[d]arc awards 2020 online ceremony
The winners of the 2020 [d]arc awards were announced via a live video stream. Catch up on the awards presentation and find out who took home the top prizes this year.
The [d]arc awards is a unique concept utilising arc and darc magazines’ reputation as being the most widely read and respected lighting design publications in the world. In collaboration with creative consultants Light Collective, we have created a unique opportunity to get every practice involved in the awards process.
Anyone can enter (lighting designers, architects, interior designers or manufacturers) and once the shortlist has been chosen by an international jury of independent architectural lighting designers; lighting design practices, architects and interior designers are invited to vote on their favourite projects making this the only truly peer-to-peer lighting design awards in the world.
Renowned architect Art Gensler dies aged 85
(USA) – Art Gensler, the American architect, interior designer and founder of global architectural firm Gensler, has passed away at the age of 85 after a long illness.
Gensler, founder of the world’s largest architecture firm, died in his sleep at his family home in Mill Valley, Marin County, reported the San Francisco Chronicle.
Gensler founded his practice in San Francisco in 1965 alongside his late wife Drue, and James Follett. Today, the firm operates across 50 countries around the world, with an annual revenue of $1.5bn.
Diagnosed with lung disease 18 months ago, Gensler continued to work for his practice, with a full calendar of meetings scheduled when he died. His son, David Gensler, said: “My dad was a regular guy, respectful and friendly and never pompous. He loved serving clients through the power of design.”
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1935, Gensler was the son of a phone company employee and a ceiling tiles salesman. He grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut and graduated from Cornell University’s College of Architecture in 1958.
Following university, he moved to California on the advice of his mentor, architecture critic Henry Hill, and worked for architect William Wurster, while establishing his own practice.
His eponymous firm got its start designing interiors for corporate offices in San Francisco skyscrapers. Early work included the 237-metre Bank of America Center (renamed 555 California Street) and the 121-metre Alcoa Building (now One Maritime Plaza).
The practice opened its first office at 555 Clay Street in San Francisco, before expanding around the US; its Houston office opened in 1972, followed by the New York office in 1979. The firm also expanded overseas with the opening of its London office in 1988, followed by studios in Japan and Hong Kong in 1993, while its first Chinese office opened in Shanghai in 2002.
Landmark projects for the studio include the 632-metre-high Shanghai Tower – the world’s second-tallest building, the long-term renovation of San Francisco International Airport, the renovation and expansion of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, offices for the New York Times, Washington Post, London Stock Exchange, and the interiors for the new US Embassy in London. Gensler also designed the first 100 Apple stores.
Gensler always put the success of his practice down to its business-mindedness, writing a book called Art’s Principles to mark the 50th anniversary of the firm. “When I started Gensler, there was a day when I woke up and realised that although I had 22 people working for me, I didn’t know what I was doing when it came to managing the business,” he said in an interview about the book. “So I went to business school at night, and I ended up hiring the professor of my class.
“We continually reinvest in our business, we offer competitive wages, reinvest in people, offer profit sharing – we incorporated all kinds of things that architects never thought about. I did this because I wanted to hire people and ask them to stay forever, not work on a project-to-project basis.”
Gensler stepped down as Chairman in 2010, but continued to serve as an advisor until his death. He is survived by his four sons and 10 grandchildren.
Acropolis of Athens and Monuments awarded 2020 [d]arc awards ‘Best of the Best’
(Global) – 2020 [d]arc awards prove massive success with 1400 attendees registered to watch the online winners’ ceremony.
On the evening of Thursday 29 April 2021, the design community once again came out in force to support the only peer-to-peer lighting design awards in the world and find out which studios had won in this year’s prestigious [d]arc awards.
Sponsored by Applelec; Kingfisher Lighting; LEDFlex, Lumascape; Seoul Semiconductor; TLS; and Tryka, a massive 14,000 votes were received in total while 297 project entries and 108 product entries were submitted. The 2020 entries came from all over the world, with 40 countries represented this year.
Awarded the coveted [d]arc awards ‘Best of the Best’ for 2020, was Acropolis of Athens and Monuments by Eleftheria Deko & Associates Lighting Design, which won the Structures – High Budget category. This award is given to the project that received the most amount of votes out of all the project category winners.
The Acropolis of Athens is one of the most important monuments of world culture. A living symbol that has stood the test of time, and one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world.
