GATEWAY ARCH MUSEUM, St. Louis

Designers: Suzan Tillotson, Ellen Sears, Katherine Lindsay – Tillotson Design Associates

Photos: Sam Fentress, Nic Lehoux

An extension of St. Louis' famous arch, the new museum sits below the surface of Gateway Arch National Park and uses well-lit interior surfaces to diminish the contrast with daylight and entice visitors to travel below ground. An indirectly-lit ceiling illuminates the entry and exhibition spaces throughout the museum while the control system allows the lights to gradually dim from the ground floor to the lower levels with multiple preset scenes programmed to respond to the time of day. LEDs with a color temperature of 2700K-5500K create a subtle transition of cool white light at the glazed entrance to a warmer white light in the interior lower floors of the main exhibition space. To guide visitors as they enter and depart the museum at night, a curved tri-wire wall ringing the exterior plaza and continuing to the interior canopy entrance is softly uplit by LED grazers within a recessed trough. Small louvered linear LED downlights are integrated into the canopy mullions to light the entrance and adjacent exterior planting.

KYOTO KAGURAOKA REN GETSU-SO, Kyoto, Japan

Designers: Yukari Atsuta, Shinjiro Matsumoto – KOIZUMI Lighting Technology Corp. Ato Takeuchi, Mamoru Kobayashi, Kimihiro Nakamura – Nikken Sekkei Ltd. Makoto Mihata – Takenaka Corporation

Photos: Koji Horiuchi

Consisting of five guest rooms, a dining room, lounge, karaoke room, a large communal bath and four Japanese gardens, this Kyoto ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) blends tradition with technology through two types of lighting. Ranma, the first type, is comprised of acrylic panels enclosing Washi (traditional Japanese paper). Ukiha, the second type, is a floor lamp symbolizing the lotus moon. In rectangular acrylic form, circular Washi lotus leaves are arranged in multiple layers. Overlapping layers of soft warm light throughout the inn emphasize its space and depth, while also drawing attention to natural textures, such as the wooden-floored corridor outside of the dining room and the stone walls lining the bath.

LAKEVIEW PENTHOUSE, Chicago

Designers: Daniela Flores, Hugo Solano, Thomas Paterson – Lux Populi S.A. de C.V.

Photos: Steve Hall, Hall+Merrick Photographers

A penthouse with angled architectural elements and relatively small windows uses a subtle lighting design to emphasize the scale of the space. Vertical sources act as indirect reflectors of light, helping to manage contrast/glare with views and allowing for the use of clean ceilings and CCT-tunable light. Coves feature careful interior cutoffs and finishes, appearing black so the walls glow in place of the cove. LED panels uplight the feature stair, which appears to float on a dark floor consisting of glass, egg-crate and LED panels. The vertical illuminance gives a sense of scale to the location. Each keypad button provides a scene that varies through the day, maintaining perceived brightness, while varying in brightness and color temperature relative to exterior daylight levels. High-efficacy light sources are used and energy is managed through programming that minimizes levels based on time of day and occupancy sensing. Art lighting is also used to bring back scale and contrast that would otherwise be lost through indirect lighting.

SUNAC SALES CENTER, Shanghai, China

Designers: Chiming Lin, Xin Tian, Chao Chen – Brandston Partnership, Inc.

Photos: Li Zhou

The Origami-inspired lighting design of this retail gallery emphasizes its form and interior design. A suspended hanging sculpture in the entrance lobby is lit from above by LED downlights to create a sparkling focal point upon entering the building. In the lobby, two LED linear in-ground lighting systems are used, the first of which uses 3000K lighting to enhance the folding form of the front walls. The second washes the wall from the back with 4000K to make the perforated pattern stand out. The grand gallery, covered by a curved ceiling with special three dimensional cut-out panels, features an integrated ceiling panel system with two self-glowing LED fixtures concealed with one panel. The light leaks out from the cut-out to enhance the three-dimensional ceiling textures and reinforce its curved shape. To bring the visual focus back to eye level, hanging sculptures are lit by LED downlights integrated in ceiling feature panels. This also provides task lighting and creates a flowing lighting effect within the gallery.

"SMARTASS" SPORTS CLUB, Kiev, Ukraine

Designer: Mykola Kabluka – Expolight

Photos: Shurpenkov Andrii

A Ukrainian athletic club is separated into five halls for boxing, functional, training, climbing, cycling, and yoga and barre. In each, lighting scenarios are tied to audio content and automatically change intensity and color based on the phase of the training session—warm-up, beginning, peak of activity and end. The effect of color on mood and physiological systems of the body were considered when designing the lighting scenes, as light not only affects architecture but also affects mood, emotions and physical conditions. To that end, in the cycling room, a wall of statically fixed wheels is illuminated by moving light to create the effect of rotation. The speed of rotation and spectrum of light can also be controlled, resulting in about 20 different patterns along the wall. Conversely, lighting for yoga and barre is more gentle and calm, but also has several modes with varying degrees of brightness and color temperature.

