Applelec collaborated with lighting designer Jenny Bland of Light iQ to create the award trophies for the event.

A number of concepts were initially explored, before the teams decided to create a floating, infinity effect using multiple pieces of acrylic layered vertically to give the optical illusion of a central cube surrounded in light.

From the sketches provided by Light iQ, Applelec formed a plan for the manufacture of the trophy and a single prototype was assembled which became the template for the final construction. Optically clear acrylic sheets were etched with the darc awards/architectural logo and layered to build a three dimensional cube. A base in opal acrylic was embedded with Applelec’s LED Light Sheet along with a small battery before being wrapped with a brushed steel band, engraved with the winning category details, which forces light upwards through the top surface of the base.

Diffused light travels through the vertical acrylic layers, enclosing the etchings, and transmitting illumination through the depth of the cube. The illumination softly highlights the cube design and the awards logo etched within it.

Rebecca Weir, creative director of Light iQ said: ‘We’re delighted with the final result and it was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with Applelec and the darc awards team. The darc award was striking in its simplicity with a strong clarity emphasising all the teams involved.’