Eleftheria Deko and Associates observed the characteristics of this unique place, its history, the forms and materials, the visibility from different places of the city and the significance of this important landmark. The team's philosophy was applied to the lighting of the Sacred Rock, the fortification walls, and the 17 monuments; including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Ancient Theatre of Dionysus, the Stoa of Eumenes, the Shrine of Dionysus, and Aphrodite’s Cave - some of them illuminated for the first time.
The design approach was to distinguish for the first time the sacred rock from the walls and the monuments through lighting, by the use of different colour temperature and intensity differentiations. Moreover, the team wanted to accentuate the three-dimensionality of the sculptures and columns to highlight all the details of the monuments and create depth of field to make the different volumes distinct from far away. Each bears the symbolism of its time and purpose and that inspired the designers to create those lighting layers.
Lighting suppliers specified for this stunning project included: Erco, Linea Light Group, and Griven.
Acropolis Lights – the Audiovisual Launch Event by Eleftheria Deko & Associates Lighting Design also won this year’s [d]arc awards Event category, making it a triple win for Eleftheria Deko & Associates.
Speaking with [d]arc media Managing Director Paul James, during the online awards ceremony, Lighting Designer Eleftheria Deko said of the win: “Oh wow! Thank you so much, I have to thank the voters and dedicate this award to my country and the Ancient Greeks. I need to thank my team, they are such great people and of course thank you to the Greek Ministry of Culture that trusted us and made it all possible. This is very moving, thank you!”
While the global pandemic saw the 2020 [d]arc awards move to an online stage for the first time, this didn’t stop the team making it a showstopper event. In the run up to the awards ceremony, registered attendees were given the added bonus of engaging once more with four days’ worth of online content from the 2020 [d]arc room: live stream on the Swapcard platform that took place in September.
[d]arc media Managing Director, Paul James couldn’t be happier with how this year’s event has gone, saying: “While it was very sad that we couldn’t have a [d]arc awards party, we were blown away by the response to the online awards. It was amazing to see so many people tuning in from the international design community and to see people connecting on the platform from all over the world. Fingers crossed we can all get together to celebrate the winners and see the partner installations at the [d]arc night party in September.”
For the first time in its five-year history, the 2020 [d]arc awards ceremony had to move away from [d]arc night, which has become the ‘must-attend’ party for the design community. A night full of entertainment, complementary food and drink, and light-art installations, as well as the awards presentation itself, [d]arc media has big plans for its return later in the year.
Covid restrictions permitting, [d]arc night will take place on 23 September 2021 at Magazine in London, as part of the Design London event – an opportunity to celebrate the amazing achievements of the lighting design community, complete with light installations and more. The installations will be displayed from 22-25 September 2021.
[d]arc awards 2020 winners
[d]arc awards ‘Best of the Best’: Acropolis of Athens and Monuments, Greece by Eleftheria Deko & Associates Lighting Design
Places – High Budget: Norwich Cathedral, UK by Speirs Major
Places – Low Budget: The Copenhagen Panorama, Denmark by fortheloveoflight
Spaces – High: Magical Shores at Siloso, Singapore by Lighting Planners Associates
Spaces – Low: Santa Marina Hotel Welcoming Tunnel, Greece by ASlight
Structures – High: Acropolis of Athens and Monuments, Greece by Eleftheria Deko & Associates Lighting Design
Structures – Low: The Iron Bridge, UK by LPA Lighting
Art – High: Grow, Netherlands by Studio Roosegaarde
Art – Low: Search of the Glow, Taiwan by Ling-Li, Serendipity Studio
Art – Bespoke: Carousel of Light, Italy by Preciosa Lighting
Event: Acropolis Lights - Audiovisual Launch Event by Eleftheria Deko & Associates Lighting Design
Kit – Architectural Interior: Nano Tini by DGA
Kit – Architectural Exterior: minimumMAXIMUM by LAM32 Experience designed by Francesco Lannone and Serena Tellini
Kit – Decorative: Coordinates by Flos designed by Michael Anastassiades
Kit – Technology: DALI Gateway by Casambi
Vibia - Kontur
Designed by Sebastian Herkner, Vibia’s new Kontur collection is defined by its sleek black metal frame. An elegant stage setting for the exploration of linear light, the frame is embedded with LEDs and pairs with different diffusers and reflectors to create a range of lighting atmospheres.