DREAMWORKS ANIMATION ZONE, Dubai, UAE

Designers: Patrick Gallegos, Paula Dinkel, Matthew Morris, Bill Gorgensen, Luke Bonner, Yvon Muller, Chris Beasley, York Kennedy – Gallegos Lighting Design

Photos: Entertainment Design Corporation, Alex Calle

Areas showcasing four DreamWorks productions—Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon—define this 485,000-sq ft indoor, permanent immersive experience in Dubai. The design includes four major ride attractions, 12 smaller attractions, five thematic retail outlets, four sit-down restaurants and general area ambience. The challenge was to use the latest lighting technology to transform a large, intricate space into a warm and personal experience with no visible technology, as would be appropriate in the four different "worlds." A combination of architectural and theatrical lighting design techniques create dimensional and kinetic layers of light to re-create images from the movies and to create unique, all-encompassing environments that let visitors feel part of each area. A project-wide programming and control system enables subtle and dramatic variations in light color and intensity and suggests movement and direction through timed sequences and triggered looks. Due to limited local manufacturing, the design team sourced standard fixtures and custom decorative fixtures from Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Of the thousands of fixtures used for the project, over 95% are LED.

HEARST DIGITAL MEDIA, New York City

Designers: Susannah Gilbard, Michael Hew Wing, Ashley Beeler – Lightcraft

Photos: Robert Deitchler/Gensler

A digital media giant wanted a modern, fun and celebrity-friendly lighting design for their TV studio floor, which contains a mix of lounges, work spaces, make-up prep, green rooms, broadcast studios and support areas. While the square footage of the floor was not that large, the overall lighting concept was "go big or go home." Each space has multiple functions and the architect and owner wanted a high-end concept with an edgy, modern feel. The interior design and lighting design support that concept, while providing appropriate lighting levels, low maintenance and energy efficient fixtures. All the lighting is LED and dimmable to 1%—a challenge since many of the decorative fixture lamps were replaced with screw-in type LEDs, and matching these lamps with appropriate dimmers was no small feat. Daylight and vacancy sensors were used to override control of all fixtures, enhancing the project's efficiency. Overall, energy consumption is well below what the energy code mandates at 0.62 watts per sq ft.

SILVER OAK ALEXANDER VALLEY WINERY INTERIOR, Healdsburg, CA

Designers: Eric Johnson, Markus Wolf – Eric Johnson Associates, Inc.

Photos: Patrik Argast

Juxtaposing state-of-the-art vinification with traditional barn-inspired architecture resulted in a modern yet sustainable facility—the first production winery to be awarded LEED Platinum certification. With a net positive water and energy rating, the winery was designed specifically to "give more than it takes" from the environment. Lighting needed to be cutting-edge to align with rigorous environmental standards, while still meeting the multifunctional and aesthetic needs of various spaces totaling nearly 120,000 sq ft. Design considerations included showcasing architecture, creating a welcoming ambience for tasting, highlighting retail, illuminating offices and production facilities, lighting a trail through the vineyards for nighttime tours, and melding the interior space with the surrounding landscape. Designing separate, multifaceted lighting solutions for each space made control of the entire system vital. As such, hospitality and tasting areas use preset light levels with a touchscreen interface, while production and office spaces are controlled by a standard network. All systems connect through BACnet, providing real-time analysis to monitor energy usage. Occupancy and daylight sensors with timeclocks ensure California Title 24 compliance.

CINCINNATI MUSIC HALL, Cincinnati

Designers: Michael DiBlasi, Paul Whitaker, Eric Meinzer –Schuler Shook, Alan Weiskopf – Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel, Gary Martinez – Martinez & Johnson Architecture/OTJ

Photos: Whitney Cox

One of the oldest and most prominent performing arts institutions in the country, the Cincinnati Music Hall underwent a $143 million renovation that included the installation of contemporary technology to highlight the building's original architecture. The new all-LED design increases light levels, decreases energy usage and provides more advanced eco-friendly controls. In Springer Hall—the heart of the project—the large central chandelier was refurbished and uplights were included to light the mural located in the hall's dome. Color-changing uplights were added to the faux upper windows, illuminating the arches in the upper balcony. The existing under-balcony lights were replaced with custom crystal decorative fixtures and over 30 incandescent bulbs outlining the two balcony faces and the decorative proscenium arch were replaced with DMX-controlled LED lamps. Custom color-changing LED torchieres were added to the mezzanine edge to the lobby to increase the overall illumination level. Custom globes under the mezzanine were selected to match the globes of the torchieres. The upper multi-purpose room includes refurbished chandeliers and uplighting integrated into the wainscoting, while accent lighting was added for speakers and downlights for general illumination.

