Beyond the Ordinary

Magic Lighting Tools

2011-11-04T10:27:00.000+13:00

Light changes the appearance of objects, rooms and materials. It has a huge impact on how individuals perceive objects, structures and environment. This influence determines the emotional and physical feeling that individuals get when entering rooms, buildings or perceiving environments, objects and structures. Therefore a good lighting design which strengthens the emotional and physical appearance is imminent for all environments, buildings and materials.

Magic Lighting Tools contains the information on the equipment and techniques that professional lighting practitioners use to create amazing environments with light. Download your own copy here.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and is certainly increased and strengthened, when applied in the right lighting setting.

The dot matrix printer evolved.

2011-09-15T17:01:00.001+12:00

So what happens if you take away the paper you print on, make the ink water droplets and allow gravity to carry them away?

You end up with this incredible fountain which is installed in Osaka Japan.

While this looks fantastic with the white lights to illuminate the droplets I can't help but feel some CK product in there would have really lifted it... But I am a bit biased!

Victoria bridge lighting in the news.

2011-09-14T10:03:00.000+12:00

As some of you know a while ago Modus did the Victoria bridge lighting for the 100th anniversary of the bridge, last night TV1 used the lights as the back drop in their live sports cross.

What's the craziest thing you have done lately.

2011-09-08T09:46:00.001+12:00

I will bet you dimes to dollars its not as crazy as the guy in this video.

A real LED replacement lamp

2011-09-05T09:10:00.001+12:00

The CFL is dead, long live the LED.

LEDs are finally at a point where they are suitable for general use illumination. While they aren't the "go to" source for all jobs they certainly will be in the future.

The above LED lamp from Philips was developed for the DOE (US Department of energy) challenge to produce a 90lm/W lamp for use as a direct replacement for a 60W GLS lamp.

Unlike when CFL first came out this lamp has had to undergo the most rigorous testing that a lamp has ever been subjected to, with testing starting as far back as March 2010 and the prize only just awarded consumers can rest assured that this lamp will go the distance.

While not commercially available till early next year (2012) this lamp has certainly set the bar when it comes to quality.

If you would like to find out a bit more about this challenge and the testing that this lamp had to go through in order to win this have a look here...

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20087487-54/philips-brings-home-l-prize-with-efficient-led-lamp/

and here...

http://www.lightingprize.org/

While we think that this is great, Cree have just released a prototype of a lamp which is producing over 150lm/W...

"PARTY CENTRAL" GOES MODUS ADAPTIVE LIGHTING

2011-08-18T16:27:00.006+12:00

Here's a sneak peek at exciting happenings at the Auckland's Queens Wharf "Party Central" fanzone for the Rugby World Cup 2011.

The hospitality "cloud" on Queens Wharf will host 6000 revved up rugby fans come kick off time in three weeks. Managing the night exterior environment will be no small task with the widely varying needs of entertainment venues, transit ways and pulsing social spaces.

Dynamic digital lighting with selective switching, dimming, fading and sequencing is all possible with Philips Starsense outdoor lighting control and monitoring system from Modus.

Large scale theatrical scene setting to create atmosphere and drama...safety and conviviality for revellers...on-demand high intensity lighting for security and policing, all are at the fingertips with this groundbreaking control approach.

"Adaptive lighting" that moves on-and-off, up-and-down according to the need is nowbecoming a mainstay for progressive exterior lighting systems world-wide. Orchestrated by advanced software and communication systems a PC control "dash-board" facilitates the real-time selection and monitoring of a wide range of technical, environmental and financial parameters.

Municipal managers and event planners have never before had such flexibility at their fingertips. Modus is New Zealand's number one in the application of advanced exterior lighting and control systems.

LED Lighting - Getting It Right.

2011-08-15T14:32:00.000+12:00

Modus, alongside Philips Color Kinetics have been a part of the installation of efficient, low maintenance, environmentally intelligent digital illumination systems throughout Aotearoa.

LED lighting systems create huge possibilities - but we find that there are often still allot of questions around the technology, and most importantly around how to best apply it to individual projects.

Philips Color Kinetics currently have over 34,000 installations in more than 100 countries around the world. Some of these installations have been running continuously for almost a decade - with this sort of experience comes an unmatched wealth of knowledge.

Importantly to us this knowledge can offer architects and designers important insights into how LED lighting can be integrated into architecture to create sophisticated environments that utilize the best available energy efficient digital lighting technologies.

Philips Color Kinetics have put together a great outline of the pros and cons of LED technology that dispels some of the myths around the technology in a publication called - LED Lighting: Getting It Right. It's a great resource if you are looking at LED systems for any project - Interior or Exterior.

If you have any more in-depth queries or would like some assistance with an LED lighting system please give us a call here at Modus and we'd be happy to walk you through a range solutions for your project.

Catbot

2011-08-12T08:58:00.001+12:00

I have been told if you don't have a cat on your blog, then you don't have a blog.

International Film fest 2011 - the best.

2011-08-08T09:19:00.004+12:00

Well the International film festival wrapped up a few weeks ago now, some may remember last year when I pointed out a couple of films pre-festival. Instead this time I thought I would point out the ones I enjoyed after seeing them.

For those of you keeping track I saw 25 films this year, up from 17 last year. Unfortunately this year there wasn't really any films which I have been telling everyone to go and see. But that doesn't mean there weren't some gems you shouldn't see if you get the chance.

So here are some films I think you should watch and may even enjoy.

Let the bullets fly: Set in china, its a movie about a bandit who pretends to be the new governor for a province and bumps heads with the local "evil mobster/lord" Hidden behind the comedy is a truly epic Machiavellian power struggle between the bandit leader and the lord. Not ashamed of what it is its a fun movie with a good solid story.

Cold Fish: A story about a man from a family who runs a fish shop who has no say or control over his life just drifting on the currents. He meets another fish shop owner who imposes too much control over his life. The ensuing chaos as these two characters collide is epic. This film is a little dark at times so don't say I didn't warn you.

13 Assassins: Easily one of my stand outs, think a big budget western, but with principled samurai who again seek to take down an evil corrupt lord set to become the next Shogun of Japan. This film is 2 hours and the last 50 minutes is just a single full on battle... how full on? A village gets turned into a trap and 2000 soldiers fight 13 Samurai in what is the best battle ever.

The Last circus: A dark comedy about a circus and a love triangle. How dark? Think black hole dark. Shot with a muted colour palette this was the most visually stunning film this year. My favorite part? A clown in a dress leading a charge of militia with a Machete!

Hobo with a shotgun: B grade cinema at its finest, if you liked. Planet terror/Death proof then this film is for you. They have somehow managed to make a B grade film that actually has a story worth following.

I saw the Devil: A revenge film out of Korea, about a police officer who leaves the right side of the law to get a serial killer who kills his wife and unborn child. Truly gruesome at times but at the end is perhaps a cautionary tail about exactly what revenge gets you when you trade everything for it.

The Yellow Sea: Another twisted gangster film out of China, about a young man who takes a contract kill to get himself out of the slums he currently lives in and into a whole heap of trouble when things go sideways. The underdog for most of the movie, he has to figure out who set him up and exactly what went wrong so that the appropriate people can pay.

Troll hunter: The funnest film this year, about a bunch of students who stumble upon a secret government department in Norway that covers up and controls the Troll population. If a scene where a 200 foot troll chases a land rover over a frozen tundra sounds like something that you would like to see then this is for you.

Most of these are "art house films" however I think that all of the above are distributed by Madman who has a really strong presence in NZ so you should be able to find them.

One final disclaimer here, some of the above films could be gruesome depending on your definition, always read the back of the box and remember the decision to watch or not is always yours and yours alone!

Table lamp - an inversion.

2011-08-03T11:41:00.003+12:00

Where traditionally the lamp would be shielded and covered by a shade of some description, this design uses lamps as the shade.

More and more I am liking simple yet different lighting like this, what a great idea.

The Splendiferous Barfing cup.

2011-07-27T14:20:00.005+12:00

Ok so I probably laughed way to hard and way to long at this.