The frame houses either a handblown opaline glass diffuser or a rounded metal reflector, the pure volumes producing a delicate balance within the graphic geometric architecture. With the cylindrical glass diffuser, Kontur generates a warm, 360-degree glow as if from a fire. When combined with the reflector’s curved metal sheet, it lends the ambient look of raining light.
Kontur is available in a range of LED colour temperatures from 2200 to 4000 Kelvin for warm, candlelit looks or brighter, daytime effects. It’s offered in five sizes in wall or pendant styles.
Women in Lighting launch Gender Equality Survey
(UK) - This week, Women in Lighting launches #womeninlightingUKfacts to gather data on the gender equality in the UK lighting industry.
This week, Women in Lighting launched #womeninlighitngUKfacts, a survey collecting data about gender equality in the UK lighting industry as a whole. It welcomes participation from lighting consultancies and engineering practices, as well as manufacturers, educators, researchers, and related disciplines, which sometimes do not feel represented in the mainstream. The survey aims to find out quantitative and qualitative data. It will collect figures and facts about equal opportunities, sexism, pay gaps and company policies. Some questions will give the chance to expand on the answers if anyone wishes to.
The survey is completely anonymous, so it encourage participants to provide their honest opinion and was conceived by Carmela Dagnello, WiL UK Ambassador, with the support of a team made up of Amy Rennie (WiL Ambassador for Scotland), Carolina Sterzi and Sandra Babini. The survey can be completed here.
New Works - Tense
First introduced in February 2020, the long-awaited Tense pendant got caught in the flux of the global pandemic, with material production suddenly difficult to procure. The cloud-like shade is made from Tyvek, which is also used for healthcare equipment in the fight against Covid-19. Now Tense is finally here, it is time to revisit this striking lighting design.
Stretching to over one-metre in length, the Tense pendant appears like a soft floating cloud. Designed by Panter & Tourron, Tense is made from 100% recyclable Tyvek and finished with a slimline LED light source, which simply clicks onto the cord using magnets. All components fit into flat-packed packaging for easy and environmentally-friendly transport. When assembled, the shade is tightened up with carbon rods, allowing a sculptural form to come to life through tension.
"At that time, we were looking at solutions to build big and generous volumes out of tension, only using sticks and fabrics. We looked at kites, tents, ultra-lightweight sports equipment, and photography gear. Later our idea emerged from that research," says the duo Panter & Tourron.
Studio Atkinson - Antique Brass and Leather Lighting
Studio Atkinson's lighting collection, the Antique Brass and Leather Lighting Collection is designed by Susie Atkinson and handmade in Britain, the collection includes both table and wall lights.
The Antique Brass and Leather Lighting collection includes the Dionis table lamp and wall light, as well as the Parsons table lamp and wall light, all beautifully handmade in England.
Created from antique brass and hand-stitched leather, each lamp comes with a shade bound in a matching trim in one of three colours: black, oxblood or cream. The refined aesthetic and elegant lines of the lights instantly bring a sense of sophistication to both contemporary and traditional interiors.
Inspiration was found from looking at mid-century lighting designers, such Jacques Adnet, where the combination of brass and leather is pleasing to the eye. The curved brass softens the aesthetic and features such the toggle switch add an element of functional tactility. The lights also use a traditional card shade, bound at the top and bottom which matches the leather.
The Parsons and Dionis wall lights and the Parsons table lamp all have an adjustable head allowing the light cast to be angled perfectly in any space. Deliberately pared back in style, the carefully considered lines and subtle detailing allow the beauty of the materials to take centre stage.
Atkinson comments: “Lighting is such an important part of a successful interior, and yet is often overlooked. We have designed these pieces to add a sense of understated sophistication that will elevate both contemporary and traditional settings, ensuring that the shapes themselves are interesting to look at without being too dominant. Each of the lights has a handsome profile, and the antique brass contrasts so well with the leather for a timeless aesthetic. It has been a real pleasure to work with British experts to handcraft these beautiful pieces.”
Having created some of the most inspiring interiors in the UK, including Lime Wood and Beaverbrook Hotels, Dean Street Townhouse and the Soho House Group, Atkinson inherently understands what is required to bring an interior to life and launched her first collection of furniture in 2020. The Antique Brass and Leather Lighting collection has been developed with makers Atkinson has personally selected from across the UK, continuing her commitment to supporting British craftsmanship.
