews and his family have built Lucifer Lighting into a global leader in creating sophisticated, precision-engineered lighting systems that allow unmatched design possibilities. Known for harnessing and concealing their powerful, advanced light sources within elegant, inconspicuous housings, Lucifer Lighting has attracted architects needing solutions for a range of interior challenges. According to many customers, Lucifer Lightings progressive, research-oriented building product solutions allow architects the ability to advance and develop their craft in new directions.
An Ally of Arts, Design and Culture
Mathews is widely regarded as an ally of architectural design, the arts and historic collections. He is a Life Advisory Board Member of The University of Texas School of Architecture, a member of the Advisory Council of the Ransom Center at the University of Texas, a member of the President’s Development Board of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a board member of the San Antonio Museum of Art and the KLRN Endowment Fund and founder of the Winston Salem Light Project. He is also a member of the Board of Visitors of the North Carolina School of the Arts.
Press contacts:
Alexandra Mathews
Lucifer Lighting Company
3750 IH35 North
San Antonio, TX 78219
+1.210.227.7329
a(dot)mathews(at)luciferlighting(dot)com
Chris Sullivan
C.C. Sullivan
PR Counsel to Lucifer Lighting
+1.914.462.2096 (mobile)
chris(at)ccsullivan(dot)com
About Lucifer Lighting Company
For more than 30 years, Lucifer Lighting has created original lighting solutions that bring to life the places and spaces we inhabitindoor and outdoor, from grand-scale commercial to cozy residential nooks. A manufacturer of precision engineered downlights, light strips, track and spot lights, and landscape lighting, Lucifer Lighting uses a variety of light sources, from halogen to metal halide, from LED to fluorescent. Lucifer Lighting has received numerous awards for innovative lighting and building projects, and it manufactures form a LEED-rated facility in San Antonio. The companys fixtures are regularly recognized for distinction. Installations of Lucifer Lighting may be found in diverse venues ranging from Polo Ralph Lauren and Gucci to Goldman Sachs and Yankee Stadium, and from Windsor Castle to the White House and private residences around the world.
For more information, please visit our website http://www.luciferlighting.com.