(foto) [Greek. phos photos, light], Combined form: pertaining to light or to photography. (ma) [Japan. Zen space and time] ma is the result of events or objects that “frame out” a void and cause it to be.

FOTO-MA is an award winning independent lighting architects practice based in Edinburgh Scotland. The Practice was established in 2001 by architect and lighting designer Gavin Fraser, former Senior Lighting Designer and Team Leader at Jonathan Speirs and Associates (now known as Speirs and Major Associates).

We specialise in providing a creative, professional, architectural lighting design service, designing lighting that is considered and integral to a range of building types and architectural structures. In all our work we are collaborators, operating creatively as part of a team. This can range from the comprehensive and complex teams that are required to develop and construct most large buildings to the more intimate and involved collaborations that we have experienced with a number of contemporary artists.

The practice is comprised of a small team of Lighting designers mainly from an architectural background each experienced in contributing creatively and analytically with design teams and professionals to ensure appropriate and innovative lighting solutions. The work and lighting philosophy of the principals has been recognised with several major international lighting awards.

Key projects have included being the Lighting Designers for the multi award winning redesign of the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh which is the first complete art gallery project in the UK to be completely re-lit using high end Museum and Gallery quality multi-phosphor warm white LED lighting through out all the gallery spaces. This project recently won a Highly Commended Award in the Public Buildings Category of the National Lighting Awards 2013 as well as winning Scottish Design Awards, RIBA and RIAS, Civic Trust Awards in 2012. The project also won a coveted Carbon Trust Award 2013 which recognises the projects attention to sustainability issues and low energy and energy efficient design.
Our portfolio includes a wide range of lighting design experience including airports, bridges and structures, trading floors, offices, conference centres, hotels, retail centres, theme parks, museum and gallery lighting, exhibitions, leisure, historical restorations, external and corporate lighting.

Apart from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery ‘Portrait of a Nation Project our other notable projects have included. The relighting of the Ross Fountain in West Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh, Rosslyn Chapel Conservation and Access Project, St Andrews RC Cathedral Glasgow, Apex Temple Court Hotel in London, Regents Bridge Callum Innes Art installation for Edinburgh Arts Festival, Pier Arts Centre, Orkney, Wolfson Medical School, Perth Concert Hall, The Vincent Building for Cranfield University and Maggies Centres in Nottingham, Oxford, Cotswolds and Gartnavel, Glasgow

www.foto-ma.com