But its a great example of what a bored youth gets up too at their minimum wage chain restaurant job.

new goodies UNITED by Modular Lighting Instruments

2011-07-22T16:50:00.000+12:00

In simple terms, United is a naked ‘seamless’ fluorescent lamp in a powder coated aluminum housing. It is precisely that plain simplicity that makes Modular Lighting Instruments latest release so special.

To start with, the exposed lamps ensure higher efficiency, thus reducing power consumption. That efficiency can be increased even further when selecting a white interior to amplify light reflection.

United consists of one or more U-profiles, which are available with or without a cover. Anyone who believes fluorescent lights cannot create a cozy look should definitely rethink their view.

United is the ultimate tribute to the fluorescent tube lamp. It radiates a warm, white color and is a welcome sight, in either white or black.

You can download Modular Lighting Instruments latest mini book here or shoot us an email if you would like further info.

Auckland Council Orewa Road Lighting Technology Trial

2011-06-29T13:37:00.006+12:00

Modus Lighting supplies Auckland Council the LED lighting and controls that deliver major energy and environmental savings.

Chris Byrne & Damon Birchfield Onsite at the Orewa Trial

There has been much activity in recent times with various New Zealand local councils exploring new road lighting efficiency concepts to identify energy, environmental and financial savings opportunities.

The Electricity Commission “RightLight” Efficient Road Lighting Programme that rolled out last year promoted processes and guidelines to encourage the undertaking of council road lighting technology trials and assessments.

Damon Birchfield, Energy Efficiency and Environment Officer at the (then) Rodney District Council was a participant in the EC training workshops and wished to progress the opportunity within the Rodney District with a well researched and rigorous road lighting efficiency study.

This has resulted in the Auckland Council Road Lighting Technology trial at West Hoe Road, just off State Highway 17 Orewa, north of Auckland. This trial deploys best practice LED road lighting fittings with advanced electronic control and dimming systems.

Philips SpeedStar Luminaire as Installed in Orewa Trial

Modus Lighting Ltd was the equipment supplier, IT designer and systems integrator for the project.

BEFORE - Traditional HPS Lighting at 100% light level

AFTER - MODUS LED Lighting at 100% light level

As well as LED appraisal, a significant part of this trial was to evaluate the practicalities of adaptive lighting for NZ roading conditions, as a means of achieving operational savings. Adaptive lighting is the selective adjustment (up or down) of lighting levels during different stages of the nightly period in accordance with the exact needs of the prevailing traffic and pedestrian activity levels.

The new lighting equipment on trial delivers full light output at high activity periods, is dimmed by 50% at shoulder periods and is dimmed by 75% at low activity periods.

AFTER - MODUS LED Lighting dimmed by 50% to 50% light level.

AFTER - MODUS LED Lighting dimmed by 75% to 25% light level

The trial employs Philips SpeedStar LED light fittings combined with Philips advanced electronic light level dimming and control to adjust the light output to deliver the exact amount of light required for the conditions, minimising waste light and waste energy.

The results of the whole-of-life assessment over a 30 year period are -

a) Energy saving (kWh) vs currently installed orange light (HPS) technology = 54% saving

b) Energy saving (kWh) vs traditional white light (MH) technology = 73% saving

All of the improvements are attainable at a lower whole-of-life financial cost than that of traditional High Pressure Sodium or Metal Halide technologies of an equivalent quality level.

Further details of the trial are available from Modus lighting Ltd General Manager, Chris Byrne at chrisbyrne@moduslighting.co.nz

Modus Lighting is now ready and able to supply NZ councils with energy and money saving technologies that far outperform outdated traditional options.

COFFEE! - what is it and where does it come from?

2011-06-29T09:40:00.004+12:00

Well like most sales offices we here at Modus run on coffee, sometimes I even think if a client offered to pay us in coffee we would accept!

This video is a brief introduction to coffee, caffeine and why coffee is capital AWESOME!

A long necked floor lamp.

2011-06-28T11:48:00.003+12:00

48 Hours furious film making challenge - 2011

2011-06-13T08:47:00.003+12:00

Well some of you may know that I am a bit of a film buff. This extends to making films as well, so this is our entry to into the 48 hours furious film making challenge.

This isn't our first year doing this, this is in fact our third effort and i must say each year we get better.

If you are quick you will even see my first ever part in a film, not that I was that good.

If you have the time give it a watch we managed to place third in our heat, which was our bect result to date! As always a big thank you to our sponsors, especially Modus who provide the lighting and the space to film!

An Axe to Grind from Cory Schultz on Vimeo.

hot off the factory floor...

2011-05-30T16:36:00.002+12:00

In the heart of Auckland city our team design, engineer and manufacture unique lighting solutions for New Zealand architecture. Our range of products is diverse and is constantly evolving to meet specific customer requirements that cannot be met with an off the shelf product.

The Dish Pendant by Modus is inspired by traditional lamp shades and light sources and offers a modern take on these traditional forms utilising state of the art LED lamp technology from Phillips.

Offering both slick styling and green credentials the Dish Pendant combines the new Phillips Master Glow LED lamp with a strong angular aesthetic.

Available in classic black or crisp white textured powder coat finish – or in custom colours upon request.

Modus are also capable of undertaking many types of customisation, from custom commodity type products to one off unique pendants. Give us a call or pop in and see us if you would like to talk about custom options for your next project.

Just another table lamp?

2011-05-25T09:09:00.006+12:00

When is a table lamp not a table lamp?

I think that if there is any product that can qualify for the above statement its the below. A simple return rolled piece of material with the edges cut to form the profile of a classical table lamp with a much reduced footprint.

Simple and stylish, a great modern take on a truly classical design. Or should that be profile?

CDC list Zombie Apocalypse.

2011-05-20T10:11:00.006+12:00

The CDC in America has listed a Zombie Apocalypse as an emergency you should be planning for.

They have listed a set of steps which they feel you should take to plan for this type of emergency. However the following paragraph is from their website, "CDC would conduct an investigation much like any other disease outbreak. CDC would provide technical assistance to cities, states, or international partners dealing with a zombie infestation"

From the numerous Zombie movies which I have watched and all my extensive research into such a situation, there is one thing I know you can count on, and that is that the bureaucracy won't get it right quick enough and you may end up as the living dead yourself.

So what can you do to avoid this gruesome fate and be amongst the survivors of World war Z who have to retake the planet for the living?

There was the recent movie Zombieland, which documented the travels of a group of survivers through the tail end of the apocalypse, which when you think about it and all the rules they talk about and the lessons learned it really acts as a primer for knowledge on survival in this situation.

There are also two books which are required reading for anyone hoping to survive the coming storm...

Diligent study of the above material should guide you and those around you, through this most traumatic of situations and now that the CDC have listed this as a situation to be ready for it should make you wonder "What do they know that I don't?"

Think we are safe down here in little old New Zealand? Think again! The Zombie survival guide lists a known zombie outbreak which has already occurred here. In the book "world war Z" they talk of a situation were a handful of Maoris hold One Tree Hill against a quarter of the population of Auckland which have reanimated as the dead using the traditional Pa as a defensive structure.

Get ready, get thru. Sage advice from our own Ministry of Civil Defense. I hope to see you on the other side of WWZ.

2011-05-18T09:02:00.003+12:00

It's been a busy month for our favorite Belgians with more new lighting from Modular just released...

"The circle, the purest geometric shape, turns the versatile Flat Moon into a simple, basic lighting element, which supplies uniform, subdued light to large surface areas. A lamp that bathes your interior spaces in a diffused white light, like a full moon shining in the heavens."

Characterized by great lighting performance and elegance of form, this easy-to-fit fixture with its integrated ballast makes it suitable for use in a variety of spaces looking for an energy efficient pendant with the complete flexibility of dimming the light within the space. Under the aluminium housing - in a black or white textured powder coat finish, Flat Moon conceals a set of dimmable, low-energy fluorescent lamps and an integral ballast.

Thanks to its high performance and discrete appearance, Flat Moon sits in well in offices, hospitals and public spaces, as well as in shops and private homes. It can be used as a direct down-lighter or as an up & down-lighter. In the latter setup, it provides a handy combination of indirect and direct lighting. There is also a lovely recessed version where the fitting is worked completely into the ceiling.

