AWA Lighting Designers recently completed the project for the Monsoon Club at the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.

It features an undulating ceiling spanning across the whole length of the space.

More information below:

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It’s pattern is composed of vertically hung strings, the lengths of which determine the steepness and shape of the undulations.

The illumination of this carpet creates fantastic effects when the vertical strings calculatedly interrupt light beams to cast a flood of variegated shadows on the floor.

PSLAB has send us pictures of  luminaires they designed for Maison Thoumieux.

They had the opportunity to light the rooms and dining area of recently renovated boutique hotel in Paris, France. The products, which were designed and manufactured exclusively for the hotel spaces and restaurant, responded to the physical constraints of the site and integrated with it’s strong design style.

Their emphasis on this site was the relationship between the viewer and the light provided by the fixture thus creating a special mood. India Mahdavi’s choice of strongly hexagonal embossed wallpaper was the key constraint. To play with this feature they designed a circular wall mounted lamp with three curved layers contracting around the central light source.

The shape of the lamp houses the light behind a perforated steel sheet which reflects and diffuses the light, creating an intimate mood.

]]> http://www.enlightermagazine.com/projects/maison-thoumieux-pslab/feed 0 http://www.enlightermagazine.com/projects/espa-life-lighting-design-international http://www.enlightermagazine.com/projects/espa-life-lighting-design-international#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:46:55 +0000 Mitja Prelovsek http://www.enlightermagazine.com/?p=8052

Lighting Design International recently completed the design for ESPA Life Spa at the Corinthia Hotel.

The interior designers at the project were GA design.

More information below:

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The brief was to design a scheme which complemented the differing mood of each of the four individually designed floors. The client experience was to be the focal point of the design, with mood and ambience being the driving forces of both the interior design and the lighting design. To aid GA Design and ESPA to achieve their visionary goals in the spa, LDI chose predominantly concealed LED lighting to create the right atmosphere.

The selection of finishes was principally kinon, textured stone, marble and rich fabrics, and the lighting needed to complement these by highlighting their richness without taking any attention away.

Development
To achieve the specific brief, LDI specified concealed LED lighting throughout to create the right atmosphere. The choice of finishes, being predominantly highly reflective kinon, proved to be a challenge in terms of our aim to conceal the light sources. Endless mock-ups and light tests were carried out which proved invaluable to confirm to the client that our complex set of installation details were essential.

Lighting highlighted the various artworks and sculptures throughout the project and gave us an opportunity to create focal points for the client to move around the space. Long sweeping waves were up lit to highlight the texture in the otherwise simple entrance corridor, and the rare use of spotlights were cleverly positioned to pinspot white sculptures which stand out against the black interior.

Success of the scheme
The four floors of the scheme are designed to each have a different feel, with the finishes becoming darker as you go further underground. The lighting scheme reflects this concept by the lighting focusing on the finishes and so highlighting the different moods of each floor. The joining feature of the spa is an exquisite marble staircase which is lit entirely from first floor to sub-basement with the same lighting detail concealed at the sides which, when added to the rich, reflective surfaces gives the client a sense of floating.

This one detail pulls the lighting scheme of the whole project together. Clever use of diffusers conceal the light source, softening the lighting effect.

The sub-basement is almost entirely black with a stainless steel pool. Again downlights were predominantly avoided. Instead uplights were specified to light frosted glass fins, linear ceiling slots to pick up the grain in the marble walls, and fibre optic uplights in the base of the pool which create a mesmerising pattern on the ceiling with the ever moving water in the pool.

LDI were conscious of energy efficiency throughout, not only because of the ethical values of ESPA and their clientele, but because the full lighting scheme would be used from 6.30am to 10pm, with the gym being 24 hour use, meaning un-interrupted running times. The total installed load of the project is 20.6 W/m², and with the addition of a carefully designed and commissioned lighting control system, we calculated a LENI result of 95 which compares favourably to the benchmark values set out in the European Standards for the energy performance of buildings.

Lighting Designer: Ellie Greisen, Senior Designer

Bruce Munro sent us images of one of their latest installations named Saturn Necklace.

It is a pendant fixture consisting mainly of glass and optical fibres.

More information below:

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The Wiltshire-based contemporary artist and luminaire designer Bruce Munro has been commissioned to create a pendant light for a tall and narrow stairwell in London. The result is a piece of illuminated sculpture, which Munro says is “like a cross between a cooling tower and a Van de Graaff Generator”. Not everyone will know what a Van de Graaff Generator is, and yet they will get the picture: this is a funky piece which references early scientific instruments.

