The IES Illumination Awards provide a unique opportunity for public recognition of professionalism, ingenuity and originality in lighting design based upon the individual merit of each entry judged against specific criteria. This program is not a competition.
The Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design sponsored by Edwin F. Guth, the Illumination Award for Outdoor Lighting Design, the Energy and Environmental Lighting Design Award and the Illumination Award for Control Innovation, sponsored by Lighting Controls Association, a Council within NEMA, are parallel programs created to recognize outstanding lighting design. The projects that follow represent this year’s Final Award and Merit Award Recipients.
2024 ILLUMINATION AWARDS COMMITTEE
CHAIR
Jana M. Owens
Luminii
MEMBERS
Adam Carangi
Consultant
Megan Carroll
Lighting Services, Inc.
Mindy A. Cooper
Performance Lighting Systems
Jeffrey J. Davis
System Design Consultants, Inc
Craig Fox
ETC, Inc.
John R. Harpest
Wright State University
Howard Kosowsky
Power and Lighting Systems
Benjamin Koyle
RAB Lighting
Denis Lavoie
Eureka Lighting /
Cyclone Lighting
Richard Paradis
Synergy Investment, Inc.
Laura I. Roman
AKLD Lighting Design
Amanda N. Schaneman
Kirlin Lighting
Zoe T. Rounds
Specialized Engineering Solutions
Liesel Whitney-Schulte
DesignLights Consortium
Paula D. Ziegenbein
Hartranft Lighting Design
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING DESIGN
GABRIELLE CHANEL. FASHION MANIFESTO
London, United Kingdom
Designers: Zerlina Hughes, Saumya Monga – Studio ZNA
Owner: Victoria and Albert Museum
Visitors of the “Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto” exhibition presented at the V&A in South Kensington in London experienced a narrative of “subtle evocation to full-blown fashion drama.” The carefully curated celebration of the House of Chanel included 200 objects, fashion items, accessories, textiles, photography—and a chic, layered lighting scheme to boot. Illumination was used to create captivating vistas and guide guests through a visual journey of fashion-house history.
Beginning with a crisply lit lacquered portal (pictured right), guests continued to cross a timeline of the designer’s life to enter an abstract garden of archival garments with the illusion of dappled sunlight; a perfume room enriched with refracted light; scenes inspired by dusk and night; highcontrast spaces with dark, glossy finishes that allowed leather and metal accessories to shine (inset); and finally, into a space of monochrome simplicity, for which Chanel is best known. Objects strategically illuminated to draw guests’ attention to details, forms and materiality were lit to conservation levels of 50 lux—ensuring that the classical styles will remain timeless.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING DESIGN
YIXING HEZI SPA CLUB
Yixing City, China
Designers: Besson Tao, Zhi Peng Li, Qian Ke Wong –
WEGO Lighting Design.
Simplicity and integration were the ruling principles for this Eastern-inspired spa reception area. Modern illumination techniques, such as merging minimal lighting fixtures with spatial features and humancentric dimming, were employed to create a successful visual narrative while maintaining the spa’s safety and functionality.
Key to the project’s success is the concealed illumination of ceiling-suspended 2.5-meter (~8-ft) bamboo-woven walls and 69 nearly 4-meter (~13-ft) tall randomly distributed acrylic columns. Together, the unique features, spotlights above the reception desk and single LEDs at the base of each column create an alluring and energy-efficient “dreamy light jungle.”
Other elements incorporated into the project, such as path lights leading to the reception area and illuminated rocks, evoke a natural and relaxing ambiance.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR INDOOR LIGHTING DESIGN
SPONSORED BY EDWIN F. GUTH
Special Citation for Seamless and Delicate Detailing of Lighting Throughout the Liturgical Space
SAINT NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH AND NATIONAL SHRINE
New York City
Designers: Tom Gallagher, Jesse Smith, Kane Hassebrock, Sara Aquirre, Wes Calkin, Yosuke Hiraiwa – DLR Group
Owner: The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Photos: Alan Karchmer and Kevin Reeves
The project scope of the rebuilt and renewed Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine—a house of worship destroyed by the fall of the Second Tower during the terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001—included the revival of the church’s striking exterior lighting as well as it’s entire interior: the lobby, exonarthex, nave, prayer rooms, bereavement rooms, a community room, office spaces, a kitchen and gift shop. A place intended for reflection and remembrance for all visitors, the lighting design incorporates the use of a thermal enclosure and translucent stone rainscreen to project the exterior of the building as a glowing beacon of hope at night, while providing a warm embrace for guests inside the nave.
Additionally, numerous, fully concealed, individually controlled, 3000K fixtures, with custom snoots to minimize glare, are positioned at the base of the church’s dome, allowing not only for the accentuation of architectural elements and religious iconography, but also for changes in lighting scenes to suit the needs of various service types.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING DESIGN
THE WAVE
Athens, Greece
Designers: Athanassisos Danilof – DANILOF light + perception studio
Owner: Prodea Investments
Photos: Pygmalion Karatzas
A new type of office building rests in the center of Athens along a bustling main street linking the city’s historic core to the Athenian Riviera. Dark-sky conscious and LEED-Gold approved, the façade of the redesigned office weaves low luminance and subtle alterations in lighting intensity with darkness to give the impression of waving motion as city dwellers pass by. Lighting systems were designed specifically for each of the façade’s fins and placed within dedicated coves, allowing for near imperceptibility during daylight hours and an enchantingly modern atmosphere after dark.
To achieve the minimalist look, designers implemented custom 100-milimeter pixel pitch luminaires with aluminum profiles and special joining corners. The fixtures, which are fully powered with only 2 watts per meter, are programmed to use even less power through DMX dim-to-dark controls and equipped with replaceable UV-stable diffusers for maintenance and color matching. In case of failure, only a fraction of the specific fixture will need to be replaced, helping the designers of “The Wave” project achieve their overarching goal of synergy between sustainability and aesthetics.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING DESIGN
PERELMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT WTC
New York City
Designers: Suzan Tillotson, Erin Dreyfous, Gabriela Grullon, Noor Traboulsi, Trinetra Manickavasagam – Tillotson Design Associates
Owner: Perelman Performing Arts Center – Jenny Greener
Photos: Iwan Baan and Jonathan Morefield Photography
Providing the traditional glamor of the theater-going experience, Perelman Performing Arts Center targets a LEED Silver certification while turning standard LED products into elegant assemblies that evoke the technical nature of an industrial theater. The energy-efficient effect is created through the use of a translucent marble façade running center line between two layers of glass, while a lightly etched outer surface diffuses the transfer of surrounding exterior light sources. Then, custom chandeliers (pictured, inset) aimed at the assembly from behind push light from the center of the 76-ft tall marble to the edges of the stone, transforming a stark-white cube during the day into a warm, glowing lantern once darkness falls.
Chandeliers are composed of LED bars arranged in V-shapes and set in polished frames, with each LED bar calibrated to a specific angle, optic and output of light to allow for various dimming sequences in the hour past sunset until the full dark of night.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING DESIGN
WEST BLOCK
Ottawa, Canada
Designers: Francois Roupinian, Fabio Novaes—Lightemotion;
Stephanie Chaisson— RMA+SH Architects
Photos: Gordon King
The majesty of the mid-19th century High Victorian Gothic Revival building West Block stands as an essential part of Canada’s Parliament, but up until recently, its stone and brick façade was never illuminated. To preserve the structure’s heritage while enhancing its architectural beauty, a base layer of linear lighting fixtures was discreetly mounted within a custom curb detail to conceal the fixtures while softly grazing the stone façade. All luminaires are 3000K and were painted a custom RAL heritage color to blend seamlessly with the building’s aesthetics. The 10-deg by 10-deg beams that were integrated into window sills and aimed inside deep frames highlight West Block’s gothic architecture and details. At night, the illumination reveals aspects of the building and materials that are undetected during the day, adding a new dimension to the visitor experience.
A DMX lighting control system accommodates the building’s diverse operational needs including daily tourist visits and special events lighting. The system has the ability to adjust lighting levels based on time of day, seasons and bird migration patterns, and its maintenance scheme was crafted for long-term sustainability, employing remote drivers, minimal fixture types and simplified aiming processes to facilitate upkeep.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR INTERIOR LIGHTING DESIGN
SPONSORED BY EDWIN F. GUTH
Special Citation for Thoughtful Retrofit of the Chapel to Enhance the Original Architect’s Five Elements of Light, Stone, Water, Greenery and Trees
STONE CHURCH – KANZO UCHIMURA MEMORIAL HALL
Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan
Designers: Masanobu Takeishi, Masako Yanagisawa—ICE Inc.
Owner: Hoshino Resorts Inc.
