May 30, 2023
Interior architecture students awarded in 2023 Lang Lighting Competition
The interior architecture & industrial design department in the College of Architecture, Planning & Design recently awarded interior architecture graduate students Mattie Lane, Goddard; Chloe Aufderheide, Lenexa; and Maia Smith, Sedalia, Missouri, in the Lang Lighting Design Competition. The event, held annually in May, recognizes exceptional lighting design executed by third-year students as part of their Interior Architecture Design Studio IV and Lighting course.
For this project, students worked with a retail space of their choosing, decided on a project location and integrated a related activity that could be supported within the retail space. They completely designed the branding and identity of the storefront, interior areas, displays and signage within the structural systems that were already established. Finally, they focused on lighting the interior and exterior of the retail space.
The 2023 first-place award of $2,500 went to Lane for her design of a high-end housewares retail store with an attached teaching kitchen, titled "Pentole Cookware + Learning Kitchen."
"Mattie's comprehensive lighting solution is outstanding in all aspects, from its subtle ambient lighting to the dynamic focal lighting and even to the lighting strategies she used for the signage and graphics," said Associate Professor Neal Hubbell. "An amazing design from start to finish."
This year's second-place award of $1,500 was given to Smith for her design, "Continuum Music + Lessons," guided by Professor of Practice Michelle Wempe, while the third-place award of $1,000 went to Aufderheide's work, "Peak Pursuits Rock Climbing," also led by Hubbell. Other finalists participating in the competition included Kara Davis, Meriden; Lily Turner, Overland Park; and Analiese Wilhauk, Shawnee.
The jurors this year included Andy Lang, owner of Lang Lighting Design in Dallas, Texas; John Nelson, principal and director of Looney & Associates in Dallas, Texas; and Melanie Freeland, alumna of APDesign and creative director at RIOS in Los Angeles, California.
Lang launched the Lang Lighting Design Competition in 2022. The primary objective of this competition is to broaden the perspectives and expertise of interior architecture students, enlightening them about the profound influence that exceptional lighting design can have on architectural spaces. By encouraging participants to push their skills beyond conventional limits, the competition aims to cultivate ingenuity within the realm of lighting design.
In addition to founding the Lang Lighting Design Competition, Lang, a K-State '85 Bachelor of Architecture graduate, established a lighting design practice in 2005 based in Dallas, Texas. With a passion for illuminating spaces and creating captivating visual experiences, Lang's practice has garnered recognition for its exceptional work in the field. By leveraging a deep understanding of the interplay between light and architecture, Lang and his team bring forth innovative and transformative lighting solutions that enhance the ambiance, functionality and aesthetic appeal of various environments.