Light That Draws Space

Answers to questions from the magazine Bydlení mezi panely, February 2026.

What was your personal path to light – when did you realise that light design would be your professional direction?

For me light is a synonym for life, and in its various forms it has accompanied me all my life. Light is also the fourth dimension of architecture, and it has shaped my professional life for almost 15 years, partly by chance, partly as a consequence of life events – although I do not really believe in coincidences, so perhaps everything is as it should be.

How did the DECOLED brand come about, and how has its philosophy developed over time?

Decoled was at first simply a name for our products, but after some time we united everything under one name, which perhaps hints a little at its origin. Over time it was the philosophy that changed more than the name, and with it the strategy. The original decoration of towns and cities expanded to include shopping-centre decoration and subsequently light exhibitions. We have always striven for a certain character, for originality, and for something more that would make us unique.

How would you describe your vision: where do you want to take light design, and what matters most to you in this field?

Light is a beautiful instrument, and through it I would like not only to tell light stories but also, through further, more artistic treatments, to cultivate public space or the nearest world around us. With respect for the world and for nature, I would like to fulfil my favourite starting point – light is both source and goal.

Which installations are you currently working on, and what is typical of them?

At present we are preparing themed light exhibitions for this year, regular projects for Christmas decoration, and we are getting ready to exhibit at the trade fair in Frankfurt am Main. It is precisely by searching for new technologies and ways of working that we try to fulfil our vision, or dream, that a decoration should have the effect, in its design, of a piece of jewellery.

Is there a current project that fulfils you particularly, professionally or personally?

I am afraid this will sound unbelievable, but every one is different and every one delights me. What always fulfils me with joy is a certain added dimension, when I can draw on my knowledge in a project and truly create a story, invent. So I am looking forward to this year's exhibition at Žluté lázně (the Yellow Baths), but also to a light story about fashion, technology and the history of a city, and of course we are looking for further original designs for interior lighting.

Can you give readers a glimpse of which installations or concepts you are preparing in the near future?

At present, after last year's exhibitions ended, we carried on without a break and prepared interactively, for the time when the Olympics will take place, our Light Winter Games in the Krkonoše. The magical night-time light adventure on the Treetop Walkway is enriched with the history of Czech sport, and all of it is complemented by an educational trail as well as the chance to test newly acquired knowledge in a quiz. In this sense, an absolutely unique exhibition with new experiences in the mountains.

Which projects of recent years do you consider key to your professional growth?

All of them. Or rather, in every sector we want to remain a synonym for quality, originality and reliability. We are probably seeing great interest in our light exhibitions in public space, but we must remain open to all challenges. Perhaps some such await us after our exhibiting in Frankfurt am Main and London.

Is there an installation that became a milestone for DECOLED, and why?

I consider as such those that opened the way for us into prestigious shopping centres at home and in Europe, European metropolises, but of course the milestone closest to my heart is Old Town Square in Prague. The first worldwide responses to the Old Town tree came from abroad, and then followed the recognition of Prague as the most beautiful Christmas destination in the world and, last year, the pleasant recognition of the decoration of the markets on Old Town Square by the American CNN.

What are you looking forward to most in the coming years on your "journey towards light"?

I admit, everything – and most of all what I do not yet have any inkling of. I hope that my metaphor for the desire to decorate New York at Christmas will take some form, wherever that may be. I rejoice in the journey and in the ideas for which I am still waiting, patiently and humbly.

Published in: Bydlení mezi panely, 10 February 2026.