Atelier Bow-Wow wins 2026 Daylight Award for careful uses of light

The winners of the 2026 edition of The Daylight Award have been announced, recognizing architects and researchers whose work explores the role of daylight across different scales, from microscopic aquatic ecosystems to dense urban environments. 

Announced on UNESCO’s International Day of Light, the biennial award honors contributions in both scientific research and architectural design related to the understanding and use of daylight.

The Daylight Award for Architecture was awarded to Momoyo Kaijima and Yoshiharu Tsukamoto of Atelier Bow-Wow. The award was given for their exploration of daylight in everyday architecture and compact urban conditions, ranging from houses and kindergartens to galleries and research spaces.

The jury highlighted the pair’s focus on “Architectural Behaviorology,” an approach examining the interaction between buildings, inhabitants and environmental conditions. Rather than relying on expansive glazing or monumental gestures, the team’s projects often employ reflected light, narrow openings, courtyards and filtered thresholds to bring daylight into constrained sites.

The Daylight Award for Research was awarded to biologists Brittany N. Zepernick, Steven W. Wilhelm, and R. Michael McKay for their studies into photosynthetic algae and changing underwater light conditions caused by climate change. 

Their research examines how reduced ice cover in northern temperate lakes alters light penetration, affecting microorganisms fundamental to aquatic ecosystems and oxygen production. The award organizers said the researchers’ findings reveal how climate-driven changes to daylight conditions may impact biodiversity, food webs, and water quality.