This year marked [d]arc media’s first venture across to the tropics of Thailand for the inaugural [d]arc sessions Asia, located at the beautiful Le Méridien Phuket Beach Resort.

Situated a short drive from the infamous hustle and bustle of Patong (more on that later), Le Méridien is a contrasting tranquil destination sat on the shores of the warm Andaman Sea.

Following the success of the previous six editions of our exclusive networking event, the seventh [d]arc sessions did not disappoint. With suppliers and specifiers traveling from far and wide to the Thai island, this event was positively buzzing with new connections being formed and old friends reuniting.

This September, a total of 120 delegates came together to exchange product designs and projects for specifying from across Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.

Across the three days, the event followed its usual format of interspersing its speed dating-style meetings between lighting designers, interior designers, and architects with suppliers, with informal panel discussions where audience members were encouraged to participate and share thoughts and questions with the room. Topics for these sustenance sessions included “Justifying the cost of high-end European fixtures in a client centric design in Asia: The challenges of justifying the high cost of light fixtures from prestigious brands in a market increasingly dominated by budget-conscious clients” with panellists Maneck Tandon, ATPL Architects; Courtney Mark, Studio Mark; Regina Santos, Lightfusion, and David Skelley, DJCoalition. Secondly was “The impact of international partnerships and global standards on lighting design in Asia: The challenges and opportunities of aligning with international norms and studios while respecting regional differences”, with panellists Amornrit Pituck, Gooodlux; Said Sawaf, Umaya; Surbhi Jindal, Da Light Hub, and Momena Saleem, Worktecht. And thirdly, “Tackling light pollution in Asia: The role of lighting designers in urban and public illumination”, with panellists Yusuke Hattori, Ambiguous; Mohannad Al-Salkhadi; Cyril Lamy, Scenolight Atelier, and Jinkie De Jesus, Light Plan Inc.

Our Keynote session was delivered by Eugenia Cheng of LightOrigin Studio. She discussed her fascinating project, the Artifact Bar in Hong Kong, which won this year’s Best of the Best [d]arc award. The unique hospitality venue brought many challenges with it, such as very low ceilings and no natural daylight. Cheng and her team worked closely with the project’s interior designers NC Design + Architecture and leant into the space’s cave-like atmosphere to create contrasting and dynamic lighting effects.

At the end of each day’s intense yet productive meetings, delegates had time to recoup by the poolside or soak up the evening sun on the resort’s white, sandy beach. Then, everyone gathered to continue conversations and networking across the evening meals and drinks receptions, set in picturesque locations across the resort.

Our final evening was spent at the beautiful Fuga beach club and restaurant in Patong, where guests were treated to a spectacular fire art show and even had the opportunity to dabble in the flames themselves.

As the busses arrived to shuttle guests back to the hotel, there was an optional stop half way at Bangla Road, for those who wanted one final hurrah in the clubbing district. However, the first bus continued past the party streets and headed home. Nevertheless, the party spirit had not gone to bed just yet, as we were treated to a karaoke rendition of A Whole New World by Nicholas Ong-Lewis of Delta Light, which got (almost) all of the passengers singing their Disney hearts out together. darc magazine’s editor Sarah Cullen has video evidence for those that want to see…

The next [d]arc sessions events have been announced for Europe 6 – 9 May 2025 at the Melia Hotel, Ibiza, and Asia 14 – 17 October 2025 at the Pelangi Beach Resort + Spa Langkawi, Malaysia.

www.darcsessions.com