The competition was launched by the NRM to encourage students to consider the importance of lighting design in museums in the lead up to its re-development plans for the Great Hall.
Helen Ashby, acting director of the NRM, explains, "We're always looking to involve different groups of people in our various projects and we've really enjoyed watching the designs come together. It's been great to have the students bring so many new ideas to the table."
The winners of the competition were Jonathan Jewitt, Chris Farncombe, Craig Kilmartin and Oli Downton from Rose Bruford College in Kent. One of the judges, Belinda Morris, display content manager at the NRM said, "The scheme designed by the winning team showed that they understood the significance of Agenoria which is one of the oldest locomotives in our collection. They highlighted different elements which made us all see the vehicle literally in a 'different light' - its dominant chimney and its skeletal form both came through. We found ourselves quite emotionally engaged with the vehicle and its story and I feel our visitors would have done the same. They also executed their design technically very well - it was subtle and very effective."
The winner's prize includes tickets to the VIP launch of Brief Encounters, an interactive light installation that will transform the NRM's famous turntable into a spectacular piece of modern art from 26 November 2009 until 3 January 2010. The NRM team was so impressed with the design that the team of students will be invited to be involved in lighting designs for the Museum's £20million redevelopment project, NRM+, which is due to open in 2012.
NRM+ will see the creation of a new visitor experience in the Museum's largest exhibition space - the Great Hall - and is set to boost York and Yorkshire's tourism economy by bringing over one million visitors to the Museum every year.
Edward Fagan, production lecturer, Amersham & Wycombe College School of Performing Arts has been working with the NRM to put the competition together. He explains, "Lighting can really add to the visitor experience of an exhibition and it's great to see more and more people get creative with their designs. Lighting has the ability to change the atmosphere in a room and can facilitate the recreation of time periods and historical events. But it is also crucial that the lighting doesn't do any damage to the objects on display. Light and UV radiation can cause various photochemical reactions so the designer has to be very selective with their lighting choices."
Helen Ashby, Acting Director of the NRM, adds, "We are thrilled that the competition went so well and are very impressed with all the designs especially that of the winning groups from Rose Bruford College. We'd like to thank AC Lighting, Avolites and Henley Theatre Services for all their help in making this competition possible by providing all the lighting equipment and ensuring everything ran smoothly on the night."
(Jim Evans)
