International VELUX Award 2016: Global Winners Announced

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The VELUX Group is proud to announce the two global winners of the International VELUX Award 2016 for Students of Architecture:

Redistribution of Light by Kwang Hoon Lee, Hyuk Sung Kwon and Yu Min Park, Republic of Korea. This project was the winner in the Daylight in Buildings category and looked at the semi-underground spaces in Seoul city which emerged in the 1970s as air-raid shelters. As the population grew, the spaces transformed into illegal housing. They are characterised by small, eye-level windows that admit very little light. The project suggests how daylight to the interior spaces by day, and artificial light to the narrow roads by night, can both be amplified.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161116/440046 )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161116/440047 )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161116/440048 )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161116/440049 )

The jury found this project highly viable. It presents a simple solution to a real challenge, making use of a very simple intervention of the cubic, sliding window prism. The project is beautifully illustrated and the presentation of the idea and the use of the sliding prism is convincing.

Light for the Blind by Jiafeng Li, Chenlu Wang, Guiding Yao, Jiebei Yang, Lushan Ao, Xiaoqi Chen and Jiawen Li, China. This project was the winner in the Daylight Investigations category and looked at Synaesthesia - a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second. The idea of the project is to change the way people usually experience light - with their eyes - to 'feeling' it with their hands. It considers how blind people would be able to feel a world with light and enjoy the beauty of light and shadow, legible in surfaces as braille.  

The jury found this to be a very intelligent project in the way it develops its idea; from understanding that loss of sight increases the acuity of other senses, to the search for a material that responds to light by expanding and retracting. The proposal offers a clear idea that is beautifully presented.

The International VELUX Award aims to inspire students of architecture to consider daylight as a principle source for the health, well-being and joy.

The global winners were presented together with the overall winners in the professional architects' categories at the World Architecture Festival's (WAF) closing gala in Berlin on 18th November.

About the Award 

The overall theme of the International VELUX Award 2016 for Students of Architecture is "Light of Tomorrow." Launched in 2004, this year's award seeks to challenge the future of daylight in the built environment by inspiring creative explorations on the themes of daylight in buildings and daylight investigations from the world's leading future architects.

The distinguished award jury - featuring Omar Gandhi, Christine Murray, Zbigniew Reszka, Francesco Veenstra and Per Arnold Andersen - selected the two global winners after reviewing nearly 600 project submissions from 57 countries earlier this year and ten regional winning projects that were presented at the World Architecture Festival on 18 November.

"The global winners of the International VELUX Award 2016 offer dynamic and creative solutions that embody the "Light of Tomorrow" theme and widen the boundaries of daylight in the built environment. Students of architecture continue to inspire us with their appreciation for daylight and inventive ideas to create better living environments, healthy homes, good learning spaces and inspiring workplaces," says Per Arnold Andersen, head of the International VELUX Award.

Images and Film from the International VELUX Award 2016 

Download images and films from the global winners' award ceremony here: press.velux.com

About the VELUX Group
For 75 years, the VELUX Group has created better living environments for people around the world; making the most of daylight and fresh air through the roof. Our product programme includes roof windows and modular skylights as well as a range of decoration and sun screenings, roller shutters, installation solutions and intelligent home controls. These products help to ensure a healthy and sustainable indoor climate, for work and learning, for play and pleasure. We work globally - with sales and manufacturing operations in more than 40 countries and around 9,500 employees worldwide. The VELUX Group is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company wholly owned by foundations and family.

For more information about the VELUX Group visit http://www.velux.com

For more information about International VELUX Award visit iva.velux.com

Contact: Jim Daniell, Media Relations Manager, VELUX Group Mobile: +45-29-38-02-38, [email protected]

SOURCE VELUX Group