3LR Lighting and 3LR Design form 3LR Group

Named for the recently discovered third light receptor in the inner eye – responsible for our circadian clock and other non-visual responses to light – 3LR Design started as a design consultancy in the USA, formed by Allen 2016. It was followed by Lloyd opening 3LR Lighting – as a UK-based rep agency and brand manager – in 2019.

3LR Design is a brand agnostic consultancy, but works closely with various manufacturers, including those represented by 3LR Lighting in the UK, to recommend state-of-the-art lighting solutions. 3LR Lighting’s portfolio comprises a range of products from leading international lighting brands, such as ETC and Studio Due, which can be deployed individually, or in combination, to provide complete solutions for any type of professional lighting environment.

Lloyd, who is responsible for discussing clients’ specific needs and advising on projects, explains, “3LR Lighting exists to provide the very best, top-end, professional lighting equipment specifications – be they in architectural, marine, retail, themed, broadcast or performance environments. We are a representative, not a distributor; we don’t buy and sell lighting. Our recommendations reflect what we consider will work best in a given environment; our success depends on our reputation for helping to deliver those lighting solutions.”

As co-founder of the 3LR Group, Allen will lead the newly expanded 3LR Design team as a flexible adjunct to 3LR Lighting, offering uniquely detailed services to clients in the same broad range of environments, with or without the specification services of 3LR Lighting. The company will offer a deeper level of design expertise in its specific areas of operation, as a complement to the important holistic work of consultants. Services will include controls systems designs, photometrics planning and visualisation, CGI walk-throughs, cost comparisons, and other consulting services.

Allen says, “Matt pitched the idea of 3LR Design to me back in 2016 while at a lighting tradeshow in America. We’ve been quite successful on a global scale since that time, and now, after the years of success 3LR Lighting has experienced in the UK, we feel it’s the perfect time to come together under the 3LR Group. Matt and I see a lot of opportunity to work alongside clients to offer our diverse skills and knowledge to project teams. There are many different control protocols for lighting today, and our team understands them all and how to put them together to interface in a seamless way. Most owners aren’t concerned about which control protocols are being used, rather that they can push a button and the systems will do what they expect them to do. We take the guesswork out of the equation for our clients and just make it work. That’s the real beauty of it.”

He adds, “We are able to provide a stand-alone lighting service, or a complementary service for consultants who choose, for whatever reason, not to offer the types of in-depth designs that 3LR can offer.”

Both Lloyd and Allen believe their services will dovetail beneficially with clients’ ongoing project work. “We’re not trying to compete with our core customers in lighting and design,” says Allen. “We fill a gap for them – something that not many firms currently have the ability to do – which is leveraging an understanding of the technology to a very detailed and precise level, putting a system together and truly understanding how it needs to be designed and used. It can be an extremely complex process to navigate, and we’re helping a number of our partners do just that. That’s our key role.”

>> 3lrlighting.com

>> go.3lrdesign.com

Matt Lloyd has been involved in the professional lighting industry for many years. Having started his career at Stage Electrics, he went on to co-found a leading lighting manufacturer in 2004, and was at the helm of the business from 2004 to 2018. During this time he helped to create, develop and deliver cutting-edge LED Lighting products as part of a hugely successful team, winning 16 prestigious industry awards and with a distribution network across 38 countries. He has contributed to lighting projects for The Royal Albert Hall, The Bristol Old Vic, The Royal National Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, House of Dancing Water Macau, London Olympics Closing Ceremony, The Royal Chapel and Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre, plus Carnival, Cunard and Disney Cruise Lines. He has ambitious goals for sustainable design and strives for 3LR to serve as a role model and example to other disciplines. He is also Vice-Chairman of PLASA (Professional Lighting and Sound Association) the leading voice in the technical world of entertainment.

About Josh Allen:

Joshua C. Allen’s 30 years of lighting industry experience have seen him become a leading expert on entertainment, architectural lighting and lighting control systems design. For more than a decade he was a principal consultant with Theatre Consultants Collaborative (TCC), assisting clients with the design of dynamic projects in both new builds and historical renovations. He has designed for more than 200 productions in theatre, dance, and television, and his CV includes multiple projects for the revival of New Orleans, as well as for Viking River Cruises, Carnival Cruise lines, MSG, scores of Performing Arts Centers and touring venues, and many Universities. He is a member of United Scenic Artists Local USA829 IATSE, former member of the ASTC, and has received numerous awards from the IES for his architectural lighting and systems designs.

About 3LR Lighting:

3LR Lighting, part of the 3LR Group, was formed in 2019 to provide specialist consultancy services for the lighting of architectural, broadcast, entertainment and maritime environments. Headed by Matt Lloyd, formerly co-founder of an award-winning lighting innovator, the company benefits from close links to leading global manufacturers of lighting and control systems. For more information, visit: 3lrlighting.com

About 3LR Design:

3LR Design, part of the 3LR Group, is a leading global design and consultancy firm with a focus on creating meaningful user experiences for unique projects. Their multidisciplinary team of designers, programmers, and project managers work collaboratively to solve complex design challenges and drive innovation for their clients. With a strong emphasis on human-centric, sustainable, and functional design, 3LR continues to deliver bespoke solutions for global brands and companies across a wide range of venues and genres. For more information, visit: go.3lrdesign.com

About 3LR Group:

The 3LR Group was formed in 2023 by Matt Lloyd and Josh Allen to provide unique solutions to Architects, Engineers, Designers, Specifiers, and Installers. As a multi-faceted group of global companies, we collaborate to shepherd a wide variety of project scenarios to ensure success, and to align business strategies and better address the needs of the clients and projects from both 3LR Group companies.