(UK) – The Jonathan Speirs Scholarship Fund has announced the winners for 2018/2019 award.

The Trustees announced that the recipients selected this year are Apoorva Jalindre and Merethe Granhus.

Apoorva Jalindre is in the process of completing her second Masters degree, in Architecture, Design and Health at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Having undertaken the lighting Masters program at Wismar, she further deepened her passion for lighting design with an internship at Office for Visual Interaction Inc. in New York City. An important aspect of her work considers how the perception of lighting might affect mental health conditions such as autism, dyslexia, schizophrenia and migraine.

Meanwhile, Merethe Granhus is studying for a Professional Diploma in Architecture RIBA Part II at the London Metropolitan University. Her passion for lighting was cultivated as an intern at 31/44 Architects, working on, amongst other projects, the lighting of the Barbican Frobisher Rooms. Merethe believes nuanced lighting is critical to enabling any built environment to function comfortably. However, her passion lies with the transformative aspects of light that enable intuitive connection and communication with people.

John Roake, Chairman of the JSSF commented: “This year presented another excellent shortlist culminating in the selection of two outstanding scholars with completely different approaches, but with a clear understanding of light as not just a medium by which to visualise but also using it as a tool to enhance the experience of the viewer.

“Both scholars presented projects that have a social element we enjoyed discussing […] Both are worthy and responsible projects which we are happy to encourage with the aid of the Scholarship.”

For further information on the Jonathan Speirs Scholarship fund, visit www.jssf.org.uk.