For more information on the Flat Moon luminaire, or anything else from the Modular range please give us a call.

Life: As it should be, as it is.

2011-05-17T15:42:00.004+12:00

Double down is here.

2011-05-10T16:36:00.003+12:00

So the double down launched today to much "Ba hum-bugging" from the main stream media.

Having had a look at the nutritional value of the product (or lack thereof) it isn't that bad, considering it weighs with less Calories and fat than a Double Whopper from BK, which I normally get with cheese added, and fries.

So Dean and I put our cardiovascular health on the line and tried one each, and my verdict is.... That this is the most delicious thing that I have ever had from KFC.

If you think that they are gross and won't be getting one, thats ok I will eat your's in the next 5 weeks which is how long it's around for. Don't miss out.

A Piece of Cake

2011-05-09T09:39:00.004+12:00

Modular Lighting Instruments, the Belgian pioneers in architectural lighting design have just released a new luminiare - Soufflé, shown above, which continues the signature Modular combination of technicality and aesthetics.

Soufflé is available in a variety of pendant and surface mounted configurations. The poly down model shines light directly downwards, while the poly up/down version creates a nice soft upwards and downwards glow. The soft organic form has been designed to conceal the lamp to alowing it shine from within the fitting, creating a unique ambiance. These hidden fluorescent lamps produce a diffuse light which can be enhanced even further by using the range of colour filters.

Soufflé is available in a variety of pendant and surface mounted configurations.

Suitable for use in both residential and commercial applications Soufflé is an architectural luminaire whose design and technical performance has been refined for the contemporary interior.

The various versions of the Soufflé can be seen in the new products section of the Modular website - or give us a call for more info.

Mothers Day, Sunday 8th May

2011-05-05T08:54:00.005+12:00

Sunday 8th May is fast approaching and our friends at the Hamilton City Council sent us through this video of the the Color Kinetics installation on the Victoria Bridge in Hamilton lit up pink in support of the Waikato Breast Cancer Trust this Mothers Day.

The Waikato Breast Cancer Trust, working in association with GEO Skin Care, have a wonderful pamper pack for Mother's Day which contains 100ml hydrating hand and body cream and a gorgeous handmade natural soy candle - for only $30.00 (excl postage & packing $4.95).

A wonderful idea for a fantastic present for your Mum on Mother's Day. And not only does she get a gift for herself but 50% of the proceeds go back into the WBCT breast cancer research programme to support the fantastic work that they do - 2 gifts in 1!

Get along to their website for more information and to place your order, and if you are in Hamilton wander down to the river to see the light display on the Victoria Bridge.

http://www.wbct.org.nz/

Pouring light

2011-05-02T13:20:00.008+12:00

The below table lamp uses a LED in the bottom of the cup portion to provide a lighting source and the stem is made from phosphorescent plastic, so it glows after the light has been turned off.

A very clever variation on a very old topic, the table lamp

Design by: Yeongwoo Kim

Scotty.

2011-04-26T14:39:00.003+12:00

Meet Scotty... just released into this world by Modular.

Designers Courvreur & Devos have worked with Modular to create an architectural luminaire that gets back to bare basics - an asymmetric rotating, homogeneous light source combined with an ingenious hinged joint enhanced by some perfectly executed details. Wiring and hinges are integrated seamlessly into the design creating an eye catching, refined luminaire that is able to blend into the architecture of each space.

In the past few years technology has changed at an incredibly fast pace - especially in the lighting industry - and Modular are at the front of the pack when it comes to new lighting generations for interior spaces with their LED architectural luminaires.

Spock, the first luminaire in this range released last year has paved the way for the latest addition. The cutting edge technology packed into this flat LED disk means that the elegantly shaped Scotty and Spock offer the same luminous intensity as earlier conventional halogen light, but are much kinder to our planet and our wallets in terms of consumptions and lifetime.

Download the catalogue or check out the mini-site or check out our YouTube channel for a neat little mini-movie.....

Ultimate Rube Goldberg machine

2011-04-20T22:56:00.008+12:00

The video below shows the ultimate Rube Goldberg in action, I had the lame kids toy version of this when I was younger, complete with dump truck and bucket loader. While I got over my fascination with this toy the creator of the below apparently never did.

My best bits are the Archimedes screw, where he uses a camera to real time sort the balls and walks them up moving stairs without sides.

Simply incredible, a must watch.

Edinburgh Street

2011-04-13T09:31:00.003+12:00

Ed St is a new bar & restaurant located at 27 Edinburgh Street Pukekohe. Formerly the old Pukekohe Fire Brigade Station built in 1924 Ed St's design is a tribute to the historical nature of the building. The proprietors wanted to retain its character and restore it to its former glory as one of Pukekohe's most iconic historical landmarks.

Modus created a series of seven individual bespoke pendant luminaires for the two main dining areas at Ed St that reflect the mix of history and contemporary style within the space. The Edinburgh Pendant design was based upon the simple forms of pendants created around the turn of the 1900's re-interpreted with modern materials and forms. Small details such as the exposed cord fixings and clear cable work alongside hand spun aluminium, polished chrome and contemporary manufacturing techniques to offer a an echo of the industrial to the refined aesthetic.

Designed, manufactured and engineered at our factory in central city Auckland the Edinburgh Pendant is just one of the many custom designs that we have completed recently. If you are after something a little out of the ordinary or perhaps you just need to match a standard product to a particular colour come and talk to us.

Why full cut off luminaires are important.

2011-04-12T10:15:00.001+12:00

The below picture is a great example of why we should be aiming to decrease our light pollution in and around our urban spaces.

Lighting features for Unreal Engine 3

2011-04-07T12:33:00.003+12:00

Some of you may know me well enough to know that i am an avid gamer.

The below is a trailer for the features of the new Unreal Engine 3 running the new Direct X 11.

Most games these days are made on three different engines. Cry Tech 3 used in Crysis 2. Frostbyte used in the Battlefield franchise and lastly Unreal Engine 3 used in Bulletstorm.

The above video shows some fantastic new realistic features which specifically revolve around lighting and shadows. If your internet connection can handle it turn the HD on and prepare for some stunning visuals.

Flying bird.

2011-03-30T11:59:00.003+13:00

From the title you can be forgiven for thinking that I am stating the obvious, but this bird is very special...

The above video is of a mechanical bird that flies simply by flapping its wings. Which contrary to the simplicity of that sentence is something that is very difficult to achieve.

Aerodynamic principal and the lift generated by an airofoil is a topic that we have understood since the mid 1920's.

What makes this "bird" so unique is that it has no power source other than its own wing beats and can land and take off on its own.

Watch the video above to see for yourself how natural the bird looks in flight and how the head and tail move when it turns.

A bright idea - Brain bulb.

2011-03-23T08:37:00.007+13:00

New Zealand Design's New HQ

2011-03-18T16:22:00.003+13:00

Essenze have now moved into their stylish new premises at 223 Parnell Road and they very kindly invited us along to join them for a beverage or two at their grand opening on Wednesday.

Established in 2004, ESSENZE is New Zealand’s pre eminent design house taking New Zealand design to the world. Founder Clare Mora has developed the company's well-established profile within both the competitive international and local markets working with over 35 New Zealand designers.

Essenze have for many years had a strong presence at global design fairs and their international offices maintain strong links the wider global design community - but it was their brand new store in Parnell that was the centre of attention this week as they opened their doors for the very first time. The carefully curated range of New Zealand manufactured furniture, lighting, rugs, homewares and jewelery on display showcased some of our best design talent in an international retail setting.

This weekend Essenze is again part of Urbis Design Day, with in store installations from five in-house designers: Te Rongo Kirkwood, David Trubridge, Anzac Tasker, Peter Collis and Brogen Avril.

Get along and check out the new space and the exhibition!

Browsers - your portal to the internet.

2011-03-17T11:11:00.007+13:00

A few days ago Microsoft released their new and upgraded browser IE9.

