More Than 100 Design Students from New York Schools Enter the Eleventh Annual New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society’s Student Lighting Competition

Peace Bomb, designed by Kevin Lee, an industrial design major at Pratt Institute, won first prize in New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society’s (IESNYC) annual student lighting competition. The winning project consisted of a paper cut-out in the shape of a cold-war era bomb that looks like a modern table lamp. When illuminated from within, a shadow in the form of the “ban the bomb” symbol, which subsequently became known as the symbol for peace, is cast on the wall.

As first place winner, Lee receives a $ 2,000 cash prize from the IESNYC and will have the opportunity to take part in the upcoming Guerilla Lighting event in Beirut.

The jury felt Peace Bomb not only demonstrated originality, but realized an idea that has international and historical significance. They were impressed with the way the placement of the light source gave the design a fragile, ethereal quality.

With this year’s theme of Revealing Shadows, students were challenged to construct a three-dimensional study in any medium and show how the interaction of light, shadows, and surfaces can distort or enhance one’s perception. The topic piqued the interest of lighting design, architecture, interior design, theater, industrial design, and art students – from The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Fordham University, New York University (NYU), New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), Parsons The New School for Design, Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Arts (SVA) – and drew a total of 113 submissions – nearly double the amount of last year.

“This competition is not necessarily a design exercise,” says Brian Belluomini, lighting consultant and co-chair of the Student Lighting Competition Committee, “it is really about exploration and discovery. Each year we try to focus on some specific aspect or property of light, and themes are kept intentionally abstract so as not to limit the boundaries of a student’s creativity.”

The jury selected awarded second place to Shadow Ripples in a Pond of Light designed by Parsons The New School student Rebecca Bost, received a cash prize of $ 1,000 from the IESNYC. Another Parsons’ student, Brandon Lenoir, was awarded third place and a $ 500 cash prize from the section for his design Was It a Rat I Saw? In addition, the jury awarded three honorable mentions. The awards were presented after two keynote presentations by two artists who work with light and shadows – Larry Kagan, sculptor and professor of art at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and artist Kumi Yamashita.

“The number of entries we have is a direct result of educators choosing to include the competition as part of the required coursework for their classes, says Shaun Fillon, committee co-chair and staff designer at Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Designers. This year’s high participation reflects the success of this collaborative effort, and confirms that instructors are finding this competition to be a valuable teaching tool in the classroom.

One of the goals of IES New York City Section is to promote education and greater awareness about the importance of lighting, and the Student Lighting Competition is one of the contributors towards these efforts. The first IESNYC Student Lighting Competition was held in a classroom with eight lighting design students’ projects in competition. Today the competition is open to inter-disciplinary academic programs such as theater arts, industrial design, and interior design in addition to lighting design.

“Regardless of whatever career path a student chooses to pursue, continues Belluomini, “if we can get them thinking about the many intricacies of light instead of just taking it all for granted, then we as lighting professionals, have done a good thing.”

• The 2011 jury was composed of Frank Conti, president, Enterprise Lighting Sales and former IESNYC president, Marty Salzberg, senior associate, Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Designers, Joern Siebke, associate, Arc Lighting Design, and artist Kumi Yamashita.
• The 2011 Student Lighting Competition is sponsored by Bartco Lighting, Enterprise Lighting Sales, OSRAM Sylvania, Philips/Lightolier (lead sponsors); Debbas International (Guerilla Lighting trip sponsor); Acuity Brands (contributing sponsor); and Lutron Electronics (additional donations).
• Committee members for the 2011 Student Lighting Competition are Brian Belluomini Lighting Consultant and Shaun Fillion Cline Bettridge Bernstein (co-chairs); Randy Sabedra, RS Lighting Design (advisor); Tae Young Kim, Kugler Ning Lighting Design and Rachel Eichorn, Kugler Ning Lighting Design (event planning); Paul Christensen, Solis LED, David Yassell, Stan Deutsch Associates, Justin Moench AWA Lighting Designers (sponsorships); Shelly Haniff, Edison Price Lighting and Georges Moghaizel, Debbas International (school relations).

Grand Prize
Peace Bomb
Kevin Lee
Pratt Institute, Industrial Design
Jeanne Pfordresher, Instructor

Second Prize
Shadow Ripples in a Pond of Light
Rebecca Bost
Parsons The New School for Design, MFA Lighting Design and Architecture
Nelson Jenkins, Instructor

Third Prize
Was It a Rat I Saw?
Brandon Lenoir
Parsons The New School for Design, AAS Interior Design
Randy Sabedra, Instructor

• Honorable mention: Light Lunch, Margaret Cabanis-Wicht, Pratt Institute, Master of Industrial Design
• Honorable mention: The Heart of A Confident Man, Shane Moan, Fordham University, BA Theater Design Production – Chad McCarver, Instructor
• Honorable mention: Familiar Objects In a New Light, Andrew Koudlai, Fordham University, Visual Arts – Colin Cathcart, Instructor

Photography Credits:

Naomi Castillo, 90 Degree Photo, Inc. Lighting & Architectural Photography

Craig DiLouie

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