NeoCon 2013: 3M Architectural Markets + Todd Bracher win Innovation Award with “Virtual LED” technology

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by Brianna Crandall — June 28, 2013—3M Architectural Markets recently made its debut in the lighting market in a dramatic fashion, collaborating with prominent designer Todd Bracher to create a state-of-the-art lighting effect that brought home an Innovation Award under the Lighting: Decorative category in the Best of NeoCon Competition at NeoCon 2013 in Chicago. The “Virtual LED,” enabled by 3M technology, was revealed via an experimental iteration of the company’s modular architectural lighting system known as Lightfalls, designed by Todd Bracher along with other innovative 3M products at the show.

The “Virtual LED” and the Lightfalls system are born from the marriage of Todd Bracher’s creative vision and 3M’s technical prowess. Lightfalls capitalizes on the laws of physics to distribute light from a single light-emitting diode (LED) source over a large space to create a “Virtual LED” driven by 3M technology. The key is a more than 98 percent reflective proprietary 3M film that efficiently steers the light of a single LED from one module to another, explains the company. The final effect creates the image of multiple LED bulbs when in reality there is only one.

3M’s new lighting line is built on the principle that physics-driven solutions are the counterpart of good design, which aligns with Bracher’s core design ideals.

“I believe that design should be driven by reason and function, so when I saw 3M’s true technical clout, engineering skills and materials expertise, it was the perfect opportunity. It is also exciting to be working with such an iconic American technology manufacturer, and I believe collaborations like this are a must within our industry if we are to continue to evolve both commercially and ideologically,” Bracher said.