Pivotal Projects Shine with Six Wins in the 2025 IES Seattle Section Illumination Awards
We’re beyond excited to announce that two Pivotal projects — the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation at California Polytechnic State University and the New School of Dramatic Arts at the University of Southern California — have collectively earned six prestigious awards in the 2025 Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Seattle Section Illumination Awards program. This incredible achievement reflects our team’s dedication to innovative, sustainable, and thoughtful lighting design.
Each of our projects took home the following three awards:
IES Illumination Award for Interior Lighting
IES Illumination Award for Energy and Environment
IES Illumination Award for Lighting Controls Innovation
Cal Poly – William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation
Pivotal’s lighting design highlights the building’s natural materials and open spaces, preserving a sleek, clean ceiling without visible fixtures.
At the Frost Center, Pivotal Lighting Design crafted architectural lighting solutions that honor the building’s natural materials and open volumes, all while preserving a sleek, clean ceiling without visible fixtures. Adjustable accent luminaires are seamlessly integrated into architectural slots to provide precise task lighting in the atrium and workspaces, maintaining the visual purity of exposed concrete slabs. Advanced lighting controls optimize energy efficiency and occupant comfort by automatically adjusting light levels based on occupancy and daylight availability. Soft, indirect cove lighting and carefully selected sustainable fixtures helped secure the LEED v4 Gold Light Pollution Reduction credit, underscoring our commitment to environmental stewardship and lasting performance.
Energy-efficient LEDs with advanced controls enable precise dimming and dynamic scenes in the chapel theater for diverse performances and activities.
USC – New School of Dramatic Arts
For USC’s School of Dramatic Arts, Pivotal Lighting Design masterfully blends historic preservation with cutting-edge lighting technology. In the chapel theater, energy-efficient LED fixtures are paired with sophisticated lighting controls that enable precise dimming and dynamic scene-setting, supporting a wide range of theatrical and academic activities. Throughout the 40,000-square-foot facility, integrated controls intelligently manage illumination based on occupancy and natural light, contributing to the building’s LEED Platinum certification. These smart lighting solutions elevate the user experience while honoring the building’s architectural legacy and sustainability goals.
About the IES Illumination Awards Program
The IES Illumination Awards program honors outstanding professionalism, creativity, and originality in lighting design. Entries are judged by a diverse panel of experts based solely on how effectively the lighting meets the program’s criteria, celebrating excellence in innovation and design impact.