That is the one word that encompasses the 39th Annual IALD International Lighting Design Awards, presented by Acuity Brands, which was streamed on June 9th. Co-Chaired by Mirjam Roos, IALD, CLD from Sydney, Australia, and Yah Li Toh from Singapore, this hour-long presentation flew by with each uplifting award winner.
“International” was certainly the theme of the event. Of the over two hundred submissions, the 22 award winners came from 10 different countries from Asia, Europe, and North America, with designers from Asia taking home 13. Brandston Partnership in Shanghai was the big winner with 4, including 1 Special Citation, 2 Awards of Merit and an Award of Excellence. While Brandston Partnerships won the largest number of awards, the highest award, the Radiance Award, given to the Award of Excellence winner with the highest judging score, went to Beijing Puri Lighting Design for their project, Chamber Chapel, in Qingdao, Shangdong, China.
The award winners’ designs spanned both time and space as many new buildings were joined by the project, Acropolis of Athens and Monuments, which beautifully illuminates the over 2500-year-old edifice. Also of note was the fact that winners came from two cities that have basically reigned over news headlines for the past 30 months – Fusheng Art Gallery in Wuhan, China, designed by Beijing Bamboo Lighting Design LTD, and Synagogue: Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, designed by Expolight in Kiev, Ukraine.
The Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center specifically caught my eye. The immediate vicinity of the Memorial Center was bombed during the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine. Luckily, this beautifully solemn project was not damaged. The representative of Expolight wore a heart shaped Ukrainian flag on his chest while standing in front of a flag saying, “Light always overcomes darkness.”
Yes. Yes, it does.
Here is the complete list of winners. The video submissions may be viewed on the IALD YouTube Channel. I recommend everyone to take a moment and get inspired.
Radiance Award
Chamber Chapel – Beijing Puri Lighting Design – Qingdao, Shangdong, China.
Award of Excellence
Chamber Chapel – Beijing Puri Lighting Design – Qingdao, Shangdong, China.
Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River – Project Lighting Design – Bangkok, Thailand
Fusheng Art Gallery – Beijing Bamboo Lighting Design LTD – Wuhan, China
Guanyin Alter – Shanghai ATL Lighting Design Co., LTD – Zhoushan, China
Human Transit Oriented Development Exhibition Center – Brandston Partnership Inc. – Dongguan, China
Nidaros Cathedral – Erik Selmer, Architect MNAL – Trondheim, Norway
Synagogue: Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center – Expolight – Kiev, Ukraine
Xu Wei Art Museum – Lighting Design Institute of UAD – Shaoxing, China
Award of Merit
Acropolis of Athens and Monuments – Eleftheria Deko & Associates Lighting Design – Athens, Greece
BIO4, Amagervaerket – Speirs Major – Copenhagen, Denmark
Chongqing Qiansimen Sales Center – Brandston Partnership Inc. – Chongqing, China
Davis Rubenstein Forum, University of Chicago – Tillotson Design Associates – Chicago, IL, USA
Guangming Culture and Art Center – RDesign International Lighting – Shenzhen, China
Jiaxing Train Station – Nig Field Lighting Design Corp. Ltd – Jiaxing, China
Lun-Ping Cultural Landscape Park Pavilion – CosmoC Lighting, Ltd. – Taoyuan, Taiwan
Pilsudski Bridge – Qlab Sp. Z o.o – Krakow, Poland
Sea Change – Arup + Jill Anholt Studio – Lonsdale Quay, North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Shanghai Rock Band – Brandston Partnership Inc. – Shanghai, China
Xapo Bank Hall – Michela Mezzavilla, reMM Lighting Design + MMAS Lighting Design – Gibraltar, UK
Special Citation for Use of Lighting in Enhancing Branding and Identity
Allegiant Stadium – WSP USA – Las Vegas, NV, USA
Special Citation for Exceptional Illumination of Organic Roof Form
Guan Yue Ta – FANGFANG Lighting Design Studio – Longyan, China
Special Citation for Creative Transition of Lighting Scenes with Integration of Photoelectric Glass and Architectural Lighting
Mei Li Zhou Church – Brandston Partnership Inc. and Zhejiang University City College – Hangzhou, China