Published on: November 24, 2009

Views of big cities with their seas of sparkling lights are always breathtaking.  Midland Square Building by Lighting Planners Associates in Tokyo(JP) is a multileveled project with not only the sky deck of the city but with the alluring connecting halls as well, honoring the city as one of the worlds biggest metropolises.

More info from LPA:

____

After the successful World Expo 2006 in Nagoya, Japan, the city is giving Tokyo something to talk about as it transforms into a new and exciting metropolis. The opening of a new project near Nagoya Station is a symbolic presence in this transformation. The latest in LED technology was standardized and freely incorporated to achieve the project concept of fantastic and kinetic space. Light balloons in the large atrium move up and down to the rhythm of light and music and lighting along the promenade creates the illusion of a sea of clouds for an interactive and double-the-fun shopping experience.

The sky promenade on the 44th to 46th floors is a 3-story tall void with a ramp that wraps around a core. Visitors can observe the city from the top observation deck while also enjoying the view on the spiral pathway down. Our task was to limit glare on the windows during nightly observations with minimal lighting, but also create an interesting space. Mist lighting, LED dot lighting on the core wall, and computerized operations were used to create the illusion of a sea of clouds. Reflecting the LED dots into the large glass windows for a double image completed the surreal experience and also optimized reflection.

The ticket booth to enter the Sky Promenade is a space created to increase the excitement of the observation deck and therefore is enclosed and without windows. Visitors queue in a long tunnel full of LED dot lighting that makes full use of the circular space.  Inside the “gate”, a flexible presentation of color change and light movement impact and invite visitors onward to the top observation deck.

The LED dots are also visible outside the tunnel where the entire ceiling and tunnel come together to complete a two-dimensional curved form. This is highlighted with soft indirect lighting and the different sized entrances are illuminated to create a rhythmical space.

After leaving the tunnel an escalator takes visitors to the top floor. Small lights illuminate the escalator, but blue lighting is the base color for the soft indirect lighting that fills this interlude space.

Premium brand boutiques occupy the lower level commercial space of this building. Two bridges and several escalators cut across the five-story tall atrium to connect different levels. Adjustable downlights in the ceiling secure ambient light for the void with a catwalk for maintenance accessibility and lowerable adjustable downlights illuminate the bridges.

All lamps used are the same, but with different beam angles to secure the targeted illuminance level. Also in the atrium are 29, two-meter diameter LED Light Balloons. They are programmed to music and perform twice daily for five minutes. On cue, ambient light in the atrium dims as the music starts and the balloons are lowered into the darkness as they gradually inflate and deflate. Natural influences such as snow, wind, and rainbows are visible throughout the show as the concept for balloons.

______
Note of the editor:

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.

Share with others: