On the UNESCO International Day of Light, the 2020 Daylight Award recipients were announced. This time the 2020 Daylight Award for architecture goes to Juha Leiviskä and the 2020 Daylight Award for research to Russell Foster. This year, as an exception, a Daylight Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented to Henry Plummer for his entire career.
Juha Leiviskä (Finland) receives the Daylight Award for his unique ability to make daylight an integral part of his buildings in his architectural work. Russell Foster (United Kingdom), receives the award for his clinical studies in people addressing important questions about the effect of light. Henry Plummer (United States) is being honored for his lifelong work of incorporating daylight phenomena into his brilliant photography and written work. This extraordinary award is being presented only this year in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Daylight Award.

Russell Foster
"While Russell Foster studies the science behind the effect of light on human behavior and physical and mental well-being, Juha Leiviskä and Henry Plummer intuitively approach the effects and implications of daylight through their architectural designs, photographic expression and verbal mediation of these human responses. Whether they illuminate the neutral effects of light or evoke the poetic essence of light, the Daylight Award 2020 laureates show us the power of natural light," according to the international jury.
The Daylight Award honors and supports daylight research and daylight in architecture, for the benefit of human health, well-being and the environment. The award places specific emphasis on the connection between theory and practice.

Henry Plummer
About The Daylight Award
Created by the philanthropic foundations VILLUM FOUNDATION, VELUX FOUNDATION and VELUX STIFTUNG, the Daylight Award is presented every two years in two categories; architecture and research. The award was first presented in 1980 to recognize prominent experts committed to daylight in architecture and research for the benefit of human health, well-being and the environment. It specifically emphasizes the interaction between theory and practice and was originally established by Villum Kann Rasmussen, the inventor of the VELUX skylight.
The Daylight Award is a personal award in the form of a cash prize of 100,000 euros. The foundations also support a wide range of nonprofit causes in scientific, social, cultural and environmental projects.
Since 1980, the three foundations have awarded daylight prizes to Jørn Utzon, Henning Larsen, Bob Gysin, Richard Perez, Peter Zumthor, James Carpenter, Lacaton & Vassal, Gigon & Guyer, SANAA, Marilyne Andersen, Steven Holl, Hiroshi Sambuichi and Greg Ward, among others.
Read more about the winners in the attached PDF or at: www.thedaylightaward.com