Microsoft and a number of the more tame IT news outlets are making great claims about its speed, operation and ease of use. However if you look a little deeper, scratch the surface and run some serious test (called benchmarks in the IT industry) you will see that IE is the slowest browser available to you, and in my opinion the worst.

I recently switched ISP and suffered a brief internet outage at my place. When I went to use my PC during this time I realized how much you do on a PC that involves online activity and the internet.

So if I could plead, beg and cajole you when your internet explorer asks you to upgrade, don't! Microsoft are relying on your automatic downloads to maintain their market share of a rubbish product.

I personally prefer Chrome by Google for my internet browsing needs, its simple stylish and whip-crack fast. But there are other options out there for you, Firefox by Mozilla is another great option with so much community generated content it boggles the mind, they even have an app which removes all adds from any webpage! There are two other notables worth mentioning, Opera and Safari. I haven't had anything to do with these last two but I can tell you that ANY of the above are faster and better than Microsoft's offering.

Microsoft's latest offering is touting all these great "new" features that they have, when in reality these a pale copies of work innovated by both Chrome and Firefox. But don't take my word for it, here is a review on the four main contenders mentioned above if you want to check out the exact performance. But if thats too much here is a direct quote from their conclusions.

"OK, so what conclusions can we draw? Well, let’s begin with the obvious and say that Internet Explorer 9 64-bit is an absolute dog"

What I am saying with the above is that you can make your internet experience so much faster and smoother, just by opting to download and install a totally free and superior product. What about all your favorites and bookmarks? Don't worry the installers will read all your existing data and migrate it to your new choice.

Don't reward Microsoft for their sub-par efforts and the fact that they are the default option to arrive with your PC, reward the companies that innovate the technology and programming. Reward them and allow them to grow and develop more. Should anyone ever release a browser better than Chrome I will switch, but until that time I won't support them. Will you support their mediocrity?

Want to download an alternate browser? Below are the links to the four that I have talked about

And of course for the sake of completeness the below is the download link for IE9, but before you click it do you really want the worst free option available to you? Why not go back up seven lines and get the best!

Internet explorer 9

Top of the morning to ya!

2011-03-17T10:31:00.005+13:00

Happy St Paddy's day everyone! This morning I got out all my green gear.

We even have our Irish lighting on!

really good local stuff.....

2011-03-16T16:54:00.008+13:00

Over the summer a dear friend of mine introduced me to something amazing - Pic's Really Good Peanut Butter. New Zealand made in Sunny Nelson with nuts from Brisbane. There is no sugar, emulsifiers, antioxidants or miscellaneous oils, just peanuts. Genius! (and terribly tasty)

We were picking up some bits for dinner, and she talked it up so much as we were walking around the store that I pulled a jar off the stack in the window at the Waiheke Fruit & Veg Store and added it to my basket. I am so glad that I did. It turns out that Pic indeed does make Really Good Peanut Butter - Infact, I would suggest it's Fantastic Peanut Butter.

Once you've tried some of this Locally Manufactured Goodness on your Vogels you'll never go back!

So, pick up your own jar at the afore mentioned Waiheke Fruit and Veg Store, or see the website for more stockists or internet orders if there's not a stockist near you.

Angry Birdsky

2011-03-15T10:18:00.002+13:00

The best mash-up so far this year.

2011-03-11T14:47:00.005+13:00

What a nice Friday afternoon surprise....

We've just received a sample of the new Color Burst from Philips Color Kinetics via courier direct from PCK HQ in Boston. New developments from Philips Color Kinetics generally cause some commotion in the Modus office, and this was especially true this afternoon as several of us have been waiting to get our hands on this little spotlight!!!

Beautifully styled with a die-cast aluminum housing and packed with technology this petite spotlight can create huge lighting environments when the sun goes down with a brilliant RGB colour output of up to 647 lumens. It is also suitable for use in both interior and exterior applications with an IP66 rating.

Watch this space to see some projects using the newest addition to the Philips Color Kinetics range... or pop into the office to check out this or any of the other PCK luminiares available.

#charliesheen #winning #tigerblood

2011-03-09T11:54:00.002+13:00

glowing on the catwalk

2011-03-08T15:43:00.003+13:00

With a design aesthetic described by some as cyber-goth Paris based UK designer Garath Pugh creates avant-garde clothing using materials as diverse as mink, synthetic hair and electrically charged plastic. His latest collection at Paris Fashion Week 2011 on March 2nd included models wearing LED mouthpieces that gave a certain otherworldly air to their appearance... see the image above from the Guardian.

An interesting use of lighting technology - allthough possibly not a look everyone could pull off. Check out some more images here.

Banned iPad 2 commercial

2011-03-07T11:38:00.003+13:00

Hands up who wants the new iPad... Yeah I figure everyone else wants one too.

the below is apparently a banned TV spot for the new iPad. I can't figure out if its really an Apple promo or something done by some random guys. But it is fairly funny and worth a look.

The screens we will all have tomorrow

2011-03-04T09:07:00.003+13:00

Everyone has an LCD, heck you probably have 3 or 4 in your house. Your TV, laptop or PC monitor or all. The above is Fujitsu's take on what you will all have tomorrow...

Fujitsu's showing off a working prototype of a 22-inch computer display that receives both images and power wirelessly, the truly wireless monitor. Yes, that includes the power cable as well! "The screen gets power using a magnetic induction transmitter, which you would have built into your desk. The video itself would be transmitted from a wireless USB connection from up to 32 feet away." The prototype is currently on display at the Fujitsu booth in the Dealers only section at CeBIT 2011. Pricing details are expected at launch...

Samurai fights his own shadow.

2011-02-21T08:51:00.001+13:00

This is a stage performance featuring actor Taichi Saotome sword fighting with his own shadow. Really Cool.

The Key Issue...

2011-02-16T10:44:00.003+13:00

Oooh! New inspiration for lighting residential spaces from Modular... check out some fantastic international architecture in their latest publication The Key Issue. Download it now or contact us for a paper version.....

"MODULAR understands the importance attached by consumers to lighting, design and technology. By consistently coming up with and creating clever, amazing and energy-friendly lighting solutions, MODULAR are constantly pushing the boundaries of architectural lighting."

"By making use of cutting-edge LED technologies and anticipating future energy trends, MODULAR remain faithful to our global role of pioneers in the industry, always keeping one step ahead."

http://www.supermodular.com/

LED sheep.

2011-02-14T09:36:00.011+13:00

This came through my email inbox again, how this didn't happen in New Zealand first I will never know.

Still I guess the shepherds up in Wales have been staring at sheep for longer than us.

Thomas Edison's Birthday today.

2011-02-11T16:07:00.002+13:00

Thomas Edison would be 164 years old if still alive today, I thought it was worth pointing out as if not for him then Modus would not exist.

How your wallet works...

2011-02-04T14:54:00.000+13:00

Retro Rondos and more

2011-02-03T11:31:00.007+13:00

Modus New Zealand made Rondo, FLX300, Utube and Qubo all feature in Bright Wild & Thomas office in Rotorua. Darryl Church gave a retro feel to the Rondos by suggesting clear orange acrylic sides. Its great to see what the factory managed to achieve only a few months after the fire in our Auckland office.

Orewa road lighting technology trial.

2011-01-27T08:44:00.009+13:00

Snap….Photographing the photographer !

Modus General Manager Chris Byrne and Damon Birchfield Senior Environmental Programmes Advisor Auckland Council, grimace for the publicity photographs at West Hoe Rd Orewa.

Modus Lighting has been a participant in the recent Auckland Council Orewa Road Lighting Technology Trial.

The trial report is soon to be released and will disclose the major energy savings that are possible by using the right advanced lighting techniques.

This collaborative study uses holistic assessment techniques and third party independent measurement and verification to prove the game changing energy reductions possible.

Modus was the supplier and the controls IT systems integrator for LED digital lighting technology for this trial evaluation.

LED performance from the top manufacturers has now reached the breakthrough level where busy urban roads can be illuminated to a Standards Compliant level.

Watch out for more from Modus soon on the digital lighting revolution….

No more slow beers at the concert!

2011-01-19T15:32:00.010+13:00

I am sure that everyone has experienced the painfully slow service that is provided at concert and sports events, especially when trying to buy some beer.

