EDISON AWARDS FOR LIGHTING

"Religious sanctuaries generally present serious lighting challenges," said May Beth Gotti, manager of the GE Lighting Institute. "Lighting designers face the difficulty of enhancing the beauty of the facility while keeping its integrity, history, and functionality." At the annual ceremony of the GE Edison Award, Gotti cited George Sexton Associates for their elegantly simple, yet striking lighting design for the Herz Jesu Kirche (Heart of Jesus Church) in Munich. Next week we'll take a closer look at Sexton's design and that of the five other finalists.

HISTORIC HOTELS OF EGYPT

At a time when Europe's colonizing past is being subjected to intense international scrutiny, some of its built remnants continue to remind us of the culture — and culture clashes — that characterized that era. While the British themselves later shed the garments of the Victorian tradition and hurriedly embraced the modern age, the former colonies, either because of financial difficulties or from a kind of nostalgia, have preserved British traditions. Next week photojournalist Steven Allan will give us an inside story on several Victorian hotels in Egypt.

THE KIBBUTZ, THEN AND NOW

Nearly 100 years ago, the first kibbutz, a voluntary collective community, was founded on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Idealistic and egalitarian, these Jewish communities stressed uniformity in both social opportunity and architecture. Israeli architect Nili Portugali has set out to change at least part of that tradition. When the kibbutz members’ living quarters were built according to static patterns with identical outward appearances, she says, topographical differences in the landscape and relationship to the sun were neglected in their planning. Next week ArchitectureWeek contributing editor Lili Eylon will show us Portugali's new design and explain the changes — both social and architectural — that it has brought to the tradition.