OPS JP LORD, Omaha, NE

Designers: Michelle Eble-Hankins, Brandon Rich – Alvine Engineering

Photos: Tom Kessler

A new public elementary school focused on providing multi-sensory stimuli for severely developmentally challenged students uses lighting design to create an experiential learning environment. In the entryway, students are welcomed by an audiovisual experience via a controls system that monitors the levels and frequency of an audio track. Lighting levels and colors are adjusted in real time along with the music. Throughout the building's corridors, color-changing RGBW luminaires provide white or vibrant colored light for a visual stimulus. Simple and accessible controls throughout the building allow students to interact with the lighting in their space and be rewarded for their efforts. LED illuminators with twinkle wheels are used to integrate end-emitting fiber optics with patterned architecture ceiling tiles creating a "trail of stars" on a hallway ceiling. A regressed linear wall slot provides general lighting in the corridor, minimizing glare and keeping the ceiling dark so the fiber animation is the focus. Direct/indirect wall-mounted luminaires that can be controlled by the staff minimize conflicts with ceiling-mounted equipment.

EIFFEL TOWER DRESSED IN JAPANESE LIGHTS, Paris

Designers: Motoko Ishii – Motoko Ishii Lighting Design Inc., Akari-Lisa Ishii – I.C.O.N.sarl

Photos: Yuji Ono – Motoko Ishii Lighting Design Inc.

To celebrate the 160th anniversary of the Franco-Japanese diplomatic relationship, a special two-night event at the Eiffel Tower was held to promote symbols of Japanese culture. The 10-minute performance with colored lights, image projections and original sound repeated from sunset to 1:00 a.m. and attracted more than 400,000 visitors. The triple theme—Liberty, Beauty, Diversity—adopted in honor of the French Revolution's slogan—required more than 700 lighting fixtures, including color-changing luminaires installed on, under and in front of the monument. In addition, 18 video projectors were installed 130 meters from the façade to superimpose vivid images of Japanese national treasures on the monument. These projections included the rising sun on the Japanese flag, Japanese fans reimagined on the tower's lower half, and white beams for the final scene. In order to render the monument in gold, consistent with the golden Iris painting projection, a new LED spotlight using a special phosphor to create real "golden" light was manufactured.

MGM COTAI, Macau

Designers: Kelly Stechschulte, Adam Winter, Tyler Ezell, Joseph Cazeno, Kelly O'Connor, Kevin Kelly, Pam Rodriguez, Bruce Powell, Sheila Kerr – Illuminating Concepts

Photos: Lumen8shun Photography; Acclaim Lighting

The hotel's elegant exterior façade consists of eight stacked, cantilevering "jewel boxes" in an abstract sculptural form based on Chinese imagery. The design intent was to make the façade's silver, gold and copper powder-coated aluminum finishes stand out among the other highly-lit structures nearby. The challenge was to illuminate the façade's large surface area, with no setback to light from. The solution was to conceal customized lighting fixtures within the façade's decorative curtainwall mullions. Over 48,000 individual fixtures are integrated into the horizontal window mullions, lighting upward to highlight façade patterns. The lighting design team and manufacturer created two new fixture families: The first was a modification of an existing line voltage graze product to add DMX/RDM control and reduce power draw to meet energy restrictions, with 12 different optical distributions across three fixture lengths. The second was a new, high-output fixture with high-power LED emitters and narrow optics, enabling throw distances exceeding 30 ft from a 2-in. wide fixture. Each customized fixture features a unique address, allowing the system to monitor fixture health and flag fixtures for easy replacement. Through a combination of power supply tuning and discrete fixture control, the overall power load for the façade lighting was reduced more than 50%. The installation is the first private sector project to achieve China Green Building (Macau) Design Label Certification.

RH NEW YORK FAÇADE, New York City

Designers: Michael Lombardi, Sean O'Connor, Duncan Johns, Rebecca Vasak – Sean O'Connor Lighting

Photos: RH | Restoration Hardware

A redevelopment project in the heart of a historic neighborhood presented a unique challenge. The existing two-story structure was completed in 1923 and served as a stable and garage. A three-story addition and basement expansion was conceived, creating a six-level retail oasis including a rooftop restaurant. The mandate for the design team was to draw attention to a low-level building set on a wide, highly visible pedestrian plaza. At ground level, the iron and brick columns are uplighted via adjustable accent lights to animate the pedestrian experience. The mottled historic brick façade is highlighted via narrow optic linear LED uplights concealed within a channel detail. The original building's roof now serves as a mid-level outdoor terrace where grade recessed uplights highlight structural elements at the addition. The upper levels of the addition are highlighted via narrow grazing floodlights concealed with structural elements; the cross-bracing is highlighted with linear narrow optic uplights within a concealing channel. To create a soft canopy of light against the night sky, uplights highlight the roof terrace trees and umbrellas. The façade and rooftop lighting are controlled via a centralized dimming system, with slow fades between preset scenes for the rooftop space.

