HLB Lighting Design
HLB Lighting Design is an independent architectural lighting design firm, founded 1968 and headquartered in New York City, serving developers, architects, and institutional owners on commercial, civic, and cultural building projects through project-based professional services fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What HLB Lighting Design does
HLB Lighting Design is an independent architectural lighting design firm founded in 1968 and headquartered in New York City. The firm provides specialized lighting design services for institutional, commercial, cultural, and civic building projects — producing lighting strategies, fixture specifications, controls narratives, and visualizations that shape how occupants experience built environments. Its client base includes developers, architecture firms, and institutional owners such as the Seattle Convention Center (Summit Building) and the Seattle Aquarium (Ocean Pavilion).
The firm bills through project-based professional services fees tied to the scope and phase of each engagement, with no disclosed software, platform, or productized offering. Its competitive position rests on the depth of its specialized design talent — marketed as an international design team of over 160 members across multiple studios — and on its long-standing reputation as the largest independent architectural lighting design practice globally. The firm has no outside funding, no public API surface, and no disclosed technology or AI product; its core deliverable is human design judgment supported by standard visualization and simulation workflows.
Operationally, HLB pursues growth through studio openings and mergers rather than capital raises. In March 2025 it merged with Montreal-based CS Design, establishing a Canadian platform and bilingual capacity, and in April 2026 it opened a Seattle design studio to support Pacific Northwest institutional work. The combined firm operates as a private, for-profit professional services practice organized around geographic studios serving large, complex architectural projects.
HLB Lighting Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HLB Lighting Design
- Website
- https://hlblighting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- HLB Lighting Design is an independent architectural lighting design firm, founded 1968 and headquartered in New York City, serving developers, architects, and institutional owners on commercial, civic, and cultural building projects through project-based professional services fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HLB Lighting Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Lighting Design Services
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (541410)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lighting Design Services (BPAHAKAJ)
Keywords
Where HLB Lighting Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HLB Lighting Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Lighting Design Consulting Services: Professional architectural lighting design consulting services for commercial, institutional, and cultural building projects. Revenue generated through project-based fees for design services.
Go-to-market motion2 records
HLB Lighting Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HLB Lighting Design is an architectural lighting design firm that provides professional lighting design consulting services for commercial, institutional, and cultural building projects. The firm designs lighting systems for new construction and renovation projects, including convention centers, aquariums, and other large-scale architectural developments, leveraging an international design team of over 160 members to serve clients across multiple regions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Architectural Lighting Design Consulting Services
Companies that use HLB Lighting Design
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
HLB Lighting Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
HLB Lighting Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CS DesigncoreHLB Lighting Design merged with CS Design, a Montreal-based lighting design firm. This merger enables HLB to strengthen its leadership in architectural lighting and grow its footprint in North America, especially in Canada. The strategic combination enhances global presence and service capacity.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
HLB Lighting Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- L'Observatoire International: Independent architectural lighting design firm with cultural and high-end commercial focus. Comparable size and project typology mix to HLB.
- Bartenbach: International lighting design and research firm based in Austria, with global project portfolio. Comparable international reach and architectural focus to HLB.
- Focus Lighting: New York-based architectural lighting design firm serving cultural, commercial, and institutional projects. Directly comparable to HLB in scale, market focus, and project type.
- Fisher Marantz Stone: Long-established New York architectural lighting design practice with similar cultural, civic, and commercial client base. Direct competitor on flagship institutional projects.
- Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design: Independent architectural lighting design firm serving museums, performing arts centers, and commercial buildings. Comparable in size, independence, and cultural-institution focus.
- Tillotson Design Associates: New York-based architectural lighting design firm specializing in cultural, civic, and educational buildings. Direct peer in the same independent design niche.
Regional players
- Light Bureau: Canadian architectural lighting design firm with strong cultural and commercial portfolio. Notable as a fellow Canadian-headquartered peer relevant given HLB's CS Design acquisition.
Broad incumbents
- Arup Lighting Design: Global engineering consultancy with a substantial architectural lighting practice. Competes on multidisciplinary mega-projects where bundled engineering+lighting offers are attractive.
- WSP Built Ecology / Lighting Design: Global engineering firm with integrated lighting design capabilities. Competes on large-scale commercial and infrastructure projects alongside broader MEP/engineering scopes.
Emerging players
- Studio Lumen Lichtplanung: European architectural lighting design practice with growing international footprint. Comparable independent design firm profile at smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HLB Lighting Design social profiles
Digital presenceHLB Lighting Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HLB Lighting Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
HLB Lighting Design subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
HLB Lighting Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HLB Lighting Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HLB Lighting Design
What does HLB Lighting Design do?
HLB Lighting Design is an architectural lighting design firm that provides professional lighting design consulting services for commercial, institutional, and cultural building projects. The firm designs lighting systems for new construction and renovation projects, including convention centers, aquariums, and other large-scale architectural developments, leveraging an international design team of over 160 members to serve clients across multiple regions.
Is HLB Lighting Design a public or private company?
HLB Lighting Design is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was HLB Lighting Design founded?
HLB Lighting Design was founded in 1968. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is HLB Lighting Design based?
HLB Lighting Design is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does HLB Lighting Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: lighting Design Consulting Services.
Who are HLB Lighting Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are L'Observatoire International, Bartenbach, Focus Lighting, Fisher Marantz Stone, Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design and Tillotson Design Associates. Light Bureau is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Arup Lighting Design and WSP Built Ecology / Lighting Design. Studio Lumen Lichtplanung is listed as an emerging player.
Does HLB Lighting Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for HLB Lighting Design.
What industry is HLB Lighting Design in?
HLB Lighting Design's product category is Architectural Lighting Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAJ, Lighting Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541410 and its SIC code is 8711.