Work of Euan Winton and Malcolm Innes recognised as next major project gathers pace
The work of two Edinburgh Napier design researchers in helping illuminate nine of the country’s most prominent sites on the same night has been recognised with a prestigious award.
Working in partnership with the
Society of Light and Lighting, Euan Winton and Malcolm Innes were responsible for the Edinburgh leg of an ambitious project to illuminate nine of the UK’s UNESCO World Heritage sites on one night in October 2015.
As part of the
Night of Heritage Light project, Malcolm and Euan took the lead in lighting up the city’s Writers’ Museum and parts of Makars’ Court. A rousing success across all nine sites, the project came top in the Best Creative Light Event category at the recent Darc Awards.
The Darc Awards is an annual celebration of the best lighting design from throughout the world, with each award decided by votes from more than 1,300 lighting professionals. The recognition is the latest award for the project after it won Heritage Project of the Year at the UK Lighting Design Awards in May.
Malcolm Innes said: “The UNESCO Night of Heritage Light was a fantastic project to be involved with and we’re delighted that our work in Edinburgh has helped contribute to its subsequent success.
“Within our project specifically, we worked closely with Edinburgh Napier alumni Steven and David McConnachie of
Double Take Projections alongside a group of our current MA/MDes students. It was a real team effort and it’s extremely satisfying for the project to be recognised by our fellow peers in the lighting profession.”
The award comes as the pair’s next project, which will see 12 closes lit up within Edinburgh’s Old Town, continues to gather momentum.
Working alongside
Edinburgh World Heritage and the
Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust, the work will see a number of historic sites permanently lit up in an attempt to change their perception of being under-used, unloved and unsafe.
The final selection of closes is still under discussion but a demonstration event has been held within the area’s Bakehouse Close, highlighting the potential that the project has in rejuvenating key elements of the city’s World Heritage status.
Funded by Edinburgh World Heritage with match-funding from grants, sponsorships, donations and a significant contribution from the City of Edinburgh Council, the first lights should be switched on in 12 to 16 months.
Malcolm added: “Work continues to progress with the Twelve Closes Project and we’re delighted to be involved in what we are sure will bring significant positive change to the historic part of the city.
“We’re currently working with key partners and the local community to fully understand the history of the closes with an aim of using these ideas as inspiration for the final lighting designs. It’s important not to forget the past as we look to breathe new life into these key locations in the future.”