Introduction
2016 was a milestone for the AL Design Awards program. Now in its 13th year, it received a record high number of entries—more than 140 projects from around the world. But even with that large number of submissions, this year also was one of the most selective in terms of winners; the jury only chose nine projects overall. This speaks to the high caliber of lighting design being practiced worldwide (and submitted to the program) and to the rigor of the jury review and discussion, which is as integral a part of the award process as the project entries themselves.
It has been interesting to observe the make-up of the submissions each year as outside forces such as the economy, technological developments, and ever-evolving stylistic approaches influence the project cycle. In 2016, there was an exceptionally large number of entries in hospitality, more so than any other in the program’s history. And yet, none of these projects were selected by the jury. But what has remained a constant tenet of the AL Design Awards, and will never change, is the selection of work that represents excellence and advances architectural lighting design as a whole. •
To see all of the other winners of the 2016 AL Light & Architecture Design Awards, click here.
2016 AL Design Awards Jury
Eli Meir Kaplan
Theresa Genovese, AIA, LEED AP
Principal, CetraRuddy Architects, New York
An alumna of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design where she earned her Master of Architecture and Urban Design degrees, Genovese is a registered architect in the state of New York. She is a leader of CetraRuddy’s Sustainable Design Group and has extensive experience in both ground-up construction and renovations. She has designed a number of award-winning projects, including the Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York City and the Choice School campus in Thiruvalla, India. Her work has been exhibited and published internationally and she regularly serves as a juror and design critic at leading schools of architecture.
Eli Meir Kaplan
Debra Gilmore, IALD, IES, ASLA
Principal, Gilmore Lighting Design, Bethesda, Md.
Gilmore brings 33 years of lighting experience to the table when working with clients. Her award-winning designs encompass a broad variety of projects, from conceiving and realizing master plans for corporate campuses to designing commercial interiors. She has been a guest critic for the architecture programs at the University of Maryland, Catholic University of America, and Parsons The New School for Design. Most recently, she has been selected as a workshop head for the 2016 Lights in Alingsås program in Sweden. As an IALD representative, Gilmore also served a two-year term on the 2014–15 Lightfair conference advisory committee.
Eli Meir Kaplan
Justin T. Brown, IES
Associate Principal, Lam Partners, Cambridge, Mass.
With more than 17 years of experience in architectural lighting design, Brown draws on his background as a machinist and as an industrial designer for his work at Lam Partners, where he serves as a designer, project manager, and mentor. He is also responsible for developing and refining the firm’s BIM workflow and standards; implementing new software- and hardware-based solutions for design, analysis, and visualization; and maintaining the office-wide IT infrastructure. His fabrication skills also allow him to specialize in custom fixture design for Lam Partners. His work has earned a number of awards in the lighting and architecture industries.
Eli Meir Kaplan
Maureen Moran, IALD, MIES
Principal, MCLA, Washington, D.C.
Moran, who founded MCLA in 1996, uses her 35-plus years of experience in lighting design to lead a talented team that creates award-winning designs for a wide variety of project types. The firm has worked on projects around the globe ranging in scale and scope from educational facilities to prominent federal and local government properties. MCLA’s work has been published in a number of publications and honored with numerous awards from the IALD and the IES, as well as here in the AL Design Awards. A member of the IALD Ambassador program, she shares a mission to advance lighting education within lighting design programs.