Munro was inspired, as so often, by the actual site: a mirrored narrow space. “It made me think of lightning bolts, glass spheres, and film sets of the 1920s”. He designed a 6.5 meter tall fibre-optic pendant made of 30 hand blown glass spheres threaded with 30 optic fibres, which has recently been installed in a London property.

Each glass sphere, suspended down the stairwell void, measures 20 cm in diameter, and is supported by a single clear laser-cut ‘saucer’, hung on three steel suspension wires attached through the outer edges. A small steel collar wedged between the two gives strength to the central column.

An energy-efficient piece, Saturn-Necklace is illuminated via a single Metal Halide colour projector, positioned in a remote location and using only 150 watts. “Its exhilarating when clients choose my more quirky ideas” says Munro with delight “I can be more adventurous with my designs, and in the end, everybody’s happy!”

Point of View, a lighting design practice with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, completed the lighting for a shopping mall Westfield Doncaster, which won IES Award of Commendation in 2009.

The design team strived to create different atmospheres for every area of the mall.

See more below:

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The lighting design scope comprised refurbishment to the existing mall, plus lighting to the new expansion. The intent was to ‘lift the bar’; to create a benchmark retail experience. Each area of the centre was designed to have specific and different qualities, to appeal to different customers and their shopping intentions. Lighting treatments and decorative features accentuated and reinforced this ambition.

One of the key achievements with the lighting design was our challenge to uniformity and typically high ambient light levels. Both are managed successfully so that architectural details are given prominence, shopfronts energised and the overall effect is more animated. Lighting was kept to a minimum and installed away from the shopfront to distinguish common area from tenancy, and to help the shop window become the accent. Lamp choice and luminaire quality were carefully selected for longevity and durability thus minimised the frequency of maintenance.

Fresh Food Court
Our efforts focussed on minimal visibility of light fittings and minimum levels of light so that the fresh food outlets are pronounced. Black surface mounted downlights were fixed to the Luxalon Magnagrid ceiling for modest ambient light and suspended feature pendants used in pockets to accent various central zones away from the tenancy.

The same pendants were carried through linking the Cross Mall and creating a clear rhythm along the mall.

Penetrating the void is a custom designed (by POV) suspended glass feature. Hand-blown glass droplets are individually illuminated by black sheathed fibre optic cords that form part of the suspension arrangement. Each ‘tear drop’ is unique varying in size, shape, colour and detailing. The fibres terminate within the glass, creating the illusion of a naturally glowing glass object. A mirrored suspension plate reflects the glass features below, and houses the remote fibre optic driver.

Centre Cross Mall
A double height cathedral like ceiling connects the Galleria Mall to the Existing Mall. Ceiling vaults are indirectly lit with concealed fluorescent up lights gently lighting the space whilst revealing the architectural detail. The level below is treated with a continuous recessed box detail with adjustable down lighting offset from the centre to provide drama within the space.

This area is considered a place of respite, contrasting the rest of the mall, and light levels are kept to a minimum, with no intrusion into the feature ceiling area by lighting equipment.

Galleria Mall
Again, lighting is kept to bare minimum, and the intent of making the building the lantern is evident; light fittings are barely evident. An indirect linear source up lights the ceiling structure along the Galleria Mall, balanced by streaks of up light on the other side, and supported by integrated lighting within the window apertures. Ambient light levels are augmented by low glare, inconspicuous metal halide downlight at wide spacing, strictly as necessary.

Cove lighting is used on the level below to accentuate the void edge and to balance with views to daylight above.

High Fashion
Customised wall mounted bracket lights extend out from the bulkheads integrate aesthetically with the skeletal glazing structure. These are focused into the mall, leaving the tenant’s window lighting to illuminate the mall perimeter. Fluorescent fittings are used to up light the plenum space above the shopfronts to heighten the volume of High Fashion. Consistent with the overall lighting philosophy, lighting is kept low in this precinct so that the specialty retail shops are enhanced.

Existing Mall
The existing mall is segmented into various “rooms” containing distinct architectural ceiling variations. The interior design goal was to make these various ‘rooms’ more cohesive and ‘one-of-a-piece’. The challenge was to reduce the visibility of light fittings, reduce clutter, rationalise the positioning of luminaires in an ordered way to support the interior design objective. Overall the lighting, in conjunction with interior design, has revived and refreshed what was once a cluttered, untidy space.

Bracket lights continue through the existing centre from High Fashion extending a strong rhythm along the mall. This rhythm reoccurs within void areas further into the mall whilst key zones are accentuated to illustrate a nodal point, junction or a point of arrival.