Standing in line is the pits at the best of times, but when you are missing the event you have just paid $100 odd dollars to attend it is simply the most frustrating experience ever.

The below will hopefully become the standard for beer distribution at large events, no more having to wait for the glass bottles to be decanted down into the crowd friendly plastic cups!

Feature review - 8 Canada st, Architecture nz

2011-01-17T12:37:00.003+13:00

Our new building has received several nominations and a handful of awards which we have covered on this blog previously.

Following up from that, Architecture NZ has done a feature review on our new building. From the November/December see bellow for a copy of that review.

8 Canada St - Architecture NZ

The Christmas spirit

2011-01-13T15:47:00.001+13:00

Merry Christmas - this years greeting.

2010-12-17T10:39:00.005+13:00

Hi everyone, well its about a week until Christmas and the usual late shopping and stress is taking place.

This year we decided to do something a little different and rather then send out a card we searched for something else. After a couple of days of thought we hashed out the idea of doing a video.

The entire video is an internal production which we managed to make on a "zero" budget over a few days.

So the below is our Christmas greeting to you all, thank you for your support throughout the year, its been a year with a lot of changes for us.

We hope that you have a great Christmas and New year, we are looking forward to seeing you all next year.

New Zealands newest Telco - 2 Degrees.

2010-12-09T09:21:00.003+13:00

Modus have a long and proud history of working with National retail chains to provide consistent lighting to maintain their brand presence in retail spaces.

Our latest venture with the architects New Improved for telco 2 Degrees is no different.

Modus supplied lighting into two degrees newest and first retail spaces in Auckland. We were very pleased to see that in the latest Pro Design the new stores had received a write up, the following is a copy of that article.

If you need someone to work with you to provide a consistency of lighting across multiple locations then drop us a line.

2 Degrees - Prodesign

New Modus manufactured product.

2010-12-08T15:58:00.005+13:00

Our Modus factory are not only great at making new ideas come to life, or the modification of existing product. But we also spend a large portion of our time just having a play around.

The above is a new take on an old idea, they are a traditional round pendant with some angle cuts top and bottom, which aren't on the same plane.

Like the above but not quite what you want? Just remember that if you can dream it we can make it. Want them welded and joined at different heights into a cluster? No problem. Want an additional small ring segment floating above the main body? Again No problem.

This new product doesn't have a name, so if you think you've got a good one leave it in the comments and if we like it we will use it.

iTry - Free stuff

2010-12-07T12:22:00.004+13:00

Who doesn't like any sentence with the words "free stuff" in it?

I found this new service called iTry. They are a website, which, once you have signed up with you can order their advertised product for free. Its a similar concept to the taste tester in the supermarket but freighted out to you to try.

I got the new Uncle Toby's cereal sent out(a big box), I must say I liked it enough to buy my second box.

Give it a try at www.itry.co.nz because who doesn't love something for nothing, especially at this time of year.

Coil lamp

2010-12-06T08:50:00.002+13:00

Coil Lamp reduces the iconic table lamp down to the absolute minimum of defining elements. A single electrical cord coils around what appears to be an empty volume, defining the iconic form of a table lamp and ultimately powering a single light bulb.

Design by: Craighton Berman

Time to hit the slopes!

2010-12-03T13:48:00.008+13:00

Earlier on in the year the Restaurant/Bar area of Snowplanet was renovated to create a more inviting space for their patron's.

The new "Hunting Lodge" themed Restaurant and Bar successfully creates a warm and relaxing space to dine and rest in after perfecting new tricks on the slopes.

The highlight of this new renovation would have to be the Color Kinetics feature wall behind the bar, these fittings have added impact and created a unique bar area that many people will come to regardless of whether you intended to ski or board at Snowplanet.

Moo Moo MOO!

2010-11-30T13:44:00.009+13:00

The inaugural Art in the Dark event was held in Ponsonby's Western Park on the 16th of October. A wonderful night was had by all who attended as we wandered around a transformed urban space full of interactive installations by a selection of local artists.

Architects and collaborators Hamish Stirrat, Jun Tsujimoto and Callum Dowie created the stunning Moo Chandelier, pictured here, for the event. Hamish, Jun and Callum transformed just over 900 recycled plastic milk bottles into a shimmering, radiant installation that was suspended between the trees in Western Park. The chandelier was lit with an RGB LED lighting system supplied and programmed by Modus.

Congratulations to the artists and the team at Art in the Dark for creating a fantastic community event - we look forward to seeing what happens next year!

Keyboard for iPhone.

2010-11-26T10:36:00.008+13:00

While I haven't had the pleasure yet of being a day to day user of any iteration of the iPhone. I have been assured that the keyboard is good.

Call me old fashioned but there is just something reassuring about a button to press and a full keyboard. the following is from thinkgeek its an integrated bluetooth keyboard for the iPhone.

Cheap, clever and stylish? go here if you want to look at buying one

Thanks for coming

2010-11-25T11:31:00.003+13:00

Thank you to everyone who came last night to help us celebrate our new building. We hope that you had a great time, we know that we all did.

It was great to see you all, meet some new faces and have a drink or two.

If you missed out and couldn't make it, don't worry drop in and see us if your in the area. We are always happy to see you.

Summer is here.

2010-11-15T08:44:00.001+13:00

Which means the beer fridge got fired up for the summer.

See below for a great idea, you can thank me later.

Spoonachos.

2010-11-09T12:59:00.007+13:00

Best, idea, ever.

Home projects.

2010-11-09T12:37:00.003+13:00

The cabinet above is a home project which I have just finished last weekend. I made it on a bit of a whim, it has integrated mains voltage power (8 points total) and is being used to house my old game consoles, record player and VCR.

I made it from a sheet of 16mm MDF which forms the main structure of the cabinet and I then skinned it using a sheet of 3mm MDF, the curved outer corners are 60mm radius and were bent using a technique called kerfing.

This is the first wet spray that I did, I couldn't afford the good two pot epoxy paint, so I used a mid range enamel over undercoat.

All in all I am really pleased with it, I probably should have done more prep work to get a better finish, but we live and learn.

The bellow is a picture of my next furniture project. Its for storing all you chargers away out of sight while still having them handy to use.

Victoria bridge light show.

2010-10-29T16:07:00.002+13:00

On the blog lately there have been a number of posts about our involvement in the lighting for the 100th anniversary of the Victoria bridge which spans the Waikato river in Hamilton.

Well the bridge had its big night and we were there to capture the light show, so for those of you not fortunate enough to attend the event the above is a video of the entire programmed sequence.

The control on the LEDs, and the depth and richness of colour may be a little difficult to see here. But on the night it looked absolutely fabulous with the pastel colours being just as vibrant as the primary colors. You could also really see the great effects created by the ability to rapidly control the light output of the units, which was used to great effect to create some nice soft flickering effects.

Hybrid lamp - CFL/Halogen.

2010-10-28T13:08:00.004+13:00

GE introduces 'hybrid' bulb with both halogen and CFL elements. Itt's like two bulbs in one, the halogen unit powering on almost instantaneously then fading off once the CFL element gets itself all riled up. It is brightness than current covered CFLs and great design!

"When you look at our prototype incandescent-shaped bulb with that little halogen capsule nestled inside our smallest compact fluorescent tube, you're seeing a byproduct of our intense customer focus and our innovation mindset," says Kristin Gibbs, general manager of North American consumer marketing, GE Lighting. "We've constantly improved the initial brightness of our CFLs but customers haven't been wholly satisfied. This is a giant leap forward."
The halogen capsule inside GE's new hybrid halogen-CFL bulb comes on instantly, allowing the bulb to operate noticeably brighter in less than a half a second. The capsule shuts off once the CFL comes to full brightness.
GE scientists engineered the bulb to operate with an exceptionally low level of mercury: 1 mg. Currently available CFLs range from 1.5 mg to 3.5 mg. The hybrid halogen-CFL bulbs will be RoHS compliant and offer eight times the life of incandescent bulbs (8,000 hours vs. 1,000 hours). Less frequent replacement due to longer light bulb life can reduce landfill waste.
First to launch will be 15-watt and 20-watt hybrid halogen-CFL bulbs that are considered viable replacements for 60-watt and 75-watt incandescent bulbs, respectively"

The Auckland Museum lighting spectacular scores for Allendale

2010-10-18T11:50:00.002+13:00

The Electrical Contractors Association of NZ Excellence Awards were presented last Wednesday night at a black tie function at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom in Auckland. The ECANZ Excellence Awards recognise the work of electrical contractors that perform at levels well beyond the ordinary.