Tom Dixon - Burst
Tom Dixon's largest chandelier to date, Burst is made up of 12 perfectly spherical globe shades, which explode from a single point construction to create a spectacular chandelier.
Burst is mirrored and perfectly reflective during the day, and when switched on reveals a multiplicity of internal reflections from the integral LED.
Inspired by Tom Dixon's interest in molecular structures and the forward-thinking space-age, Burst has a geometric configuration and chrome aesthetic. With its heroic proportions, Burst is intended for filling larger spaces and ceiling voids.
On 13 April, the studio launched Burst in Milan, on a part-virtual, part-real-life 24-hour adventure. This was its way of celebrating what would have been the first day of the 60th Salone del Mobile.
During #24Milan, Tom Dixon used digital trickery to inhabit an extraordinary space with its extraordinary piece - Burst at Chiesa San Nicolao della Flue - Milan's historical Brutalist Church, built in 1968-1969.
"This minimal chandelier felt like the right fit for this extraordinary, beautiful church," says Dixon.
Burst is available in copper and chrome finishes.
ANDlight - Vale Series
ANDlight adds to its already existing Vale Series, which consists of single and multiple pendants with new wall and ceiling options.
The Vale Ceiling/Wall aspires to strike a balance between classic utilitarianism and ornate luminaire.
Thermo-formed, its translucent body vacillates from its linear baseline creating volume; while its textured surface further draws light across its contoured face. Intrinsically inspired by the basic laws of geometrical optics, the light projected through Vale’s prismatic lens appears forever set in motion.
The open-ended profile explicitly reveals the technical aspects of the fixture: the lightweight aluminium frame houses the electrical assembly, mounting system, while providing structure for the lens. As a surface-mounted luminaire, the space efficiency of the Vale Ceiling/Wall meets the technical specifications of tighter spaces: lower ceiling, corners and corridors, or the need for wall-mounted light. It may be surface mounted horizontally and vertically; singularly and plurally; its compound curves oscillating with further confidence as they are repeated.
The material caught my attention; I immediately saw the value and potential in elevating it through technique, cross-processes and form," says Designer Caine Heintzman.
Flos - Pointbreak
Designed by Piero Lissoni, Pointbreak is a compact, pure shape declined in two different sizes ideal for residential lighting solutions, hospitality and public environments. Full visual comfort matches an even and professional light distribution able to manage all sorts of applications.
"All these lamps share what I think is a very important characteristic: the way they handle and move light across surfaces is extremely special and delicate. The presence of the light is almost imperceptible. They are objects that create light, a little like a candle. When you light a candle, it has a certain sensual effect on the surrounding environment. These lamps fulfil the same role," says Piero Lissoni.
Kundalini presents 2021 Collection
(Italy) - Kundalini announces the launch of its 2021 collection, which includes table, floor, ceiling and suspension lamps.
The Kundalini 2021 collection portrays the contemporary and sophisticated style of the Italian lighting design company. Decorative table and floor lamps, ceiling and suspension lights, which stem from new and well-established partnerships to create ever-changing atmospheres. It is a series of versatile lighting suggestions, perfect for residential and contract settings.
The collection gives shape to new ideas thanks to the all-Italian expertise of Kundalini. The care taken over the construction details, the research on materials and production, entrusted by the company to the very best manufacturers, translate into a blend of high performance and beauty. Multiple sources of inspiration include nature, science, art and nods to the past reworked with a contemporary vision.
Marc Sadler designed Tyla, a floor lamp with a delicate, ethereal look. The slender stem-like supports and glass shade with meticulous faceted patterns conjure up images of the bulrush, an elegant aquatic plant.
Poise, design by Robert Dabi, reinterprets the table lamp resulting in a playful and interactive version. A circle of light and a metal rod to be positioned at will in acrobatic or static poses for a lamp with which to establish an empathetic relationship.
Dala, designed by Francesca Smiraglia, is a fluid, yet disciplined ceiling light. The two outer metal casings wrap around the large diffuser, overlapping like the petals of a flower.
The two suspension lights in the collection are by Valerio Sommella and Anonima Luci. The cylindrical shape of Jer is tinged by colours in eye-catching shades. The glass, ground by hand, creates sophisticated geometric patterns.
Bolha plays on the sensory contrasts in the use of glass. An ethereal, transparent bubble for the diffuser. A textured inner cylinder for the light source which resembles the filaments of traditional incandescent light bulbs.
