Robert Bruce Thompson Lighting Fixture Contest
2011 Second place winner (as grad student at LRC)

The 2011 Design Problem: Design a decorative pendant fixture that can be used as an individual fixture or as a series of fixtures to light a corporate conference room. The conference room is used 50% of the time for video conference and so needs a relatively high, even light level with minimal shadows for that use. There is a conference table down the center of the room and a video screen at one end of the room. The ceiling height is 9’6”. It is up to you to determine the size of your conference room. Consider the issues of viewing the screen, comfort for the people in the room, and the appearance of both the fixture and the people around the table. Your pendant should use energy-efficient lamps, such as fluorescent, LED, or other light sources with good color rendering and long life. The ballast or power supply should be integral to the fixture. Self-ballasted lamps and other retrofit lamps that fit into incandescent screw base sockets are not acceptable. Identify all major components and materials.
Bruce Thompson was a twenty-five year veteran of the lighting industry. He had a broad background in the profession having worked in theatre, retail, as a factory representative, and concluding his career in
manufacturing as vice president of sales and marketing. Throughout his career Bruce emphasized design and innovation. He was also an accomplished light fixture designer.