For the first time in the history of Open House New York Weekend, OHNY is devoting an evening – Saturday, October 11 – to the exploration of New York City’s illuminated environment. OHNY, in collaboration with the Illuminating Engineering Society New York City Section (IESNYC), is showcasing major projects by Lumen Award-winning lighting designers around the city.
New York has the highest concentration of lighting designers and consultants in the world, and their projects help to define buildings and cities around the globe. The Lumen Awards, sponsored by the IESNYC since 1968, is one of the most prestigious and oldest lighting competitions. The projects selected for OHNY at Night represent lit exteriors designed for a variety of architectural typologies.
“For so many people around the world, the image of New York is synonymous with its dazzling nighttime skyline,” says Gregory Wessner, OHNY executive director. “OHNY at Night celebrates the importance of lighting to creating the city’s identity, and helps the public understand the process of lighting some of New York’s most significant buildings and memorials.”
“Lighting is subliminal,” says Tim Milton, president of the IESNYC, “and during a blackout, people come to appreciate just how much lighting design and lighting designers contribute to the vibrancy of the urban nightscape. OHNY at Night is an opportunity for the public to learn just how much talent, time, and serious collaboration with between lighting consultants, architects, and lighting manufacturers goes into the creation of a seamless, site-specific lighting design.”