True 1 Earns Best of Products Recognition from The Architect’s Newspaper
The award recognizes True 1 for bringing high-performance illumination, design flexibility, and thoughtful engineering to a compact 1-inch aperture.
Good design often comes down to doing more with less. In architectural lighting, that means delivering the performance and flexibility a project demands while minimizing the visual presence of the fixture itself.
That balance is at the heart of True 1, DMF Lighting’s compact 1-inch aperture downlight, recently recognized as a winner in The Architect’s Newspaper’s annual Best of Products Awards.
The Best of Products Awards recognize standout products that contribute to the built environment, with entries evaluated by a jury of architects, designers, educators, curators, manufacturers, and The Architect’s Newspaper editors. Products are judged on innovation, aesthetics, performance, sustainability, and value—criteria that closely align with the priorities of today’s design professionals.
For True 1, the award underscores what is possible when a small aperture is paired with serious optical and engineering innovation.
Small Aperture, Serious Performance
True 1 was designed to deliver high-performance illumination from an exceptionally compact form factor. Its 1-inch aperture provides the clean, discreet aesthetic designers increasingly seek, while a patent-pending three-stage optical stack with cross beam TIR optics delivers over 750 nominal lumens and low UGR ratings for enhanced glare control.
The result is a fixture that can virtually disappear into the ceiling while providing the performance needed to illuminate architecture, artwork, finishes, and occupied spaces with precision.
For designers, that combination matters. A smaller aperture can contribute to a cleaner, more refined ceiling plane while still providing the light quality and performance required for the space.
Flexibility That Supports the Design
Design rarely remains static from concept through installation. Field conditions can change. Furniture layouts can shift and artwork may be moved. A beam spread that looked right on paper may need to be adjusted once the space comes together.
True 1 is engineered to accommodate those realities.
Its modular construction separates the housing, LED module, optic, and trim, allowing individual components to be changed in the field without tools. Designers and contractors can make adjustments on site rather than being locked into decisions made earlier in the project.
Available in both fixed downlight and adjustable configurations, True 1 gives designers flexibility to tailor the light to each application. Interchangeable 30°, 40°, and 50° optics allow beam distribution to be tailored in the field, while the adjustable module provides 35° tilt, 360° rotation and hot aiming.
Color is equally adaptable. True 1 is available in 2400K through 4000K color temperatures as well as Warm Dim from 3000K to 1800K, all at 93 CRI.
Designed for What Comes Next
Perhaps one of True 1’s most significant innovations is something designers may never see: how the fixture manages and maintains its performance over time.
Powered by SpectraDrive™ technology, an integrated DC-to-DC regulator maintains precise, constant voltage from the driver, delivering consistent color and light output throughout the life of the fixture.
True 1 also takes a different approach to serviceability. Rather than placing the driver in the housing, True 1 integrates a DC-to-DC driver into the LED module. The module connects with a quick-connect system and can be removed and replaced from below the ceiling in seconds.
This approach simplifies service and provides greater flexibility over the life of the installation. Modules can be replaced without opening ceilings or dealing with complex wiring, while outdated technology can potentially be upgraded without replacing the entire fixture.
For architects and designers focused on creating spaces that perform well not only at completion but throughout their life cycle, serviceability is an increasingly important part of responsible design.
Recognition That Reflects What Designers Value
True 1’s award recognition reflects the value of bringing together performance, flexibility, and thoughtful engineering in a compact form factor.
By combining a minimal 1-inch aperture with advanced optics, precise aiming, modular flexibility, and a design built for long-term serviceability, True 1 gives designers greater control while allowing the architecture to remain the focus.
The Best of Products recognition reinforces the idea that even the smallest elements of a lighting system can have a meaningful impact on how a space looks, performs, and evolves over time.