Allendale Electrical and Communications Ltd of Auckland scooped the top prize in the Philips Lighting Award with ground breaking installation work on Auckland Museum.

This project covered both programmable colour LED exterior effect lighting as well as the LED white-lighting for the historic interior entrance areas.

Modus lighting was the systems integrator and lighting supplier on this most technically challenging of projects. The digital lighting equipment from Philips Color Kinetics USA is the absolute leading performer world-wide in this rapidly expanding area of urban lighting.

Believed to be the largest lighting project of it's type in the Southern Hemisphere this project pushed the boundaries in both scale, complexity and world-ranking impact.

Thanks to our friends at Allendale, the Museum scores again.

Auckland Architecture Awards 2010

2010-10-15T12:28:00.003+13:00

The week of October 10th -17th is architecture week Auckland, as part of this last night there was an award and presentation ceremony. Modus' new home was again recognized in the commercial architecture category.

If you would like to view all the winners including our building have a look at the NZ heralds website here

London Quay is not falling down ...

2010-10-15T11:08:00.015+13:00

Take a look at the progress on Picton's London Quay Carpark and Landscape Redevelopment!

Note our We ef steplights, post mounted luminaires, projectors and inground uplights that will enhance the surroundings ...

Thanks to:

Boffa Miskell Ltd

Cosgroves Ltd

Marlborough District Council

Tony T - Waikato's Favourite Cover Boy

2010-10-07T08:40:00.007+13:00

Work is well underway on our latest large scale civic project - and we were delighted to see rigger extraordinaire and all round fantastic bloke Tony from TRS on the cover of yesterdays Waikato Times working on the installation.

Tony and the rest of the team from TRS are in Hamilton with Modus Technical Manager Chris Huff, Pulse Digital and BRR working their magic on a stunning installation that will unveiled on October 16th.

Full article after the jump....

Bridging the light fantastic

Waikato Times

Last updated 12:00 06/10/2010

HIGH WIRE: Technical Rigging Services worker Tony Thorn installs lighting on Hamilton's Victoria Bridge ahead of its centenary celebrations. The Victoria Bridge might be turning 100 years old this month, but the old girl will be showing she still has some sparkle.

Come Saturday October 16, the span of the historic bridge will be laced with lights reflecting off the Waikato River.

The birthday girl will come to life shortly after 8pm when the interactive lights will dance to a piece of music composed especially for the event. The lighting display will follow the screening of a five-minute film on the role the Victoria Bridge, also known to some as the Bridge St Bridge, has played in the city over the past century.

Hamilton City Council event co-ordinator Lisa Pemberton said the lights would be permanent and could be programmed to reflect river levels or speed.

The celebration starts at 4pm with a parade of cars cruising from Knox St to Memorial Park, where there will be a range of free family events.

Ms Pemberton said the bridge had played a key role in the city's history. "At different times in history it has united rival settlements, been front-page news, saved residents from the perils of the punt, boosted trade and economic development and been the home of the city's first ever toll-booth library."

Nikki Preston

Photo - Peter Drury

Modus' new building a winner!

2010-10-06T09:24:00.008+13:00

The best awards are held by The Designers institute of New Zealand every year, they focus on great design from all around new Zealand. Arranged into four categories, graphic, interactive, product and spatial. Our new home at 8 Canada street picked up a silver gong in the spatial category.

If you're in the area stop in and check it out, we would be more than happy to show you around. We think it deserved gold, but then we would say that wouldn't we?

Hanami - event idea.

2010-10-06T09:01:00.006+13:00

Hanami is the Japanese word for "flower viewing" or specifically it is a type of picnic which is held in the early spring where a group of friends has a picnic under cherry blossom trees.

A massive yearly even in Japan with performers, food stalls and even light and heaters for hire to ward off the night time chill. I have the good fortune of knowing a few Japanese people and was lucky enough to be invited to a Hanami right here in central Auckland.

Where do you find a grove a flowering cherry trees in Auckland? There just so happens to be a grove in Cornwall park which is currently in flower. So if you are looking for somewhere to take the kids on the weekend or just want to go for a twilight walk now that its daylight savings time follow the map below to a fairly well kept secret in Auckland.

Hamiltons biggest ever light show set to celebrate Bridge centenary

2010-10-04T14:10:00.006+13:00

When Hamilton's Victoria Bridge turns 100 on Saturday 16 of October, residents from across the Waikato are invited to join in the celebration by watching the biggest light show ever to be staged in the city.

Event co-ordinator Lisa Pemberton of the Hamilton City Council says, “Hamilton is known for it’s bridges and the Victoria Bridge in Particular has played an extraordinary role in making the city what it is today. At different times in history it has united rival settlements, been front page news, saved residents from the perils of the punt, boosted trade and economic development, and been the home of the city’s first ever toll-booth library.

“Hamilton has a really rich history that a lot of people don’t know about. Take the Waikato Draught brewery for example, how many people know it was a woman – Mary Innes – who made it the success it is today? Victoria Bridge is at the heart of a lot of that history so it makes sense that the whole city should celebrate it turning 100.”

Victoria Bridge Centenary celebrations will be held throughout the afternoon and evening on Saturday 16 October. From 8pm at Memorial Park, the first ever viewing of Hamilton – The Movie will take place leading into the launch of Hamilton’s biggest ever light show - a large-scale public art installation set to ‘paint’ the full breadth of Victoria Bridge with interactive lighting designs.

Without sponsors Perry Foundation, Gallagher Trust, Mighty River Power, Hamilton, Opus International Consultants, Downer, Waikato Security Services, Traffic Management NZ and Hamilton East Community Trust this community event would not have been possible.

“Whether you’re bringing the kids down for the parade and family fun or dropping in to check out the big lights and find out Hamilton’s secrets on film, we’re encouraging everyone to come on down through out the day. Festivities run from 4-9.30pm so there’s definitely something to suit everyone,” Ms Pemberton says.

Hamilton Movie and Light show will be shown every 15 minutes from 8pm

Check out the city’s biggest light show ever performed to music and learn all about Hamilton’s secret past.

For more event info see http://www.whatsonhamilton.co.nz/eventlisting.aspx?id=3745

The Walking Dead - TV series in production.

2010-10-04T08:17:00.004+13:00

The Walking Dead is a monthly black and white American comic book series published by Image Comics beginning in 2003. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore.

The story chronicles the travels of a group of people trying to survive in a world stricken by a zombie apocalypse. A television series was announced to be in production on August 11, 2009. The series won the 2010 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series at the San Diego Comic Convention.

AMC have announced that they have given the green light to the production of a pilot for this new series based on the screenplay adaptation submitted by "Shawshank Redemption" director Frank Darabont. Some other credits to Darabont's name include, The Mist, the Fog and A Nightmare on Elm Street 3. AMC are well known for their original programming such as "Mad Men"

What has really caught my attention on this one is a 51 second clip of "fan" generated art, its a trailer/teaser for the new adaption, while not official this is one of the best animated clips I have seen.

How we lost the recipe for concrete

2010-10-04T07:49:00.007+13:00

Some times humanity suffers a bit of a set back. No better example exists the loss of the recipe for concrete. The Persians, Egyptians, Assyrians, and Romans all famously used concrete to give their structures a longevity and strength which has enabled some to survive to this day.

Unfortunately sometime during the fall of the Roman empire our ability to make todays most widely used building material was lost in the plunge into the dark ages. The modern recipe that we are all so familiar with wasn't discovered until the 18th century.

When Roman and modern Portland cement are compared it turns out that the old recipe is still better than what we currently use. It is thought that the durability of Roman cement used in construction of places like the coliseum was better because of additives to the mix which help the concrete expand and contract without cracking and breaking down.