Photos: Hoshino Resorts Inc./Hirofumi Inaba Hoshino
Nineteen massive stone arches form the backbone of a tranquil church resting in the middle of a Japanese forest. To realize a place of gathering in harmony with the environment, previous halogen lamp fixtures were renovated to modern, color-controllable LED fixtures, allowing for brightness control, providing 4500K light in daytime under sunshine, 3500K light in cloudy or rainy days and gradually changing from 3000K to 2700K at dusk to candlelight at night. Four large spotlights were installed in the top of the arch—8 meters (~26 ft)—to illuminate the altar and seats.
As the church has proven to be a popular wedding venue, 11 scenes using 22 circuits were installed in the chapel alone, ensuring that both brightness and color can be modified based on various stages of a ceremony. A unique color temperature is used to illuminate the bride and groom to emphasize their presence in an intimate space among the “organic architecture” of light, stone, water, greenery and trees.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING DESIGN
Special Citation for Meticulous and Precise Application of Façade Lighting
SPACE NEEDLE EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Seattle, WA
Designers: Erik Crowell, Jason Edling, Hiroyuki Ono, Clara Tsao, Collin Tabata, Jenna Strasser—Niteo
Owner: Space Needle Corporation
Photos: Erik Crowell
When renovations to the top observation levels of Seattle’s landmark Space Needle were completed in 2018, it became apparent that the new glass floor allowed light ingress and glare from the existing floodlight system into the observatory/lounge on the lowest level. Maintaining the Needle’s lighting design required a solution that eliminated light trespass through the glass floor while replacing the original fixture locations and introducing new color-changing capabilities and remote, off-site control.
High-powered projectors with precision optics and custom gobos were utilized to create custom patterns, restricting the floodlighting to the structure. With 0.5-deg deviations in tilt resulting in beam shifts of 4 ft on the structure above, extremely tight tolerances for both beam optics and gobo pattern production were required. Once the system was implemented, light through the glass floor was eliminated, gobos cycled out during unoccupied hours for a more complete lighting of the Space Needle above the glass floor, color effects and controls requirements were met and a 60% energy savings was achieved.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING DESIGN
I-74 MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE
Bettendorf, IA
Designers: Faith Baum, Elizabeth Johnson, Joe Spinnato, Oktay Akanpinar—HLB Lighting Design
Owner: Iowa Department of Transportation
Photos: Feinknopf Photography/Lauren K. Davis
Connecting Bettendorf, IA, and Moline, IL, the illuminated double basket-handled arch structure of the I-74 Mississippi Bridge stretches nearly a mile over the river, forming an apex of color and light via dynamic uplighting. Color-changing luminaires target the bottoms of the arches, highlighting surfaces that lie in shadow during the day. Luminaires follow the pattern of the cables with additional luminaires placed on the end beams, illuminating the arches down to their foundations. Custom controls are pre-programmed with more than 25 celebratory scenes that include changing seasons, events and holidays throughout the year.
Along the bridge’s pedestrian path, the overlook and illuminated glass oculus create an alluring respite for visitors. Identity element columns (pictured, inset) incorporate an integration of reflective blue highway sign material that evenly distributes the illumination from a single light placed at the bottom of each column, and under-bench lighting ensures that the river view is clear at night.
ILLUMINATION AWARD FOR OUTDOOR LIGHTING DESIGN
BAODING SHIGUANG PARK
Baoding, China
Designers: Zhenhuan Cai, Yi Hu, Xiao Wang, Zhanzhan Yang, Lili Liu, Haochen Zhao, Jia Liu, Shufen Huang, Pengkang Han—Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd.; Feng Zhang and Jinchen Li— Baoding National Hightech Industrial Development Zone Development Co.
Owner: Baoding National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone Development Co.
Photos: Zhenhuan Cai
Baoding Shiguang Park integrates advanced lighting technology into previously uninhabited land to integrate cultural memory, energy efficiency and excitement into the lives of local residents and visitors. Based on the theme of “Gathering Light,” the illumination of sculptures, fountains, leisure corridors and paving are unified; the prominent Halo Gate sculpture creates a dreamlike effect and light shows are inspired by Baoding’s natural scenery and culture. Through the use of building information modeling technology and full-scale 3-D plotting, lighting equipment is integrated with the site environment without glare interference, ensuring visual comfort for pedestrians. Big-data fusion, AI algorithms, interactive sensing and other technologies are also employed to realize the roaming and wayfinding of the dynamic patterns on the “halo door” screen throughout the core sculpture space. Photovoltaic materials are incorporated into the park’s structures, urban furniture and light sculptures, reducing electricity consumption and promoting energy conservation to all who come to relax the among the park’s dynamic elements.