May 24, 2024
Boston Honors Excellence in Architectural Lighting
Lighting people celebrate award-winning projects at the 2024 IES Boston Illumination Awards
On Thursday night in Boston's waterfront district, the City of Champions provided the perfect backdrop for honoring more winners—19, to be precise. Lighting people from near and far converged at the Renaissance Waterfront Boston to celebrate the 2024 Illumination Awards hosted by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Boston Sections, which include both the Boston and Rhode Island sections.
On the eve of a holiday weekend, nearly 500 industry professionals dressed to the nines enjoyed an evening where camaraderie and adult beverages flowed freely. The event recognized architectural lighting designs that a panel of judges found to exemplify high standards of excellence. The festivities were well-paced, featuring a two-hour cocktail hour, a two-hour dinner and awards ceremony, followed by a two-hour afterparty. The afterparty was highlighted by a live musical performance from 3G Lighting, fresh from a recent tour stop in St. Louis, capping off a vibrant night of fellowship and celebration in architectural lighting.
On this night, 19 projects were recognized for their excellence in lighting design, with the awards distributed among nine firms responsible for these outstanding projects. The most coveted award, akin to the "Best Picture" at the Oscars, is the Lighthouse Award. This year, the team from Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting claimed this prestigious honor for their work on the Whoop Global Headquarters. The designers involved in the project were Josh Feinstein, Ben Strauss, and Julie Rose.
A summary of all the winning projects is below.
Play of the Day
In what can only be described as a brilliant, Belichickian game-day decision, Jennifer Pierce, Principal at Boston Light Source, opted to install a large-screen television in the afterparty ballroom. This allowed local Boston sports fans — remarkably still not tired of all their teams' championships — to watch the Boston Celtics dominate the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. During last year’s gala, the afterparty lost some attendees to the hotel bar while the perennially playoff-bound Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in a Game 6 matchup.
The Fundraiser that Escalated Quickly
During the program, one of the speakers and section officers, Sara Schonour, announced that the section was about $10,000 short in funding Emerging Professionals initiatives. Motivated to support these efforts, Donna Sumner of Mark Architectural Lighting had previously committed to contributing at least $5,000 and matching additional donations. These funds were to be collected through a request for attendees to scan a QR code from the screens that flanked the stage and donate.
Suddenly, a voice from the crowd pledged $1,000. Thinking quickly, Schonour asked the crowd if others wanted to match this amount. Soon, representatives from design firms and manufacturers were shouting pledges of $1,000 each in a whirlwind of fundraising that far surpassed the original $10,000 goal, likely prompting Mark Architectural Lighting and its parent company, Acuity Brands, to match much more than the initially committed $5,000. It was an exciting and successful flurry of philanthropy that will help invest in the next generation of prominent lighting people.
Given this success, we wonder if the IES Boston Section will provide attendees with Sotheby’s-like live auction paddles at next year’s gala.
Providence College, Locker Room Renovation
Providence RI
Design team:
CannonDesign
Kate St. Laurent
About the project:
The lighting design for the Division 1 Collegiate Basketball locker room is a vibrant embodiment of energy, motivation, and team spirit. Tailored to the needs of high-performing athletes, the design focuses on creating an environment that inspires and energizes players while providing practical functionality.
HONORABLE MENTION SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Mercy Hospital, The Mercy Center for Performance Medicine & Specialty Care
St Louis MO
Design team:
Coffield King, Barrett Newell - CannonDesign
Jeffrey Johnson, President & CEO
About the project:
The amenities spaces within this outpatient healthcare facility renovation, inclusive of a non-denominational chapel, showcase a lighting design that encapsulates serenity and inclusivity. These spaces required a thoughtful approach, creating harmonious balance between the functional needs of a healthcare setting and the spiritual journey of recovery, all achieved within the constraints of a healthcare environment.