I found this out in an online article called "Top 10 Lost technologies" If you would like to read about the other 9 then follow the link, some of these technologies that we have lost we have never regained and not only that some of them are so mysterious that we don't even know what they were actually meant to be!

Ferrari F1 working drawings

2010-09-28T09:06:00.008+13:00

Found this last night, its an artists website where the artist only draws cars or car parts. The drawings which caught my eye in particular are a set of working drawings for an engine from the 2000 F1 Ferrari.

Incredibly detailed and drawn by hand, not a computer modeling package in sight.

www.khulsey.com/tm_ferrari_f1_engine_drawings.html

LED handrail - ledpod, simple handrail lighting.

2010-09-22T13:11:00.005+12:00

Handrail lighting has traditionally been hard to specify, difficult to install, costly to purchase and costly to maintain. Easily damaged linear fluorescent systems have been the most popular, often requiring a secondary rail to be installed below as the lighting rail does not meet the relevant standard.

The video above shows a new patent pending system by our supplier Klik.

As you can see from the video it shows the basis of this system which allows the handrail manufacturer to focus on the manufacturing and the electrician to install the completed lighting system easily and simply all in a single handrail.

Using a Cree LED (3000 or 5000K) with an expected 50,000 hour life, glass asymmetric lensing allows the LED to be mounted pointing straight down, which reduces glare, unit visibility and maximize the use of the light produced by pushing it out onto the stair treads.

When mounted at 600mm centers in both handrails 1.8m apart and 850mm from the surface, this system produces 200 lux in the center of the stair treads.

The system is run from a single 24V supply mounted at the head or foot of the stairs from which a cable is run down the handrail, onto this a current limiting driver is clipped for each LED so if a single unit fails it doesn't cause failure of the entire chain of LEDs.

Being IP66 rated also makes this system suitable for outdoor or wet areas, the system can be fitted to any round hollow rail from 38-62mm O/D.

The ledpod system has great implications and uses for area were mounting of traditional lighting may be difficult, unwanted or near impossible. If there was a bridge spanning a void in an atrium the ledpod system could be used to provide functional lighting if no overhead structure was present for example.

The ledpod system is simple for the architect, simple for the handrail manufacturer, simple for the electrician, simple for the maintenance staff and is competitively priced.

The ledpod system is ready to ship now, we have a sample available should you wish to view it, and we would love the chance to come and talk to you about this exciting new development in handrail lighting.

LED Feature wall concept test.

2010-09-22T12:30:00.003+12:00

Previously on this blog I posted a photo of some of the panels running on the floor being checked before they were sent to site.

The above is a quick 13 second video of Brian, Tom and I fitting two of these panels to the wall to firstly check that the concept was sound, and to allow a photo instruction to be made for the onsite installers.

Art in the Dark 2010

2010-09-20T17:37:00.006+12:00

Art in the Dark, an interactive community event, is set to light up Ponsonby's Western Park on the 15th and 16th of October 2010, from 7pm until late.

Modus are thrilled to be working alongside the Dry Dairy collective on their installation for Art in the Dark, especially after the amazing pavilion that they created at Splore this year lit with Philips Color Kinetics. Be sure to mark this event in your calendar and get along to Western Park to check out not only the Dry Dairy installation but the whole event for yourself!

The inaugural Art in the Dark aims to explore and explode the ideas of ‘Community, Environment and Utopias’, a topic broached in organizer Celia Harrison’s thesis. With the goal of fostering and celebrating community, Art in the Dark has been a collaboration between artists, businesses and community members in the Grey Lynn and Ponsonby area. Through creative initiatives the event also seeks to develop new forms of social interaction and sustainable practices within the community.

Art in the Dark will transform the park into a temporary community hub suitable for all ages, illuminated by installations, projected short films and performances. Artist’s featured include, Celia Harrison and Emily Priest, Jim O'Borne, Jules Turner, Brydee Rood, Lara Fischel-Chisholm, Melissa Durbin, Northwest Digital, Urban Nomad Accessories, Sarah Harris, Aja Pendergrast, and Dry Dairy.

The entire event is eco-friendly, and all projects will be powered by clean energy, with minimal waste. Art in the Dark aims to develop new forms of sustainable practices within the community with a view to inspiring other events and businesses to follow suit.

Long term, the Art in the Dark vision is to not only make the event in Western Park annual, but also to develop and grow community and environmental awareness via smaller events, providing constant opportunities for artists and progressing an artist collective.

For further information please visit: www.artinthedark.co.nz

New agency - Brick In The Wall

2010-09-17T14:34:00.006+12:00

Modus has had the recent pleasure of becoming the new agent for another unique brand out of Europe.

Specifically from Belgium, Brick in the wall manufacture a range of light fittings which are totally borderless. Designed for that minimalist look, all of these fittings can be recessed into either concrete or normal gib walls then painted the same colour as the rest of the wall.

Made using a propriety plaster which ensure good light reflection, a white finish and no bubbles to prevent cracking. This range of luminaires is available in everything from in recessed downlights to asymmetric wall lights, they come with a wide range of lamping including Halogen, Linear Fluorescent, Metal halide and of course many LED options.

If you would like to learn more please contact us, we have samples and would be happy to come and do a small presentation and leave a catalog with you. Or for a more casual inquiry visit their website.

Could be the greatest music accessory since the groupie

2010-09-14T13:15:00.003+12:00

I stumbled across the above last night and thought that they were worth a look. Now we just need them to start making these in 1200 x 2400 sheets so that they can go on the wall or ceiling!

The “Transparent OLED Headphones” (working title I’m assuming) are made from flexible OLED panels that allow the user to custom design a lighting show or patterns across your cranium. These custom designs can also be set to your current track or “color groove setting”, scroll any message texts or simply remain whatever color you’re feeling like that day. The left side button controls your sound functions while the right side button controls the light show.

For more photos and the full article go here.

Modus.v2 is up and running....

2010-09-07T11:43:00.005+12:00

As of Monday 6th September, Modus Lighting are relocated in our new building at 8 Canada St, Newton, CBD. A few photos of the first day in the Auckland Sales office are attached, if you are passing call in to have a look or make the effort to drive past at night to view the "LightBox"......

Backwards Google

2010-09-02T12:59:00.003+12:00

So I have previously bought you Uneven Google and Rotating google, I now present Backwards Google.

Now you can have the full set.

Bringing Colour to Dunedin!

2010-08-30T11:53:00.001+12:00

Last week, our South Island Team, from Mark Herring Lighting put on a great colour lighting demonstration at the Historic Dunedin Railway Station. We can't say that this treatment would be 'advantageous' for this amazing historic building, but as a canvas for providing education and illustration of what can be achieved with coloured light- it was fantastic! This turned out to be great night- thanks to all that attended! (and Trevor even got his picture in the paper!)

Mysterious Shadow People.

2010-08-30T09:05:00.008+12:00

Kumi Yamashita has a secret power. She can place wood or metal objects in just the right light to make mysterious shadow people show their true selves. The genius of it all lies in the fact that without the lighting and shadows the objects would never give away her secret. These surprising silhouettes only come out when beckoned to do so.

The original article about the artist and the full article with more of her works can be found here.

Color Kinetics in Christchurch!

2010-08-25T14:17:00.002+12:00

Mark Herring Lighting (The Modus Agent for the lower South Island) hosted a fantastic customer event last night. Introduced by the Mayor, Bob Parker and based around a product seminar and lots of hands on equipment in and around the Christchurch Town Hall, the evening was well attended by the local specifier and design community.

The temporary displays really highlighted what a bit of colour can bring to this iconic building and it's surrounds.Watch this space for some more colour in the deep south!

Waiuku Stage 2 - a little bit bent!

2010-08-25T13:05:00.001+12:00

The redevelopment of the Town Centre continues using the WE-EF Eyris luminaire with 140W HIT-COS and the RBL bracket for the main lighting. The pedestrian crossing areas have been enhanced with the use of the WE-EF Ceon Luminaire.

