Application of Light in Architecture Through the Eyes of Students

Brno - At the end of October, the results of the International VELUX Award 2006, aimed at architecture students worldwide, were announced at the Guggenheim Museum in the Spanish city of Bilbao. The first prize was awarded to Louise Groenlund from Denmark for her project “Museum of Photography.” The second and third prizes went to Gonzalo Pardo from Spain and Anastasia Karandinou representing Great Britain.

Achieving a complex spatial structure through individual architectural elements, incorporated into a strong belief in the power of light, is a highly valuable undertaking. It requires personal strength, talent, and integrity. This project is well presented and expresses spatial sensitivity and architectural maturity. This is how the jury justified awarding the first prize to twenty-seven-year-old Louise Groenlund from Denmark. In her project “Museum of Photography,” Louise uses a camera as a metaphor for the definition and construction of a photography museum. In January 2006, this young architect graduated from the School of Architecture in Copenhagen, and the project presented as part of the International VELUX Award represents her diploma thesis.

"The competition theme 'Light of Tomorrow' directly relates to my own research in phenomenology and the perception of light. Designing a photography museum means creating optimal conditions for observation. It's not just about viewing photographs, but also about the visitor realizing what they are observing and under what conditions," states Louise Groenlund about her project.

Second and Third Prizes for Spain and Great Britain

The second prize went to Gonzalo Pardo Diaz (26) from Madrid, holder of several national and international architectural awards. His project “A Place to Read” presents a three-dimensional network – not a classic building, but a space consisting of individual fragments that constantly change – a work desk, a space under construction, a growing forest.

The third prize was awarded to Anastasia Karandinou (25), who comes from Athens, but is currently studying in Scotland, representing Great Britain with her project “Light Invisible Bridges.” The competition theme led Anastasia to connect theoretical knowledge about the properties of light with her practical research conducted in Shanghai.

In addition to these winners, the jury awarded 17 honorable mentions to students from nine countries.

Light of Tomorrow in a Global Perspective

The jury members met for the first time this June to evaluate all submitted projects before announcing the winners. The evaluation focused primarily on experimental thinking and the conceptual ideas behind each work. The jury was pleasantly surprised by the wide spectrum of ideas and approaches represented in the 557 submitted projects from 225 schools across 53 countries. The twenty announced winners represent Europe, Oceania, Asia, and North and South America, with Spain dominating the list with one winner and three honorable mentions.

The jury chair Per Olaf Fjeld remarked on the versatile handling of light in the individual projects: “The strength of this competition lies in the fact that so many competitors from around the world participate and that light itself has no boundaries. It exists everywhere, but architectural conditions related to light vary from place to place. This can be very well observed in the diversity of the submitted projects.”

Supporting the Discussion on Daylight

Since its founding, VELUX has sought to promote the importance of its products in architecture by initiating discussions about natural daylight and fresh air. A representative of VELUX on the jury, Mr. Massimo Buccilli, explains: “The International VELUX Award competition is an important element in the ongoing dialogue with the architectural community – a dialogue that we have pursued since the company’s founding. Our international business in roof window manufacturing and related products is closely connected to architectural design specifically focused on daylight and fresh air. We would like to thank the participating students, their teachers, and schools for their involvement in the competition and for participating in the expert jury.”

The International VELUX Award for architecture students takes place every two years, with the next edition scheduled for 2008.