Original BTC - Drop Three
Original BTC has launched the third in its bone china Drop series that follows the journey of a water droplet. The Drop Three pendant presents the splash stage as the water hits a surface.
The Drop Three pendant from Original BTC is the final instalment of its bone china Drop collection, which takes its inspiration from the journey of a droplet of water as it falls through the air. Previous pieces in this collection include Drop Zero, One and Two, each showing a droplet’s shape from initial formation, falling in air and landing on a surface. Drop Three represents the stage of the droplet flattening after impact and remerging as it splashes upwards.
“We worked on the Drop Three back in 2001 when my father Peter first designed it, but we weren’t able to produce it to the standard we wanted,” explains Charlie Bowles, Director of Original BTC. “It was technically very challenging to manufacture. Then in 2002, we acquired our Stoke-on-Trent bone china factory, Staffordshire Heritage. We spent the next two decades investing in the team and the factory’s production techniques and capabilities. As a result, we were able to forge ahead with the Drop Three, and we revisited the designs at the start of June last year. This time around, it took us six months to get the Drop Three absolutely perfect.”
The “sculptural, organic and elegant” Drop Three pendant comprises a handmade bone china shade with a satin brass cap and cord grip, grey cotton braided cable and a matching bone china ceiling rose.
When asked about the design process, Managing Director Peter Bowles, explains that the concept originated back in 2001. “Back in 2001, I developed the concept by studying pictures and slow-motion, videos of falling water droplets – how they behave, what they look like as they take shape and fall. I sketched and drew, and then set about seeing if a series in bone china was a possibility.
“As Charlie says, we didn’t have our bone china factory at the time so there was some back-and-forth with the manufacturer we were using back then. With Drop One and Drop Two there was no problem… But Drop Three was problematic. It was very fragile before it was biscuit-fired (that’s the first firing in the kiln) and had to be handled incredibly carefully,” explains Peter further. “With the production facilities available to us at the time, it proved to be too complex to take forward. It often didn’t make it out of the kiln without collapsing. But, with the advances we’ve made in terms of having our own bone china factory and having the ability to really develop our techniques – that’s changed everything.
“Design-wise there’s very little difference between the original and this new launch. We’ve slightly tweaked the depth of the well around the inside of the shade - the foundation, essentially. And of course, there’s the prop and setter we’ve designed to achieve a consistently perfect sculptural form. The bulb is positioned higher up in the shade to illuminate the top of the Drop Three and creating a ring of ambient light through the curved lip.”
Adding to these challenges, Charlie expands, adding that one of the first hurdles they had to overcome was fixing the stages using wet moulds. “The first challenge comes from pouring out the excess slip as it can get stuck in the curves. Next, was getting the shade to retain its shape after firing. Bone china is a very tricky material to work with and requires extreme care, effort and attention to detail. We use a two-part mould for the shade – so heavy it requires four hands to lift - but we’ve also designed other components to hold and retain the shape of the main mould. There’s a prop to hold the upward curve nicely in place, and a setter on which the shade sits to support the ring itself from underneath.”
The finished product is a beautiful pendant that emits a soft intimate glow. The team also decided to leave the product unglazed (unlike its predecessors that come in matte or gloss finishes), as they believe it “emphasises the natural purity of bone china”. Charlie notes it works particularly well over dining tables, providing a “flattering overhead illumination”.
“We’ve had interest from restaurants as well as for residential projects,” he adds. “Its organic, natural shape combined with its 390mm diameter make it an elegant statement piece. I think it’s especially impactful in numbers. It also works well over kitchen islands, and in living spaces where its soft light is ideal for creating a cosy atmosphere that makes you feel instantly comfortable and relaxed.”
Remarking on what sets it apart from other decorative lighting products, Charlies comments that its being handmade in the UK and their attention to detail allows them to stand out.
“We’re very particular about designing lights that are considered down to the finest detail. The ceiling rose, for example, also has the distinctive curved lip of the shade itself. We’ve done this with other lights in our collection – our ‘Fin’ has a ribbed shade that is echoed in its rose, as does the faceted Hatton collection. We’re able to design and trial as much as we want because of our production facilities – we’re not bound by someone else’s production schedule and can take our time to produce lights that are just as we want them, and that we are proud of.
“We’re so pleased with it, we’re considering if there could be a ‘next stage’!”