HONORABLE MENTION SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Office Headquarters Amenities (CONFIDENTIAL)
Toronto, Canada
Design team:
CannonDesign
Barrett Newell
About the project:
This office renovation is a masterclass in how lighting can be used to amplify and accentuate interior design elements in the amenity floors of this multi-floor tech company’s fit out. The design approach combines practicality and artistic expression, creating an environment that is both inspiring and functional to attract and retain the best tech-savvy workforce.
SECTION AWARD
Honorable Mention Section Award
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame
Cincinnati, Ohio
Design team:
Abernathy Lighting Design, Inc.
Jason Rainone, Katherine Abernathy
About the project:
The Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame is a half-acre (22,000 sq/ft) interactive urban park celebrating Cincinnati area Black musicians. It's designed as a colorful celebration, serving as a draw to the riverfront while managing the river’s 100-year flood line by allowing all attraction features to be fully removable.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Outdoor Lighting Design
Massachusetts Veterans Home at Chelsea | Community Living Center
Chelsea, MA
Design team:
Arup
Jake Wayne, Tena Pettit, Ross Kettles, Charlotte Bosworth, Carla Sigillo
About the project:
The community living center in Chelsea, Massachusetts is a home specifically for veterans. It was imperative that the lighting design meet the wellness needs of the older adults who call this home, but also to make the new facility both welcoming and useful while honoring our veterans with the highest quality light.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Seaport Science Center
Boston, MA
Design team:
HLB Lighting Design
Amy Huan, Vinicius Stella
About the project:
In Boston’s Seaport district, building owners faced the challenge of revitalizing their property amidst the rapid urban evolution. The goal was clear: transform an aging structure into a competitive lab/office space that would attract a life science clientele.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Dartmouth College Engineering and Computer Science Center
Hanover, NH
Design team:
HLB Lighting Design
Michelle Tessier, Carrie Hawley, Vinicius Stella
About the project:
In the pursuit of a cutting-edge engineering and computer science program for Dartmouth’s bucolic, traditional campus, the challenge was to design a building that fosters interaction, breaks away from the sterile and conventional, and exudes warmth with a modern New England character.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Groton Hill Music Center
Groton, MA
Design team:
Ripman Lighting Consultants
Chris Ripman, Charlie Walsh, Alan Joslin, Deborah Epstein
About the project:
The new Groton Hill Music Center, funded by a single private donor, incorporates a music school, a 1,000 seat performance hall, a 400 seat recital hall, an orchestral rehearsal space, a suite of public spaces, and an extensive site with restrictive glare control for exterior lighting required by the town.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Logan Airport Terminal B to C Connector
Boston, MA
Design team:
WSP
Russell Goettel, Sean Flanagan, Emily Gill, Will Langevin
About the project:
The Airport Terminal Connector was an ambitious, multiphase project connecting the two busiest terminals inside security for easier connections within the airport. The challenge was to tie together multiple existing and new buildings to make a smooth and cohesive passenger experience.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Northeastern University EXP
Boston, MA
Design team:
Arup
Jake Wayne, Selma Benmakhlouf, Ross Kettles, Charlotte Bosworth, Nathaniel Jones
About the project:
This signature 350,000sf facility sets the standard for innovative academic research and interdisciplinary collaboration, while also creating dynamic social spaces for students and a home for the university leadership. A fully networked lighting control system provides the backbone for the highly sustainable and dynamic lighting system.
SECTION AWARD OF MERIT
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Boston University, Kilachand Hall
Boston, MA
Design team:
Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting
Josh Feinstein, Kranthi Sala
About the project:
A former rooftop dance pavilion at a university residence hall is transformed into a new student-focused educational, work and social space. The lobby and 9th floor of this 115,000SF project was a complicated renovation due to extremely limited plenum space at the upper level and a process that stretched over 7 years of design, pauses, redesign and prolonged construction.
