Member Bzzz Interview: Jonas Concepcion

Jonas Concepcion
Inform Lightworks
Beacon Member

A lighting product designer passionate about spicy noodles and sci-fi, Jonas joined BEAHIVE way back in 2011.

I’m a(n)…

lighting product designer, maker, dad.

I’m passionate about…

design, digital fabrication, spicy noodles, sci-fi.

Briefly describe your work.

I am a partner at a small consultancy specializing in product development and marketing for manufacturers of lighting products. My area of focus is in industrial design and engineering of new LED fixtures and systems for architectural applications.

What do you love about what you do?

The process of taking a product from sketches, computer models, prototypes, and to production. It’s exhilarating to hold a new working part in your hand that did not exist just a short time ago or to have a wild idea, and develop a way to prove it out.

How did you start (your work)?

I had two mentors in art school, a lighting product designer, and the other, coincidentally, an architectural lighting designer (these two are very different). Immediately upon graduating I was accepted to a masters in science program at the Lighting Research Center in RPI [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute] with a full tuition scholarship. This led to engineering and design positions at a handful of companies until the 2008 crash, which catalyzed the forming of our company, Inform Lightworks.

What do you like best about BEAHIVE?

I’m kind of a hermit and do not actually spend very much time at the hive, but I do take advantage of the fantastic workshops from time to time.

Where do you see your work going in the next year… five?

Maturing science on photobiological effects of lighting and integration of advance controls and sensors will drive new categories of lighting products and new opportunities. We would also like to slowly transition from full-time consultancy to part-time manufacturer of beautiful lighting objects under our own brand.