Café Court
This is a lounge type environment, and is very important in distinguishing the shopping centre, and its character. A glamorous staircase underpins the interior design aspiration. Indirect illumination defines the entrance and wraps around the spiralling staircase whilst continuous warm white fluorescent light grazes the feature wall. The central focus is a collection of decorative pendants which help drive the lounge theme, and accentuate the warm interior finishes. General seating zones are lit with dark light down lights and cove lighting is randomly distributed to break up the large expansive ceiling.

Entertainment Lifestyle Precinct (ELP)
There is a clear distinction to the lighting treatment in the ELP; we determined that it should feel a darker, moodier space. The ELP lighting treatment is dramatic as a consequence, with accenting to seating pods and features throughout the precinct. Small touches of linear lighting above the escalators are used to link the spaces below.

Photographer: Brent Winstone
Architect: Westfield Design & Construction

A collaboration between ACT Lighting Design and Odeaubois resulted in an outdoor installation called OVO.

It is an oval shaped lattice outdoor installation lit with a number of RGB LEDs and equipped with water vaporizers.

More info about OVO below:

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On first sight you see the shape of an egg, the two gateways inviting you to enter. Symbolic associations spring to the visitor’s mind, suggesting richness and universality, linked to ideas of birth, unity, perfection, of a cocoon, of transformation. The structure is a combination of 24 crossed spiral pairs, based on the Golden Number.

This organic fractal structure that exists in the universe, suggests the shape of a pine-cone, a pineapple or a seashells. The purpose of the installation OVO is to offer an art object, global and multi-sensory in scope, to which a dimension of a luminous event is added, provided by the plays of light and the visual and acoustic animations.

The visitor is invited to walk on the water to reach the interior, as if to vanish into a metaphysical mist. The watery surface reflects the egg-like structure, the lighting, and also the silhouettes of the visitors which bring the surface to life by their passage.

Seen from inside the sense of intensity, of being drawn towards the sky, underlines the dynamism conveyed by the forms of the structure. By day the shape of the egg can be admired in its purity.

The wooden structure is made of Pine, that is locally obtainable and bought from a wood supplier that works with the sustainable forest management system to reinvest into the planting of new trees.

The LED lighting system uses only about 700W of continuous power to deliver the amazing lighting effects, less then a family watching TV together on the couch. The whole system is IP67 rated and no replacement of bulbs are necessary within the life of the project. The water system used is very economical in his kind, only using about 8 liters per hour of use. A 10 minute shower consumes about 48 liters as a comparison.

The whole system is conceived with durability in mind, the whole wooden structure only takes up about 4 cubic meters for transport. The rest of the system, lighting, sound, water vaporization and accessories are also very compact and is about 6 cubic meters. We have NO waste on this project. All items are used and re-used for at least 10 performances, after which they are recycled. We only use natural materials like wood, rubber and metal.

The egg is placed on a 100sqm basin completely covered with 2 cm of water. The basin is coated with a black covering, in order to enhance the reflections of the water. A path of rubber mats allows the public circulation and access within the work. Each lozenge formed by the structure of the egg is lit by a low-energy LED RGBW that projects upwards. The LEDs are separately adjustable so that the whole structure can be lit up, coloured, and animated.

Inside the structure a vaporisation system is fitted. It diffuses a fine cloud of mist which spreads, crosses, and blurs the contours of the egg. The water vapour is coloured by plays of light.

Lighting & Scenography: ACT Lighting Design

Sculpture: Odeaubois

You Fade to Light is an interactive art piece featuring mirrors and light designed by rAndom International.

About the project “You fade to light”, be directed to read more:

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‘You Fade To Light’ is is an interactive media installation that provokes a kinesthetic dialogue between the viewer and their very own mirror image. The work encourages the audience to physically and intuitively experience the creation of light itself.

Seemingly a large wall with myriads of mirrors, the installation is awakened by movement and transforms the reflection of the viewer into light.

While a classic analogue mirror passively reflects its surroundings, You Fade To Light dynamically visualises those who stand in front of it.

When the individual mirrors see movement, they react to it and gradually fade from a perfect mirror finish into a radiating surface of pure light. You Fade To Light has been conceived by rAndom international and is made of hundreds of unique OLEDs (organic light emitting diodes), a future light source currently developed by Philips in Aachen, Germany.

The installation has recently been shown in the collection of the Neue Sammlung of the Pinakothek der Moderne / International Design Museum in Munich / Germany.

For the documentation of the installation, rAndom International and Philips Lumiblade commissioned Laila Diallo to develop a short choreography as a response to the piece, which was performed by Diallo and Khamlane Halsackda.

‘Commissioned by Philips Royal Electronics / Milan 2009

Point of View designed lighting for Castle Hill Gold Class Lounge in Sydney/Australia.