A very unique architectural column design has been utilised for the Town Square incorporating WE-EF PFL 230 c/w 45W HIT-COS, as well as using the FLC 141 70W HIT spot light c/w snoot concentrating the light on the clock face of the tower, quite radical for Waiuku!

Wine bottle light.

2010-08-24T09:22:00.004+12:00

Found this great little DIY lamp/lighting idea in my internet travels last night. So if you want a day long project and can picture one of these in your house then go for it, we all love the DIY.

The instructions are here

The blog that this comes from is called Wit and Whistle and should be visited for other fantastic DIY projects.

The DNA of LED.

2010-08-19T08:44:00.008+12:00

Modus has a long history of taking that hard to build concept for a lighting feature and making it into reality, and that is exactly what we have done here.

The picture above shows about 8 meters of a total of 60 meters of LED panels we have manufactured for a new installation at the University of Auckland.

Spread across 4 levels of a 5 level building the panel uses 5 different colours built into individual panels of up to 3 meters then assembled on site to form continuous runs of up to 16 meters.

With a perfect uniformity of colour and clear crisp edges from one colour panel to the next and ample light output from the 14.4 w/m LED strip used top and bottom this large lighting feature is an abstract representation of a photo of DNA that you probably saw sometime in the 1990's

Check back in a while and we will have pictures of the full installation up. In the mean time if you have a lighting feature which is looking to be a challenge then get in contact, I am sure that we can help you create in reality whatever your imagination has dreamt up.

New Library - New Lights - New LED!

2010-08-18T16:57:00.004+12:00

Modus Lighting Ltd congratulates the Tasman District Council on the use of the Philips Clearline LED beside the new library, Queen Street, Richmond.

Representing another step towards functional LED lighting, ClearLine meets the standards to offer an innovative solution for impactfull, large scale projects while meeting safety compliances for a modern and sustainable city image.

ClearLine delivers light in a responsible and energy-efficient manner achieving up to 22% energy savings compared with typical conventional SON solutions together with future – proof and upgradable lighting engines.

We also acknowledge the efforts of MWH, Richmond and Powertech, Nelson.

It Lives....

2010-08-18T16:50:00.005+12:00

A recent residential project Modus Lighting has been working on with the renowned architect Richard Furze (of TV fame) has included a mixed bag of Modular Lighting fixtures including Downut, Lotis, Square Moon, Gutter, Duell. But centre piece and by far the lighting feature is an organic cluster of Modular IZAR Moodswing RGB LED fixtures. Construction is nearly finished and we will post some finished pictures but as an appetizer we show the recently installed IZAR's.... tre' cool....

"Change is the essential process of all existence" Spock - Star Trek

2010-08-18T12:31:00.013+12:00

Modular Lighting Instruments have just unveiled Spock........ until recently interior LED lighting has generally not been able to meet the illumination requirements of architects, designers and end users, retro-fit and "patchwork" LED solutions have been predominant in interior LED luminaires.

But changing technologies can now offer more advanced solutions.........

Spock is something completely different – a fitting designed as an LED luminaire with a unique aesthetic driven by technology with an unrivaled performance.

Comparable Homogeneous Light. With a luminous intensity of up to 1000 lumens the light output of the Spock is comparable to the widespread classic halogen spot of 50-75Watts, however it is available in both 3000K OR 4000K.

Beams. To offer the optimal light in the home or office Spock is available in 2 different beam angles. Light is focused via a lens into a powerful beam with an angle of 32deg or 56deg.

Thin Housing. The thin LED housing with a cross section of barely 12.5mm contains 16 high quality LEDs, aligned flat toward the outer edge of the circumference so that they are concealed from the eye.

Foot, Track & Wall. All three versions of the fitting are available in Black and White. The whole base of the fixture is attached to the surface in all versions so that all elements are neatly concealed.

Invisible LED Source. The detailed position of each of the LED sources underneath an engineered mirror reflector ensures that the diode itself is invisible.

No Visible Cable or Wiring. The ingenious design of the Spock luminaires has been refined to the last detail with not a single lead showing – either on the rotating LED disc incorporated into tan attractive chrome plated ring hinge, or at the mains connection at the base of the fitting.

Photo-biological Safety. Thanks to its large emitting surface the discs lighting is less intense and therefore not harmful to the eye, a problem that has frequently plagued previous LED sources.

You can download the full SPOCK catalogue, or check out some more of the new LED range by Modular Lighting Instruments at ww.supermodular.com If you would like to see the Spock fitting for yourself, give us a call and we can bring the future of lighting directly to your office.

Modus Lighting now Tweet controlled.

2010-08-12T16:54:00.004+12:00

A while ago now we had the privilege to supply a full LED colour changing system for the Sky tower to illuminate from the observation decks up.

Just last night Skycity started a program where you can text in what colour you want the LEDs to show. Go on give it a go!

Originally reported by Close up on TV one here

Modus on the Move!!!

2010-08-11T16:44:00.008+12:00

Everybody at Modus is starting to get excited that we will finally be moving to new premises, and putting the last memories of the fire behind us.

The new premises at 8 Canada Street Newton are the complete antithesis of our current 'temporary residence'. Designed by Wingate and Farquhar, it was described in Pro-design Magazine as a 'Rare Beast'.

Boasting everything that is good about sustainability from recycled materials, solar heating and recycled water, to the stunning opaque 'Light Box' of the Auckland sales office and a 10,000 sq ft factory less than 50m from Auckland's Queens Street, it will present Modus in a 'whole new light' (pun intended!)

With moving day in early September, please make sure you drop in next time you are in the area!

Too cool for Unevengoogle?!?!

2010-07-16T17:51:00.003+12:00

Then this is for you, revolving Google and internet!

Too cool for Google?

2010-07-14T09:45:00.004+12:00

www.google.co.nz is normally the defualt search for anyone in New Zealand. In the fine tradition of google "looks" with a difference may I present uneven google for all your googling needs with a little quirk.

The 2010 Film festival is here!

2010-07-06T13:11:00.005+12:00

From the 8th - 25th of July this year Auckland's silver screens will play host to some of the best celluloid from the last year.

For those of you who aren't regular festival watchers don't be put off there are a number of great films to be found. Visit the website www.nzff.co.nz pick something out, my first festival was only two years ago where I watched about 3 films. For my movie going experience this year I have 17 films on my list that I simply MUST see and about 7 optionals, not in Auckland don't worry the festival travels all around the country.

While this year brochure seems a little light to me there are some absolute gems. "Exit through the gift shop" is a biopic/documentary about UK street artist Banksy. The housemaid a tense slick, polished and sexy Korean thriller. "The killer inside me", a rustic 50s noir gem shot last year from the US and "Four Lions" a UK comedy about a cell of bumbling terrorists.

Or I may be able to help you out with a pick or two, want to take your kids along to a cinema event which will engage their imagination and wont be the normal standardized Disney fair? Want to impress your better half or soon to be better half there are some great looking romantic comedies, or do you want to experience true fringe cinema that will blow your mind?

Drop me a line or comment I can recommend something, either way I hope to see you there!

Incredible lighting job.

2010-07-02T21:20:00.002+12:00

This video is a long one at sixteen minutes but well worth the watch to see an incredible lighting job.

‘YEKPARE’ (monolithic) from nerdworking on Vimeo.

Welcome to the internet.

2010-07-01T11:50:00.001+12:00

Welcome to the internet

Emission trading scheme

2010-07-01T11:25:00.006+12:00

Like it or loath it, it's here. With the ETS now passed into law and a cost now associated with carbon emissions of $12.50 per tonne, anything which causes emissions into the atmosphere has either just gone up in price or shortly will.

While Modus can't help you with your petrol bill, we can help you with reducing your electricity bill.

Modus have already been involved in a number of projects were energy usage and efficiency have been a prime concern for the client, we can help you with everything from energy audits to retro fitting of existing installations and new installations compliant with NZ legislation.

Interior or exterior, we can find a solution which meets your needs, and better still, we can show you the return on your investment in terms of direct money savings for you or your client.

If you are having concerns with a new installation your designing or have been asked to audit a current building/installation I am confident that there is someone here at Modus who can help you.

Drop us a line at any time, we are here to help.