In an industry long defined by technical performance, Rebel Light chooses to start somewhere else: with a clear idea of what light should be.
“In the circular economy everyone wants less hardware and more value in the experience,” says founder Rickard Lundell. “To succeed, every lighting actor will need a distinct design identity.”
That is why Rebel Light has developed a design philosophy and a method that makes lighting design reproducible without becoming generic. But this is not about becoming a design studio. “Our philosophy exists to make collaboration easier,” says Rickard. “When we talk about what the light is meant to achieve, it becomes easier to agree on how. Architects and lighting designers get more out of their ideas, and we can optimize the hardware to deliver the right experience with the least possible use of materials and, ultimately, waste”.
Creative Director Ola Fredén describes the method as a translation of daylight’s logic.
“Daylight is always polyphonic – direct, reflected, diffuse. When electric light behaves in a similar way, the room feels calmer and more comprehensible.”
Rebel Light’s method therefore builds on five layers: focus, accent, integrated, ambient, and effect. The layers form a kind of grammar, enabling strong narratives in different built environments – offices, hotels, schools – without losing tone or coherence.
The approach is described as tailored, not bespoke. Instead of starting from scratch in every project, clear principles are adapted to context and identity. “Architects recognize this way of working,” says Ola. “A system of rules that liberates creativity rather than, as infinite possibilities so often do, inhibit it.”
The shift toward a circular economy makes hardware a necessary evil. It should function within a renew/reuse logic – but never take center stage. Rebel Light’s platform is built precisely for this: to carry both our own philosophy and those of others, allowing every designer with a clear idea and vision to use our process and platform to deliver projects aligned with a circular strategy, without compromising the user experience.
“Our identity is not a formal language of products,” Rickard concludes. “It is an attitude toward light. One that makes us more aligned with principles of the circular economy, more human as a company – and more relevant to architecture and its influence on the built environment.”
Ola Fredén and Rickard Lundell introducing an audience of professionals from across the built environment to a ‘new’ design strategy for lighting. Stora Kontorsdagen, Grand Hôtel, Stockholm, 2024
Layered Lighting Design – A Framework for Translating Our Original Relationship with Light into the Built Environment
In nature, light comes in many layers and dimensions – sunlight, skylight, reflections, and shadows. It is precisely this richness that makes daylight so vivid and dynamic. Each layer has its own function, and together they form a whole that feels natural and complete. By working with layers, we create flexibility – the room can change with need, activity, or time of day. We believe in using artificial light in a more natural way, which is why we work with a method built on five layers of light – five pieces of a puzzle that together create environments where people thrive, perform, and grow.
Focus Light
The concentrated light – like the campfire, the desk lamp, or the pendant above a meeting table – symbolizes light’s gathering and intimate power. It creates a safe place for presence and togetherness, much like people have historically gathered around the fire. Focus light gives the room a sense of purpose and closeness, a place where ideas and conversations can flow in a calm and personal atmosphere.
Accent Light
Accent light highlights details and brings depth and character. It emphasizes materials, greenery, or architectural features, creating a vivid, almost mysterious light that awakens curiosity and anticipation.
Integrated Light
Integrated light, built into furniture or architecture, becomes part of the space itself. It merges with materials and appears almost invisible, yet carries a powerful presence. It evokes expectation and intrigue – as if the light were emerging from within the room.
Ambient Light
Ambient light acts as the room’s soft background tone – a subtle, even glow that lifts and balances contrasts without dominating. Like diffuse skylight, it fills in the gaps, binds the other layers together, and creates a natural wholeness.
Effect Light
The fifth and final layer is effect light, adding a touch of magic to the room – the element that catches the eye and sparks wonder. It may take the form of an organic, leaf-like shimmer, or shafts of sunlight breaking in and filling the space with life and energy. By introducing something unexpected and striking, we can create a spatial experience that feels unique and alive.
