Published on: December 1, 2009

We received this project from Lighting Planners Association. Chino Cultural Complex is located in Nagano, Japan. The architecture is the work of NOBUAKI FURUYA+STUDIO NASCA.

Description of the project by LPA:

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The world’s first facility to integrate a cultural complex, including a library, concert hall, and gallery, with an existing train station, the Chino Cultural Complex was a closely watched project by the community and architectural world. While simply waiting for a train, passengers have contact with cultural experiences. Functional lighting, typical of a train station was unacceptable. This building required a lighting design with a sense of affluence and lure of communication. We wanted to turn this building into a light fixture itself with super ambient light, detailed lighting changes, and dynamic color-temperature contrast from the morning hours until night.

As intended by the architectural design, the interior lighting invokes a strong, inviting presence at dusk. After careful consideration of day and night lighting conditions, we wanted to fulfill spatial lighting functions while also demanding a dynamic reversal of day and night.

During the design phase our design intention required many special needs and we insisted on featuring light not the fixture. The center of this facility is one continuous space forming the library, studio, and lobby. We wanted to free this space of any ceiling mounted fixtures, instead used the top of the air conditioning units, bathrooms, and entrance overhangs for mounting. Gradual change in the ceiling height made it necessary to adjust light fixtures, distribution, and wattage in accordance. Through elaborate illuminance calculations to fit the space configuration, we used a combination of 70W and 150W CDM-TP lamps and 250W HQI lamps, to achieve a uniform plane of ambient light.

Next, we outlined illuminance levels and color temperatures. Illuminance levels ranged from 5lx to 750lx, with adequate functional lighting for each space. Color temperature was an intense discussion topic. For a translucent effect, we used 4200k lamps in the library and for enclosed areas, such as the hall and foyer, warm-colored, 3000K lamps. Such a clear contrast in the use of color temperature successfully blended an air of refreshment and relaxation.

The fusion of different lighting elements in the hall allows it to respond to its multi-purpose needs. 250W halogen lamps were used along the wall and ceiling planes to emphasis the structural framework. Also, custom-made uplights were mounted in the narrow space between the louver and wall for silhouetting.

In the concert hall, we implemented a double lighting system for the two-layered ceiling. First, uplights illuminate the white ceiling surface and another set illuminate the lattice hanging below. For both surfaces, 250 W halogen lamps are used, but with subtle modifications in the amount of light, the lattice is not just a silhouette, but becomes a mysterious object.

In the second floor foyer we installed CDM-R 35W uplights at the base of a series of curved PC panels as the main form of lighting. A scale model was used to make the final decision concerning lighting effects and the use of diffusion lens along the curved panels.

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Please note the copyright of these images is retained by Lighting Planners Associates and the photographer Toshio Kaneko.  Use of those images is subject to them being used for this article only. Publication of any image in any form or fashion must include a credit for both Lighting Planners Associates and the photographer.