The VELUX Daylight Award 2018 is calling for your favourite candidates for The Daylight Award 2018, honouring and supporting daylight research and daylight in architecture, for the benefit of human health, well-being and the environment. The award puts specific emphasis on the interrelation between theory and practice.

The Daylight Award is given every second year in two categories; Daylight Research and Daylight in Architecture. The award is given as two personal prizes, and each to the sum of €100,000.

It is still possible to nominate candidates for The Daylight Award 2018. The award is given every second year in two categories: "Daylight Research" and "Daylight in Architecture". 

The Daylight Award honours daylight and is awarded to researchers and architects, respectively, who have distinguished themselves within daylight research and the use of daylight in their projects. The Call for Nominations is open until 31 December 2017. The Daylight Award 2018 is given in autumn 2018.

A life with light

The Daylight Award is presented by the three foundations – VILLUM FONDEN, VELUX FONDEN and VELUX STIFTUNG. The foundations work with daylight dates back to their founder Villum Kann Rasmussen, the designer of the VELUX roof window.

Daylight plays an important role in human health, well-being and productivity, and the intention for the award is to put specific emphasis on the interrelation between theory and practice, by supporting interdisciplinary approaches from the research world and the practice of architects, when they design their projects. It is in this interrelation that the best homes and workplaces are created.

"The three foundations have a long history when it comes to awarding best practice in daylight. Daylight is a central factor for human’s well-being and health, as well as for the environment. And The Daylight Award highlights this," says Hans Kann Rasmussen, Chair of the Board of VELUX FONDEN.

Past recipients of VELUX daylight awards include Jørn Utzon, Henning Larsen, Bob Gysin, Richard Perez, Peter Zumthor, James Carpenter and Lacaton & Vassal.

Keen interest from the general public

In 2016 renowned architect Steven Holl and internationally acclaimed researcher Marilyne Andersen were awarded The Daylight Award, and in November 2017, they visited Zurich and Copenhagen to talk about their work in the field of daylight. The two laureates gave lectures at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The two events attracted great interest from practitioners, lighting advisors, researchers and students, who received new perspectives on daylight and on the laureates’ work with this important area. Steven Holl spoke about several of his internationally recognised works - including his very current project, ‘Colors of Humanity’, which was selected in October as the new headquarters for Médecins Sans Frontières in Geneva, Switzerland.

Strong jury at work

Next year, in 2018, two new candidates will receive The Daylight Award, and the jury is looking forward to review and discuss the exciting list of nominees for the two categories. The jury comprises:

- Hubert Klumpner, Professor, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

- Stephen Selkowitz, Senior Advisor for Building Science at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California, US

- Aki Kawasaki, Associate Professor of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Ophthalmic Hospital Jules Gonin, Lausanne, Switzerland

- Florence Lam, Fellow and Director, Global Light Design Leader, Arup, London, UK

- Koen Steemers, Professor of Sustainable Design, Cambridge University, UK

- James Carpenter, Founder of James Carpenter Design Associates in New York, US

- Per Olaf Fjeld, Professor and Dean Emeritus at the Institute of Architecture, studio B3, Oslo, Norway

- Marilyne Andersen, Professor of Sustainable Construction Technologies and Dean of the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC) at EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL), Switzerland.

The Daylight Award for Daylight in Architecture is awarded to one or more architects who have distinguished themselves by realising architecture or creating urban environments that showcase unique use of daylight. Special emphasis is placed on architecture that considers the overall quality of life, its impact on human health, well-being and performance, and its value to society.

The Daylight Award for Daylight Research is awarded to individuals or smaller groups of scientists who have distinguished themselves as outstanding contributors to internationally recognised daylight research. It places special emphasis on interdisciplinarity and research in human well-being and opportunities for linking theory to practice.

Everyone is invited to nominate their favourite candidate on The Daylight Award website. Learn more and nominate a candidate here. 

Top image © The Daylight Award 2018

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