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Spot On story

Spot On Lichtontwerp is a creative, innovative and independent architectural lighting design studio founded by Paulo van Cuijck. Spot On is where I work on a wide range of projects, from commercial to historical, retail to landscape, cultural to residential. Spot On creates innovative lighting designs that bring buildings or places to life, and reveal their true essence while being environmentally conscious.

Mastering light

Light is a source of wonder – at once aesthetic, technical and functional, light has the power to enhance the beauty of places and reveal their true essence. Light can be subtle or powerful, sculpting volumes, softening darkness, making spaces comfortable and pleasant to be in. And ultimately, for each one of us, light is a story of emotions.

The rich complexity and promise of lighting design, what it can really do to a room, a building, a landscape, and the people who experience it, is my motivation and passion. After studying Architectural Lighting Design in Stockholm, I tested my creativity and professional skills in renownedLondon lighting design agencies for several years before starting my independent lighting design studio in Amsterdam in 2015 – Spot On.

For me, every building, public space, exterior or interior deserves a personal, distinctive, and unique lighting  expression.


My experience includes working within the following industries:

  • Architectural
  • Heritage – historic & monumental buildings
  • Public spaces and landscapes – squares, parks, and gardens
  • Real estate development – business and residential
  • Art and Culture – museums, galleries, private collections, artworks in public spaces, light art

and provide the following services:

  • Lighting design
  • Light advice
  • Development of lighting visions
  • Darkness design
  • Light calculations
  • Sunshine/shading studies
  • Project management

Spot On works closely with architects, property developers, interior designers, historic building owners and corporate clients to create innovative lighting designs that stand out, bring places to life, and reveal their true essence.

Lighting design is a joint process involving clients, architects, contractors and electrical engineers, where sharing expertise and advice is key. My approach to work is holistic, creative, collaborative and pragmatic. Over the years, I’ve worked with many architects on successful projects and have gained a reputation as a friendly, professional team player who respects everyone’s role.

My primary focus is to enhance the overall architectural project through the designs that I produce. First by considering the individual needs of each client, the expression of the place, its identity and the ecosystem that surrounds it, the subtle definition of the desired visual comfort and the new experience that can result from it. Through close consultation, I seek to gain an insight into what  you, as my client wish to achieve and strive to create a sense of shared ownership of the design, thereby increasing the chances of a perfect fit. I also pay special attention to the visualisation of the proposed solutions: showing you what a custom lighting design can do for your project.

Testimonials

Referenties Wilco van Oosten

Paulo has expert knowledge and a well-developed feeling for what light can do. At the same time, he is pragmatic, hands-on and communicative.

Wilco van Oosten

Referenties Robin Kerssens

Paulo has the ability to tell an almost poetic story with his lighting plan. He knows how to transform that plan into an implemented project with achievable next steps and a driven tenacity.

Robin Kerssens

Referenties Femke van de Voort

Paulo combines a good sense of space with a great technical knowledge. He makes lighting designs that complement and strengthen an interior design. The results are remarkable, nice spaces.

Femke van de Voort

Referenties Casper van der Stelt

We can always rely on Paulo’s technical knowledge, his thoughtful lighting design and his choice of luminaires. What appeals to us is his flexible attitude and striving for the best end result in any situation.

Casper van der Stelt

Referenties Emiel Lamers

Paulo van Cuijck is a very creative lighting designer who translates the wishes of the client in a clever way to an original lighting concept. it was a pleasure working with him.

Emiel Lamers

Referenties Lennart van der Sman

Spot On’s new lighting design has accentuated the historic details in our heritage building and also given the office the right quality of light and atmosphere.

Lennart van der Sman

Referenties Maarten Dirksen

Paulo has realized a striking and effective lighting installation within our office in a short time. This gives the space a more professional look. Paulo is both creative and hands-on, a very pleasant person to work with.

Maarten Dirksen

Referenties Nathalie van Loon

Paulo will find a perfect match for you, for your space, your taste and your budget. He came up with a wonderful lighting design for our self-built house: exceptional, eco-friendly and wonderful to live and work in. I highly recommend him.

Nathalie van Loon

Finding ways to make a space legible and create a sense of unity and coherence is characteristic of the way I work. I focus on  designing lighting that creates clean spaces where everything is in its place. Where people feel connected to the space, to their feelings and to each other. Where energy is optimal and everyone is made to feel welcome.

There is also a necessary element of intuition and experimentation to uncover the unexpected qualities of light as it interacts with the given environmental conditions, architectural form, material properties and textures. In my playbook, this means a more selective and subtle use of light to achieve the perfect balance between comfort and contrast, not just a calculated amount of light in a space. Lighting design starts with darkness and grows from there.

Often the drive for renovations or new applications is to increase the quantity of light rather than to find a better lighting quality with an adequate amount of energy. The light I bring adds value and expression, but it is also environmentally conscious. I look for ways to use less light creatively, with the right balance between sustainability, energy saving requirements and aesthetics. So not only do my designs bring light. They also innovate to reduce our impact on the environment, while celebrating the darkness, its mystery and its beauty.

Architectural lighting design expertise – Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm:

A keen eye for how light works and its potential in architecture, indoors and outdoors, and with which lighting equipment I can achieve this.

Custom design

The lighting designs I make are one of a kind, tailored to the client’s individual preferences, requirements and budget. The lighting solutions suggested are site specific and defined on the use, potential and challenges of the space.

Independent professional:

As an independent specialist, I am not affiliated with any manufacturer or supplier, nor do I supply lighting myself. This gives me the freedom to choose the best lighting solution for each project and client, and to remain at the forefront of creative and inspirational lighting design.

Environmental knowledge & focus – Utrecht University, Environmental Sciences -Social discipline – graduate – sustainability, circularity, energy saving:

Sustainable lighting is the starting point for every design and a fundamental part of the Spot On DNA. With a focus on circularity, energy conservation, preservation of darkness and protecting biodiversity.

Creative but also a researcher/inventor and a maker in the lighting design field.

My raison d’être is to make the world a more aesthetic place, to bring beauty. So, for each project, I ask myself how it should look, ideally.



Get in touch

Feel free to get in touch and let’s have a chat.