Led by Parsons faculty member and alumnus Chad Groshart, six students in the Parsons’ Lighting for Developing Countries class traveled 1,500 miles from their New York City classroom to the remote mountain village of Gran Sous to help locals develop, source, and install solar-powered lighting fixtures on five 25-foot-tall poles. The project has had an immediate social and economic impact on the community: residents can now travel more freely and meet for social gatherings after dark.
The culmination of a semester-long study on light poverty in less developed countries, the project embodies Parsons’ commitment to using design to confront pressing social issues. The team sourced needed gear from local vendors and worked closely with community residents on the design and installation of the lighting system. The project was sponsored by Atelier Ten Foundation, Bartco Lighting, Lumenwerx Lighting, and USAI Lighting.