IES Student Competition “ILLUMINOTES”

The 2013 IES Student Competition, organized by the New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNYC), challenged students to explore the relationship between light and music through a theme titled “ILLUMINOTES.” Participants from New York City colleges and universities were invited to interpret a composition from Craig Armstrong’s Piano Works and transform that auditory experience into a three-dimensional lighting installation. The competition encouraged students to think beyond traditional lighting design by translating sound, rhythm, and emotion into visual form, fostering creativity across disciplines such as architecture, interior design, industrial design, and product design. Held in New York City in March 2013, the competition attracted 125 submissions and highlighted the growing importance of lighting as both a technical and artistic medium. The grand prize was awarded to Peter Ossi of Pratt Institute for Atherisch, an installation inspired by the musical piece Fugue, which used mechanical movement and light refraction to evoke an ethereal atmosphere. Other notable winners included Eunyong Park’s Spectrum and Sophia Arrendondo’s Model for a Suspended Storm. Through its innovative theme and high level of student participation, the 2013 IES Student Competition demonstrated the power of lighting design to communicate ideas and emotions beyond the visual realm alone.