(NEW YORK, August 16, 2023) – The Illuminating Engineering Society recently recognized the lighting design of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church with a 2024 Special Citation Award. Recognizing superior elements of a portion of a project, the award observed the seamless and delicate detailing of lighting throughout the liturgical space and was presented on Friday, August 16, at the 51st Illuminations Awards Ceremony in New York City.

The IES Illumination Awards recognize individuals for originality, professionalism, and ingenuity in lighting design and winners are chosen based on the merit of their entries. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was submitted for an Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design which recognizes interior lighting projects that balance artistic application of light with functionality to enhance the occupant’s experience.

DLR Group’s lighting design transforms what appears to be a solid stone church by day into a luminous beacon of light and hope by night. The design achieves the Archbishop’s goal of the church appearing “to be lit from 10,000 candles.” Strategic architectural accent lighting and a diffuse ambient glow fill the church interior, highlighting the Greek iconography found within.

The scope of work included the exterior as well as all interior spaces, including lobby, prayer rooms, a community room, bereavement rooms, offices, and a gift shop. A unique modular lighting system mounted on the rainscreen structure directs inward to reflect off the building’s diffusing white thermal envelope to create an even, shadow-free surface of light emanating outward. The light filters into the interior where it is balanced with a fully adjustable LED lighting system. The color temperature and relative brightness was carefully designed to ensure a singular and cohesive effect throughout the building.