lighting design + cultural placemaking
A B O U T R A C H E L
Rachel Levy is the proud owner and founder of RLdesigns, a cultural placemaking firm, specializing in strengthening and cultivating projects that drive change, growth, and transformation through innovative lighting design and control solutions.
Levy’s passion and innovation has provided her the rare opportunity to work with the country’s top live-entertainment productions, architectural projects, and public installations, including serving as the Assistant Lighting Director for FOX’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ Lighting Director for The Grammy’s Salute to The Beatles, and Lead Lighting Designer for Chicago’s Merchandise Mart’s ‘Art on theMart’ installation which won Levy the prestigious IES National Lighting Design Award.
Regardless of the area of expression, Levy’s work and approach is bold, engaging, relevant, and professional. She utilizes multi-layered light, and sophisticated, responsible control systems to strategically shape the
physical and social character of a space and establish a deep connection with its inhabitants.
Conceptually inspired, expertly crafted, and visually perfected, Levy takes her clients on an experiential journey, overseeing every project from conception to completion. In order to establish a design vocabulary unique to every project's needs and particulars, Levy begins her process by investigating the collective intention while remaining mindful of the larger, artistic vision. Throughout her process, Levy works closely with all project collaborators, understanding that projects evolve, requiring regular conversation, detailed implementation, and a significant interest in the final outcome.
Levy’s diverse background has given her a one-of-a-kind perspective, not only in the creative work she does but also in how she approaches every single project, making her a sought-after thought leader.
Armed with over 10 years of experience working in lighting design and control solutions, Levy is well aware that sometimes one must reinvent the lens in which we view the world in order to experience greatness. With this in mind, she encourages and promotes the clustering of ideas together and cross-fertilizing them between industries. Levy has the insightful ability to identify and reimagine the assets within a project and our surroundings, revealing their hidden value potential.
When applied effectively, it is Levy’s fundamental belief that design reinvigorates neighborhoods, empowers and generates public activity, stimulates financial growth, and most importantly strengthens Community.
Ultimately, it’s Levy’s view point that it is imperative to a project’s successful contemporary narrative and a community’s endurability to embed the arts in its architecture, its policies, and its foundation. Therefore, Levy utilizes light, lighting controls, and diligent collaboration as powerful tools to focus perspective, to engage individuals, and to create beautiful environments that inspire emotional connections.