Massachusetts Interior Design Student Wins Grand Prize in Luraline’s Student Design Competition

Interior design major Hollis Machala from Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts, has been named the winner of Luraline’s fourth annual “It’s Your Light” student design competition.

Machala, 20, took top honors for “120 Mystery,” a pendant fixture that provides up and downlighting through creative use of materials and construction. The fixture is intended primarily for use in restaurant installations, part of the broad category of retail lighting that was the focus of this year’s competition.

“The ‘120 Mystery’ pendant consists of two symmetrical curved sides, which direct light both up and down without producing glare,” Machala said. “The mystery of the luminaire stems from the way the light is blocked on the symmetrical curved sides of the fixture. The viewer should see the fixture and say, ‘What is making that glow?’”

The contest jury, made up of design, architecture, and lighting industry professionals, chose “120 Mystery” from nearly 100 entries received from the interior design, industrial design and architecture departments of schools and universities across the country. Machala received a $1,500 cash prize for her winning design.

“The jury was particularly impressed with the quality of Ms. Machala’s presentation, from the concept to the drawings to the design,” Luraline President Howard Levine said. “‘120 Mystery’ offers adaptability in its shapes, materials and configurations, and is suitable for a multitude of retail applications, from restaurant to hospitality and more.”

The annual “It’s Your Light” competition solicits original design concepts for lighting fixtures from design and architecture students throughout the U.S. Details for next year’s competition will be announced in Spring-Summer 2005.

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