SUN LIFE BUILDING, Montréal

Designers: Conor Sampson, Alicia Davila – CS Design

Photos: CS Design

This exterior lighting project marks the 100th anniversary of the Sun Life Building. The $1 million turnkey lighting budget—including professional fees, equipment, installation and commissioning—was won in a two-stage competition. Playing upon the metaphor of the rising sun and the existing clarion sound system which has been in use since the Expo 67 World's Fair in Montréal, the lighting design rises dynamically from the base to the crown of the building, in tandem with any number of acoustic accompaniments. In order to increase the perceived height of the building, the design accentuates the vertical elements of the building composition, such as the engaged columns on the main façades and the freestanding ionic columns of the front portico and balconies of the 17th floor. The 3500K color temperature was selected to match the flamed Stanstead granite facing of the building. Tight beam angles and aiming analysis were implemented to avoid light pollution and minimize glare within the building tenant's offices.

VON KARMAN CREATIVE CAMPUS, Irvine, CA

Designers: Scott Johnson – Brilliant Lighting Studio, Joseph Ho, Oscar Nino, Robbie Mehring, Carlos Carrasquillo – Wolcott Architecture

Photos: Joseph Ho, Wolcott Architecture

The design goal for this 1 million-plus sq ft, nine-building campus was to create an illuminated connection between buildings. The result is a glowing pathway that reinforces the 24-hour work environment. The path interprets a stream of water, flowing and directing movement. To complicate matters, the site lies in the flight path to a major airport, so the 80-plus CRI, 4000K LEDs had to conform to FAA review, BUG, Dark Sky and Title 24 requirements while harmonizing with the landscape/hardscape. To minimize glare, LED strips used to light the flowing "feather" were hidden from direct view, partially buried but readily maintainable in river rock, angled to allow the emitting optic to precisely project light while keeping fixtures cool. The façade lighting, meanwhile, employs vertical building-high LED grazers located behind architectural fins, creating a mysterious "light from within" effect. Regarding aesthetics, the architects wanted high Kelvin temperatures, while the landscape designers wanted low. A compromise of 4000K was reached, allowed the greenery to appear green, and humans to look, well, human. The dusk transition glides gracefully from sunlight to electric light, as night follows day.

WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY, MIKE ILITCH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, Detroit

Designers: Matt Alleman, Patrick MacBride, Paige Donnell – SmithGroup

Photos: James Ewing, Jason Robinson

Wayne State University's new business school is strategically located away from main campus, near downtown Detroit, exemplifying the University's investment in the city's revitalization. The lighting team was challenged to transform the building into a beacon, symbolizing Wayne State's role in Detroit's renaissance. The lighting concept "broadcasting development" transforms a glass classroom block into a glowing display-case of student activity within the urban environment. A wrapping limestone canopy is illuminated to suggest the floating classroom block itself is the light source. Lighting concealed within the terrace curtain wall illuminates the large cantilevered overhang with high-performance optics. The vertical wrap is illuminated by lights mounted to the interior corner mullion of the classroom box; terrace-mounted floodlights fill in between. Inside the classroom, optical performance and spacing of pendants provide the required ceiling uniformity and intensity. Slanted perimeter soffits lit by mullion mounted fixtures minimize the dark plenum between classroom floors creating a more unified façade character. In the secluded central courtyard, the auditorium and atrium spaces serve as a backdrop, revealing interior activity and blurring the boundary between interior and exterior environments. At sundown motorized shades raise to reveal the beacon.

ART ON THE MART, Chicago

Designers: Gwen Grossman, Rachel Levy, Steven Clarke – Gwen Grossman Lighting Design

Photos: Joshua Brott, Obscura Digital

Located on the Chicago River, "the Mart" has long been an iconic building to natives and tourists. Its location and size made it an ideal canvas for dynamic color-changing lighting with full scale projections of public art. To accomplish this, designers replaced the original floodlights with LED RGBW fixtures that would reveal the beauty of the ornate architecture as well as work with the fast-paced digital art. Through a series of full-scale mock-ups and beam studies, the design team selected a variety of floods and linear fixtures to mount to the existing lighting locations. The 600-plus fixtures showcase the façade, turrets and roof in a more dramatic way due to the modern optics and high lumen output of the RGBW technology. The lighting reaches three times higher and brighter compared with the original lights, which makes a strong statement while also reducing energy consumption. The lighting team partnered with a system integrator to design controls that work as a standalone architectural system and can synchronize with public art projections, creating an event similar to a theatrical production.