In a year in which Visual Terrain has already been recognized with four awards — two Thea Awards and two Lumen West Awards of Merit — we are proud and excited to announce receiving three new awards for lighting design from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES):
• 2026 IES Illumination Award of Merit for Experiential Lighting Design: Netflix House Dallas
• 2026 IES Illumination Award of Merit for Experiential Lighting Design: Netflix House Philadelphia
• 2026 IES Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design, sponsored by Guth Charitable Trust – Award of Distinction: Brooklyn Paramount Theater
The Award of Distinction was presented to Visual Terrain and Bandit Lites at the 53rd Illumination Awards ceremony Friday August 14th, 2026 in Denver, Colorado, United States.
The IES wrote, “The Award of Distinction is the highest level of recognition honoring extraordinary achievement in lighting design. We are thrilled to recognize your firm for this exemplary work.”
All three projects will be published in the September 2026 issue of LD+A: the magazine of the IES.
Visual Terrain Principal Lighting Designer Michael Mahlum was honored as the lead designer on the Brooklyn Paramount Theater project, while Senior Lighting Designer Nicole Eng was honored as the lead designer on the two Netflix House projects, which had previously received Lumen West Awards of Merit.
Michael attended the ceremony in Denver, along with Visual Terrain Lighting Designer Madeline Miller and Lisa Passamonte Green, CEO and Principal-in-Charge.
Bandit Lites, Inc. was represented by Chris Barbee, Vice President of Integration; Caleb Werkmeister, Integration Project Manager; and Alex Becker, System Integrator.
Additionally, Visual Terrain Senior Lighting Designer Jacqueline Grey and Associate Principal Production Designer Steeve Vajk, as well as Bandit Lites Director of Integration John Jenkinson, were named on the Award of Distinction, but were unable to attend the gala.
While Visual Terrain has previously received Awards of Excellence, including an Edwin F. Guth Memorial Award for Interior Lighting Design for Museum of the Cherokee People, in 2000, this is the company’s first Award of Distinction.
Lisa Passamonte Green, Visual Terrain CEO and Principal-in-Charge, said, “We are grateful to our clients on Brooklyn Paramount — Bandit Lites and Live Nation — for the opportunity to work on this beautiful historic building restoration. We are also grateful to Netflix for entrusting us with opening its first two Netflix House locations.
“It was a privilege and an honor to be recognized alongside so much beautiful work by our colleagues in the international lighting design community.”
