ArchLIGHT Summit 2025 Kicks Off with a Strong Start

ArchLIGHT Summit 2025: Strongest Crowd Yet, Happiest Exhibitors Ever

On Monday night, Women in Lighting + Design (WILD) set the tone with a lively pre-show reception at the D15TRICT Lounge, perched on the 15th floor of the World Trade Center. The view of downtown Dallas was spectacular, the food and drinks kept flowing, and the energy among attendees, exhibitors, agents, and sponsors was contagious. It was a fitting kickoff for what turned out to be the best ArchLIGHT Summit crowd I’ve ever seen—and the happiest group of exhibitors I’ve witnessed at this event.

A Strong Start on Tuesday

Tuesday morning opened with a powerful session from Umesh Baheti, SVP of Product Management & Engineering at MaxLite. His presentation was well attended and packed with insight. I’ll have a full report soon.

I left a little early to catch another crowded panel led by Peter Augusta of Casambi Technologies North America. The session, Luminaire Level Lighting Control (LLLC) as a Key Element of Lighting Design, focused on flexibility, sustainability, and achieving results within budget. It featured Will Norris of Airlight, Scott Rosenfeld of the Smithsonian Institution, and Stephen Zhou of mwConnect. 

Four Takeaways From the Show Floor

As I walked the floor, four points stood out:

1. For the first time at this show, I saw a few large national end users in attendance.

2. Many of the industry’s top lighting designers were present.

3. All of the major Dallas reps are now behind the show.

4. My article and video about civility in the lighting industry struck a chord with many. Several attendees, including some unfamiliar faces, went out of their way to thank me for writing it.

Xicato Suprises with a Bold Product Launch

On the show floor, Dave Derk of Xicato unveiled the new XTS Pro. We first caught wind of it during Monday’s setup and teased it in our Monday report, Real AI in Lighting.   But seeing it in action was something else. This downlight is nothing short of revolutionary. It recognizes the color it is illuminating and automatically adjusts the gamut so it appears as if it’s under natural sunlight. Reds jump forward, blues deepen, and every hue looks more vibrant—without altering the actual light source. To prove it, Derk placed different colored T-shirts in front of the luminaire, and the transformation was immediate.

The innovation doesn’t stop there. The STX Pro also collects valuable retail data, including foot traffic, heat mapping, and occupancy. By pairing stunning visual performance with practical business intelligence, Xicato has created a true game-changer. Simply put, the XTS Pro is one of the most impressive fixtures I’ve seen all year.

Inter-Lux’s Distinctive Skin

Inter-Lux’s Skin luminaire also made an impression.  Ted Chappell, President, demonstrated the Italian-made product which offers three mounting options: recessed in-grade, ceiling, and wall. Its slim profile allows for creative applications, such as wrapping around columns for a circular effect. The name Skin is fitting, as the fixture becomes part of the building’s surface, blending aesthetics and performance.

Lumato’s Vertical Advantage

At Lumato Lighting, Founder and President Peter DallePezze explained how vertical integration sets his company apart. Lumato makes everything in-house, even down to their own machinery. This approach provides tighter control of quality, shorter lead times, and lower costs. It also improves sustainability by eliminating the shipment of parts between facilities.

Based in Fort Worth, Lumato usually drop ships directly to end users, which streamlines processes and ensures faster, more efficient service.

Amerlux and the Hornet 2.5

Because the show is not overcrowded I was able to spend some time with Bill Plageman, VP of Marketing & Product Management at Amerlux. This is what makes this show nice is that it is not rushed.  Bill demonstrated the Hornet 2.5 with its deep regress trim and converging beam optics for exceptional visual comfort.

AI and the Future of Design

Jonathan Ayala of The Lighting Exchange moderated one of the most thought-provoking sessions: Intelligence by Design: How AI is Shaping Lighting, Architecture, and Everyday Workflows. The conversation didn’t end when the session did. It continued throughout the afternoon and even into the evening during Casambi’s Happy Hour, where Webster Marsh and Stephen Zhou kept the debate alive over drinks.

ArchLIGHT Summit Comes Into Its Own

Each year, ArchLIGHT Summit raises the bar. The content is sharper, the attendee list grows stronger, and the conversations become richer. This year’s crowd was the best yet, and the buzz on the floor made one thing clear: ArchLIGHT Summit has truly come into its own.