Here follows press release from Point of view:

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The Brief was to create an environment that would encourage patrons to linger before or after a movie. Unlike most cinema bars, this project required the environment to replicate a ‘destination’ bar where a convivial environment would encourage socialising beyond the typical transitory experience found in most cinema foyers. POV received a IES Award of Commendation in 2009 for this project.

A large ceiling bulkhead that cuts through the space related to the projection room above was a primary imposition in the space, but was treated as a opportunity rather than an impediment. We experimented with the core material of cinema, and developed a continuous light box filled with redundant film, back-lit with 2500K LED to create gold, glowing feature, a signature proposed for future “Gold class” lounges. The illuminated bulkhead wraps around the central bar which is lit by 6 pendants modified to a gold finish to suit the lounge theme. The pendants were chosen because their abstract ribbon construction supports the film reference in the bulkhead. The bar front is illuminated from neon mounted below the bar top. Great care was taken to balance the space visually; to reinforce the bar as the focus without competing with the surrounding features. The source in the pendants is halogen, and dimmed. The bar front neon is also dimmed.

In the tall seating area, intimacy is achieved through the use of custom designed light columns. These full height features segregate the area from the thoroughfare, and also create pockets for small groups to mix discreetly. Made from acrylic tubes, a metallic fabric is scrunched into the main tube, around an inner acrylic cylinder. The inner cylinder provides a clear cavity for the light to travel (up and down), and illuminate the full height. Careful detailing ensures that lamp replacement is simple, without disassembly and without the need of specialist tools. The light source is 50w halogen, top and bottom, and dimmed. In this area, as with other seating arrangements, tables are hard-accented with narrow beam halogen down lights.

The banquette seating incorporates a ribbon of neon (warm white) into the seat back, again drawing from the film reference. This source is diffused behind opal acrylic and baffled by locating the diffuser deep into the back rest. The neon treatment provides gentle indirect illumination and the effect distinguishes this area from other zones. Also in this area are halogen projectors which create abstract stationary light patterns to the wall as a back drop effect, projection being appropriate for the nature of the bar business. Tables are pin spotted with very narrow beam halogen fittings. As there was no ability to recess, surface fixtures were used.

A wrap around curtain grazed with narrow beam down lights defines a small area allocated to private parties and functions. This is the sole illumination for this area, providing sufficient reflected light for task. The illuminated curtain also creates a mid-distance feature when viewing through to the cinema destination. The cinema foyer is lit by rear projection behind a special panel that pixellates light and imagery.

The original concept was to project silhouette images of people moving around, referencing early b/w movies where images were unstable and also implying human activity behind the panels, but the equipment to achieve this and the associated production costs caused the idea to be parred back. Notwithstanding the rationalisation, we are happy that the end result create an ethereal effect and helps to construct a sense of anticipation prior to entering the theatres.

The bathrooms are equally dramatic, to suit the project ambitions of making a substantially different statement of intent, compared with other cinema bars. The primary light source in the cubicles is a custom designed light fitting and mirror element integrated into the wall divider. This single feature illuminates the face at the hand basin and is sufficient to light 2 cubicles. A narrow beam downlight is located to accent the corner and deliberately unbalance the space.

In the central communal area, cold cathode sources are integrated into the wall to up light the ceiling and separately wash the floor. Over the vanity a narrow beam downlight pin-spots each basin. Decorative wall lights cast light patterns on the end wall as a destination view.

A Dynalite control system manages the entire lounge and bathrooms. It provides automated scenes (3 scenes + cleaners mode) which are time clock controlled to suit the changing moods and activities during the day and night.

Photographer: Brent Winstone
Architect: Indyk Architects

Focus Lighting received an award for the project we published some time ago – Science Storms exhibition in the Museum of Science and Industry.

You can find more info about this exciting project here.

Lumen Architecture from New York designed lighting for Arthouse in Austin, Texas for which they received an Award of Excellence during this year’s Lumen Awards.

More info below:

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Both a theater and department store in previous incarnations, Arthouse blurs any distinction between art and architecture.

Its lighting both dazzles and embraces modernity through light and form.

Despite a tight budget and strict energy allowances, the team focused on creating functionality and strong visual elements.

The walls of the building ‘speak’, as palimpsest retains the building’s history and is now artistically punctured by LED illuminated green glass blocks that have become a signature of the building both during the day and at night.

Every detail of the building has been carefully designed and often hand-crafted to support the creative community it represents and serves.

Lighting Design Firm: Lumen Architecture, PLLC – Nelson Jenkins, AIA, LC, IES, LEED and Alejandro Bulaevsky

Photography: Lumen Architecture – Nelson Jenkins and Michael Moran Studio, Michael Moran