Abdi wins int'l award for Monas lighting project

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian lighting designer Abdi Ahsan Wira, 37, has won a prestigious award from the Chicago-based International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) for his work on the National Monument (Monas) park in Central Jakarta.

Abdi was one of the only two award winners from Asia, joining a lighting designer involved in the Galleria West project in South Korea.

In the 22nd annual IALD awards presentation in New York on April 13, the association recognized 23 projects in seven categories -- academic institutions, corporate institutions, hospitality, residential, retail/entertainment, site/facade and monumental structure/public spaces.

Abdi received the Award of Merit in the monumental structure/public spaces category, along with lighting designers involved in the DeVos Performance Hall project in the U.S., the Jubilee Church project in Italy and the Rion Antirion Bridge project in Greece.

"I tried to use different colors and techniques in the lighting system to highlight and rekindle the spirit symbolized by the Monas tower," Abdi said.

Continuously changing and colored floodlights transform the monument into a perpetual flame symbolizing the nation's spirit, said the graduate of Bandung Technology Institute's School of Applied Physics.

White and clean illumination also create a solemn and graceful atmosphere for the monument, he said.

Abdi said the greatest challenge he faced in the Monas lighting project was to develop lighting that would serve both a recreational and a commemorative function.

In addition to a recreation spot for Jakartans, the park also honors the country's struggle for independence.

"Hopefully, similar projects will be developed in the future, especially projects that explore the importance of lighting in any architectural development project," Abdi said.

He said many projects here neglected the lighting factor, which plays a key role in creating a healthy and aesthetic atmosphere at workplaces and public places.

The IALD was established in 1969 and currently has 700 members throughout the world. Its main goal is to set a global standard for lighting design projects.

For this year's awards, the association received 141 submissions from 14 countries.