ATEA and Arup win [d]arc awards installation competition
(UK) – The winner of this year’s highly anticipated [d]arc awards installation competition has been announced: ‘Ten Years in Neon’, a striking collaboration between ATEA and Arup.
Created to mark 10 years of the [d]arc awards, the installation reflects on social, political, and cultural shifts of the past decade. Drawing inspiration from the storytelling format of the Bayeux Tapestry, the piece reinterpreted modern history through a continuous narrative of neon.
From global protests and climate crises to moments of collective joy and resilience, the installation weaved these themes into a luminous tapestry of colour and form. Initially presenting as a vibrant pop-art piece, it gradually revealed deeper layers of meaning, prompting reflection on the pride, sorrow, hope, and anxiety that have shaped recent memory.
Part of the annual [d]arc awards celebration, which this year took place in Woolwich, London – the installation competition continues to be one of the most exciting and creative showcases in architectural lighting. The 2025 edition saw a dynamic range of submissions from talented design teams, all of whom transformed the venue into their creations of light, energy, and imagination.
Other installations from the night included:
Rako Controls & AE7 – The Voyage So Far
Unibox & Buro Happold – The Choice
Radiant Architectural Lighting & dpa lighting consultants – Piece of Cake
Kingfisher & Foster + Partners – Puzzle
Signify & Hoare Lea – [d]ecastrike.
Lutron & Jan Erika – X
formalighting & Michael Grubb Studio – TEN-tacles
Tryka & Nulty – Pendula
Vivalyte & Speirs Major Light Architecture – Power of Ten
Artemide & WSP – Reflexions