SECTION AWARD OF MERIT
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
College of Wooster, Lowry Center
Wooster, OH
Design team:
Julie Rose
Kranthi Sala
Jennifer Bean
About the project:
The transformation of the Lowry Center into a vibrant hub epitomizes the College’s spirit of connection and engagement. The 92,000SF renovation and expansion not only increases space; it has created an inviting haven for all community members.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Whoop Global Headquarters
Boston, MA
Design team:
Josh Feinstein
Ben Strauss
Julie Rose
About the project:
Located directly below Boston’s iconic Citgo sign, the 121,000SF WHOOP global headquarters, a human performance technology company, is a physical embodiment of the brand ethos. High contrast spaces build momentum to “Unlock Human Performance” in work and play.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Art Complex Museum
Duxbury, MA
Design team:
Amy Huan
Carrie Hawley
Stella Murray
About the project:
The design team embarked on a transformative journey to revitalize an existing museum, marking its 50th anniversary with a celebration of architectural heritage and modern innovation. The challenge loomed large: to breathe new life into the museum's original 1969 mid-century building while safeguarding its architectural essence.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
New Orleans LA
Design team:
HLB Lighting Design
Robyn Goldstein, Carrie Hawley, Vinicius Stella
About the project:
New Orleans World Trade Center, a National Register historic building designed by Edward Durell Stone, sat unused for years despite its prime riverfront location and modernist history. Adaptive reuse of this vacant office tower into a luxury Four Seasons hotel required top-to-bottom dramatic interventions.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans Lobby
New Orleans LA
Design team:
HLB Lighting Design
Robyn Goldstein, Carrie Hawley, Vinicius Stella
About the project:
New Orleans World Trade Center, a National Register historic building designed by Edward Durell Stone, sat unused for years despite its prime riverfront location and modernist history. Adaptive reuse of this vacant office tower into a luxury Four Seasons hotel required top-to-bottom dramatic interventions.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans Controls
New Orleans LA
Design team:
HLB Lighting Design
Robyn Goldstein, Carrie Hawley, Vinicius Stella
About the project:
New Orleans World Trade Center, a National Register historic building designed by Edward Durell Stone, sat unused for years despite its prime riverfront location and modernist history. Adaptive reuse of this vacant office tower into a luxury Four Seasons hotel required a comprehensive controls strategy to meet the needs of the diverse program.
SECTION AWARD
Illumination Award for Lighting Control Innovation
Canopy Lighting for Al Jamea-tus-Saifiyah University’s Central Courtyard
Nairobi, Kenya
Design team:
ID Lighting Design
INSIYA DIVAN
About the project:
Al Jamea-tus-Saifiyah University’s new Nairobi campus, inspired by 10th-century AD Fatimid architecture, features verdant gardens amidst buildings, providing relaxing and reflective spaces. The serene, central courtyard is a focal point for gatherings including rows of date palms, fountains, and seating.
SECTION AWARD OF MERIT
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Stamford Hospital, Whittingham Pavilion Rejuvenation
Stamford CT
Design team:
CannonDesign
Coffield King
About the project:
This NICU renovation is a groundbreaking endeavor in healthcare lighting design, incorporating lighting that tracks with the sun’s color temperature to foster a healing environment for the most vulnerable patients.
SECTION AWARD OF MERIT
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
Electric Works Co-working Hub
St. Louis MO
Design team:
CannonDesign
John Conley, Kaci Toms, Barrett Newell
About the project:
This co-working space in Fort Wayne IN transformed from the former General Electric Headquarters into a mixed-use innovation district, a vibrant hub designed to encapsulate the essence of the city’s past, present, and future.
SECTION AWARD OF MERIT
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
The Foundry
Cambridge, MA
Design team:
Lam Partners
Dan Weissman, Jamie Perry, Srushti Totadri
About the project:
At the intersection of Kendall Square and East Cambridge, The Foundry facilitates access for residents to space and programs for the visual and performing arts, entrepreneurship, technology, and workforce education.
SECTION AWARD OF MERIT
Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design
