The Daylight Award


The Daylight Award is awarded every second year since 2016 “to honor and support 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 for Research “is awarded to individuals or smaller groups of scientists who have distinguished themselves as outstanding contributors to internationally recognized daylight research. It acknowledges highly original and influential advances in the areas of natural science, human science or social science, with special emphasis on the effects of daylight on human health, well-being and performance”.
The Daylight Award for Architecture “is awarded to one or more architects or other professionals who have distinguished themselves by realizing architecture or creating urban environments that showcase unique use of daylight. Special emphasis will be put on architecture that considers the overall quality of life, its impact on human health, well-being and performance, and its value to society”.
Each award is given as a personal prize, and each to the sum of €100,000. The award winners will be involved in such activities as lectures and master classes following the award ceremony.
The Daylight Award is presented by the non-profit, private charitable foundations, VILLUM FONDEN, VELUX FONDEN and VELUX STIFTUNG, established by Villum Kann Rasmussen.

History

The three foundations behind The Daylight Award have a long history when it comes to awarding best practice in daylight. Since 1980, they have awarded daylight prizes to, among others, Jørn Utzon , Henning Larsen , Bob Gysin , Richard Perez , Peter Zumthor , James Carpenter , Lacaton & Vassal , Gigon & Guyer and SANAA .
In 2016 The Daylight Award for Research was awarded to professor at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Marilyne Andersen, and architect Steven Holl, Steven Holl Architects, New York and Beijing, was awarded The Daylight Award for Architecture. The awards were presented and celebrated at a formal ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek on November 2, 2016.

The Jury

The jury for the 2016 award consisted of: Hubert Klumpner, professor and vice dean at the Department of Architecture, ETH Zürich and founding partner of the interdisciplinary design practice Urban-Think Tank, Switzerland, and Venezuela. 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, United Kingdom. Koen Steemers, professor of sustainable design, The Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. James Carpenter, founder of the cross-disciplinary design firm James Carpenter Design Associates, US. Per Olaf Fjeld, professor and dean emeritus at the Institute of Architecture, studio B3, Oslo, Norway