Matt Lloyd, Founder of 3LR Lighting, has long believed in the transformative power of lighting and is passionate about raising awareness of its emotional impact. For Lloyd, lighting is not just a technical component of design — it’s a lifelong fascination and a medium that can deeply affect how people feel within a space.
With a career spanning 38 years and thousands of venues, Lloyd has witnessed first-hand how lighting can completely alter an environment and, by extension, the emotional state of those within it. 3LR’s guiding philosophy, “Lighting by Emotion,” is rooted in this understanding — and it permeates every project the company undertakes. The concept is inspired by the third light receptor in the human eye, a discovery that has deeply influenced the company’s work and mission.
So, who is 3LR? Based in the UK, 3LR is a specialist company representing leading international manufacturers of architectural lighting, broadcast lighting, and control equipment. Rather than operating as a sales and distribution firm, 3LR focuses on helping clients achieve lighting schemes that are aesthetically refined, technically sound, and environmentally sustainable.
When Lloyd founded the company, his vision was to assemble a team of seasoned professionals who could enter any space and instinctively understand the kind of lighting design that would feel right — emotionally, practically, and visually. That vision informed the company’s name: 3LR, referencing the third light receptor.
While rods and cones are well known for enabling vision, researchers discovered just over 20 years ago a third type of photosensitive cell in the human eye, responsible for managing circadian entrainment — our body’s internal alignment with the external day/night cycle. Unlike rods and cones, this receptor (known technically as electrically coupled photosensitive ganglion cells) is responsible for regulating how light impacts our emotional and physiological state. It is this receptor that inspired the name and mission of 3LR.
This deeper, neurological connection to light supports 3LR’s belief that lighting has a profound role in shaping how people experience the world. While often considered a functional tool, light is also the “magic dust” of a space — capable of elevating or diminishing its atmosphere. That’s why 3LR encourages its clients to consider the emotional tone they wish to set the moment someone enters a space, whether it’s a 20,000-seat stadium, a boutique hotel, a spa room, or a private residence.
A core element of 3LR’s service lies in supplying the right technology to achieve that emotional connection. While the industry-wide shift to LED technology has many benefits, it also presents challenges — particularly around emotional resonance. Many professionals miss the warmth and character of tungsten, which offered a natural visual temperature more aligned with the body’s circadian response. 3LR therefore takes great care in recommending lighting systems that maintain a deep emotional and biological connection to their environment, even as lighting technologies evolve.
3LR’s expertise has been applied to many prestigious venues across the UK and beyond, including the National Theatre, Royal Albert Hall, Sadler’s Wells, Bristol Beacon, Liverpool Everyman, Birmingham Hippodrome, Glyndebourne Opera House, and @sohoplace. In each of these venues, the company’s philosophy has been embraced — particularly in projects like the Whyte Recital Hall at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where lead architect John Palmer of TODD Architects remarked on the lighting’s ability to set the tone for the audience before the first note is played.
But 3LR’s work isn’t confined to theatres. The company applies its “lighting by emotion” philosophy to a wide range of environments — from cruise ships and hotels to restaurants and private homes. One memorable project involved designing the lighting for a large kitchen-diner. Initially surprised by the level of detail proposed, the client later reported that the lighting had such a profound effect on the space that they wished they’d asked 3LR to handle the entire house.
This type of feedback exemplifies the company’s mission: to connect people with spaces through emotionally resonant lighting, rooted in science and driven by passion. The team at 3LR believes that recognising and working with the emotional dimension of light sets their work apart — and they remain committed to helping others experience the full potential of lighting’s transformative power.
