Your Interview Daniele Guevara

Introduce yourself (name, company, position, country) and tell us how you got into lighting design (including education/qualifications).

I’m Daniele Guevara, an emerging architectural lighting professional based in Toronto, Canada. I got into lighting during a theatre class in university. After a visit backstage, I was hooked! I graduated with a BFA in Technical Theatre from the University of British Columbia and I’ve been a professional theatre designer for over a decade. I transitioned into architectural lighting from the entertainment industry in 2022. During the pandemic, I started volunteering for FLAP Canada as a bird rescue volunteer. Light pollution disorients migrating birds and many are fatally drawn to bright urban centres. I would try to find injured birds during my lunch break and even after late rehearsals at the opera house. I found myself looking more carefully at buildings and asking: what is that light and why is light there? The effect of artificial lighting resonated with me. I spoke to my friend who had completed a lighting design certificate program, which led to further insightful conversations with other industry professionals. My sister (a successful interior designer with her own studio) gave me the extra push to learn more about architectural lighting and sustainable design.

Tell us about your work – is there a specific type of project you like to work on or an area you specialise in and why?

I worked for Salas O’Brien (formally Consullux Lighting Consultants, Crossey Engineering) for two years as a Junior Lighting Designer. It was a great privilege to work on designs for technically demanding projects like hospitals and other institutional buildings. It was a jump into the deep end of code compliance and why lighting specifications are critical to achieving successful designs. My position allowed me to appreciate the high level of expertise, but also the dedication and depth of coordination needed to see complex projects through all stages.

What project are you most proud of and why?

I’m very proud to have worked with Mulvey and Banani on Little Canada, a visitor attraction that celebrates Canada through the art of minature. I was hired to assist with the installation and I spent hours up and down ladders focusing hundreds of luminaires across all exhibition and transition areas. We worked in tandem with the installation crew who were actively installing the miniatures and luminaire lensing and accessories were chosen in response to what we saw. I used all my theatre skills and enjoyed the new challenge of finding the sweet spot for luminaires that could cause glare or excessive shadows. Choosing the right location for the luminaire was crucial. Because of the miniature scale of the work, moving a luminaire even two inches could make a difference. Our team’s close collaboration, communication, and acute attention to detail were key ingredients to the project’s success. Little Canada won an IES Illumination Award of Merit in 2023 and continues to be one of Toronto’s top attractions.

What is the biggest challenge that you have overcome in your career?

There are more challenges to come, but the biggest challenge was choosing my new career direction and thinking deeply about how to affect positive change as a designer. Stage lighting put me at the tip of an iceberg of knowledge and possibilities. It was an irresistible leap to make.

How does light inspire you?

Light inspires me to think creatively, but reminds me to have focus and intention. Light also inspires me to think of relationships with darkness and how shadow can be integral to a design. Because of my background in theatrical lighting, light will always be the beautiful connection between design elements, a shape-shifting storyteller, and source of unexplainable magic. Now, lighting also inspires me to think about sustainability and to NOT take our technology for granted. We have amazing tools, but how are we using them? What materials are they made of?

What is your message for other Women In Lighting?

Always ask questions, never stop learning and go the extra mile. Maya Angelou said it best: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” While technical expertise is gained through experience, by leading with kindness, being generous with your knowledge, being a good listener, and staying curious, you will always be ahead.