PRELUDE Volume IX

LET THERE
BE LIGHT
System 7’s
experience
center takes the
complexity out
of technology
decisions.
If you ask Gerard Lynch what he considers the most
transformational event in smart home technology over
the last few years, he won’t hesitate to answer. It’s the
evolution of lighting into a technology product.
“Today, lighting technology is the heart of the smart
home,” Lynch explains. “Lighting can now replicate natural
light and the sun itself. It can bring the feel of the outdoors
inside. It can impact your mood and be tuned to feel just
right and just a little bit different each and every day.”
Navigating the nuances of lighting technology – lumen
output, color temperature, dimming performance, and
controls – is a daily occurrence at System 7, the technology
design firm that Lynch founded in 2003. System 7’s
designers incorporate lighting fixtures, motorized shading,
and smart home controls into streamlined technology
systems for their clients.
An understanding of architecture and space is essential
to successfully incorporating these technologies into
a residence, and System 7’s approach is more like an
architect than a traditional integrator. Their team includes
designers with backgrounds in architecture, lighting
design, interior design, and electrical engineering, as well
as product specialists from their Wolfers Lighting, Boston
Shade Company, and Back Bay Shutter divisions. What ties
this team together is a fascination with lighting, shading,
and home technology, and the impact they have on a
living environment.
To illustrate how these technologies can transform a space,
System 7 has two Experience Centers in the Boston area:
one in the Boston Design Center, and one in Wellesley
center. In both locations, homeowners and design
professionals can experience the full capabilities of today’s
lighting and shading systems.
Ashley Jacobson, System 7’s VP of Design & Operations,
says the key to understanding the technology is to
experience it in person. “You’re immersed in what it’s like
to use the technology rather than seeing it on a website or
with a sample on a jobsite,” Jacobson says. “You can see
the process of what happens when you press a button and
the lights dim or the shades lower.”
From tunable spectrum lighting to motorized shading
with bespoke fabrics, the focus at each Experience Center
is on the marvels of today’s lighting, shading, and home
technology systems. They’re places to spark inspiration
and help clients imagine what these systems might be like
in their own homes. “Everyone deserves good technology
design,” Jacobson concludes. “We’re proud that we can
help our clients choose technology they will love.”
For more information, visit systemseven.com
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bostondesignguide.com