The NYC section of IES recently hosted the Ninth Annual Student Design Competition and Exhibition, March 4-5 at the Helen Mills Theater.

Students of lighting, architecture, interior design, art, product design, photography and electrical engineering programs created three-dimensional work designed to conceptually convey a sensory perception of sound. The competition drew more than 55 submissions.

First Place Award of $3,000 cash and participation in a one-week lighting design workshop in Europe sponsored by PLDA (formerly the European Lighting Designers Association, or ELDA) was won by Hye Yeun Lee, an interior design student at Parsons, for “Subway Sound.” Inspired by her daily subway ride, where her favorite distraction en route is to “look at the beautiful lights,” her project captures the experience spatially, kinetically and visually. One can sense speeding through a tunnel with the movement of lights evoking the sounds of a screeching train. (Instructor: Randy Sabedra.)

Click here to see a YouTube video of the project.

Second Place Award of $1500 went to Ching-Yu Lin, an MFA Lighting Design student at Parsons, for his “Hey! It’s a Party.” An interactive turntable design, it responds with light to touch while spinning records in luminous patterns that simulate and stimulate a sense of rhythm. (Instructor: Nelson Jenkins.)

Click here to see a YouTube video of the project.

Third Place Award of $1000 was won by the team of Sukmo Koo, who studies Interactive Telecommunications at NYU, and Young Taek Oh, an Industrial Design student at Pratt Institute. Titled “Make It Rain-Rain Box,” their project mimics sound of raindrops on a roof with “drops” of light that are activated when one pushes a button. (Instructor: Karen Stone.)

Click here to see a YouTube video of the project.

The Honorable Mention Award, consisting of a free trip to GE’s “Lighting Institute” at Nela Park, Cleveland, Ohio, was given to two MFA candidates in Lighting Design at Parsons School of Design; Kacie Stigliano was recognized for “Rhythms,” and Sungbin Ma for “The Sound of Glitz.” Instructor for both students: Nelson Jenkins.

Lead sponsor of the event: Bartco Lighting
Supporters: National Cathode and Professional Lighting Designer Association
Contributors: Acuity Brands, Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC), Elliptipar, Enterprise Lighting Sales, GE Lighting, LSI, Pyramid Lighting, Visa Lighting
Donators: Kurt Versen, Louis Poulsen, Lutron, Winona

Craig DiLouie

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