The membership of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) has voted against a proposed union with ELDA, the organization of European lighting designers. The idea of global union has been the topic of much discussion and debate over the past year among IALD members, who work in architectural lighting.
Nevertheless, the two associations have committed themselves to working together in support of mutual goals. “Despite certain concerns that our members had about some details of the proposal to form the association, the IALD leadership and members are committed to maintaining close ties with ELDA and other designers around the world to serve the international lighting design community,” said JoAnne Lindsley, FIALD, the president of IALD. “We want to move ahead with a number of joint activities planned with ELDA,” she added.
The IALD board of directors is scheduled to meet today to discuss ways in which the two organizations might collaborate in the future.
The IALD, established in 1969, is an international organization dedicated to the profession of architectural lighting design. With 675 members in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, the IALD mission is to “seek to set the global standard for lighting design excellence.”