City of Dreams, Macau

On 1 June 2016, City of Dreams opened its 17,000sqm retail expansion overlooking the Cotai Strip in Macau, significantly expanding the existing integrated resort that opened in June 2009.

The new structure dramatically enhances the sense of arrival for this integrated resort, in which illumination Physics was entrusted with the lighting of the façade. This is the second major property on the Cotai Strip in which illumination Physics has been responsible for the design and build of the façade lighting, having completed Studio City in October 2015. Both properties are owned by Melco-Crown Entertainment’s Lawrence Ho.

The City of Dreams retail expansion links world-class entertainment and gaming facilities to dining and exclusive luxury shopping brands. The illuminated façade needed to promote an alluring invitation in a style befitting the luxury brands awaiting the customers behind it.

illumination Physics has designed and built the lighting for many high end retail stores in recent years – Tiffany, Louis Vuitton Frankfurt, Giorgio Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna. However City of Dreams is in Macau, not Europe, Hong Kong or Melbourne and the expectations of a predominantly PRC clientele requires a little more excitement. The trick was to find the balance between sophistication and showbiz. In addition, complicating the creative process, there were a number of technical and practical limitations, which the final lighting design needed to address and solve.

At City of Dreams there are a number of classic elements to the lighting surrounding one dominant, unconventional and innovative centrepiece.

The new structure is dominated from the outside by a curving colonnade 250-metres wide and 20-metres high. Behind the columns the façade is constructed of 90 tall light boxes. It was clear from the conception of this expansion that the lighting of this centrepiece would be the key to the success of the design as it dominates the streetscape it overlooks and directly faces the competition across the road, the sprawling Venetian hotel and casino. This led to several cascading decisions; some animation of the lighting effect was required, the large colonnade would seem too monolithic without movement, and rather needed to resemble ripples on water stimulated by a breeze.

RGB colour mixing was rejected at the outset because it does not sit well with the purpose of this building and there is already a great deal of colour on the Cotai Strip. illumination Physics proposed the use of a mix of very warm white and cool white. Very warm white resembles gold and by association makes the use of cool white resemble silver; this was the beginning of the metaphor.

The next step was to make the concept into a practical and maintainable system. Challenged by access, the light box dimensions and basic characteristics had already been determined and had acquired momentum prior to the team’s input. In the event of a maintenance problem, it would be impossible to get access from the front or the back of the panels. This is a common problem in retail façade lighting in Asia and it is often the case that the practical LED ownership issues are not commonly understood during the architectural design.

Placing forward facing LED strips on the back pan was impractical and impossible to maintain, so this idea was discarded in favour of a unique genre of illumination Physics products developed for the ‘Artwall’ light feature at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Specifically, illumination Physics created a linear luminaire in which two colours of LED were installed alternately along its length. The luminaire was installed vertically on one edge of the light box as a grazing wash light across the back pan. The critical design feature was that the focused angle of colour one was 20° different from colour two, meaning that the two colours would come into focus at different places across the surface, making it possible to emphasise the far side or the nearest side to the luminaire or, by using both colours under dimming, create a transition from one colour to another. illumination Physics call this ‘IP Double Graze Linear’.

The team now had a concept for the project, which was then successfully tested in mock-ups. The aesthetics were essentially solved but the maintenance issues remained. It was determined that the light fixture would contain no electronics at all, greatly simplifying the luminaire the way illumination Physics do with all of its high temperature resistant ‘Gulf Spec’ luminaires. The drivers have been remotely located on cat walks above the ceiling spaces where they can be easily accessed. The possibility of a technical issue with the luminaires themselves was greatly reduced by their simplicity.

At the Marina Bay Sands project illumination Physics designed a cassette into the mullion detail of the light boxes that could be removed from the outside, allowing access to the luminaires, but this was not an option at City of Dreams.

Instead, the luminaires would now be installed in a similar vertical row located at the mullion that separated one light box from the next. This solution was compact and it worked optically, but maintenance access was still a concern if the need arose.

To achieve vertical access, illumination Physics created a removable access panel in the back pans of the light boxes above the ceiling spaces. The luminaires were mounted in a custom rail within which the light fixtures could slide up or down and a draw wire was attached to each one in addition to the low voltage cable. Should there ever be a failure it is now possible to remove the access panel and fish the light fixtures out of the light box one by one and lower them back into position following repair. Numerous tests were performed and the rail system perfected; a highly unusual solution to a common lighting problem in retail façade architecture.

The installation of 1,500 illumination Physics Double Graze luminaires was completed as an integrated task within the façade build program.

The team had ample time to test prior to the opening because the internal fit out lagged far behind the construction of the building envelope. The original intention was to control each of the 90 light boxes as one object, a pixel containing very warm white and cool white, using just two DMX addresses to control sixteen pieces of illumination Physics Double Graze Linear. During the testing and commissioning stage the team suggested to the client that they could greatly vary the programming of the lighting by taking individual control of each luminaire, creating sixteen pixels in each light box instead of just one. Since every luminaire had its own dedicated cable and driver output, the change was made with a control system upgrade. Two dozen test programs were produced so that the owner could participate in the process of content creation. Ho is an expressive and decisive client; his vision was clearly delineated and a preferred pattern quickly emerged.

The result is a constantly changing façade in which the lighting patterns evolve organically from one animated scene to the next.

For control of the main façade illumination Physics chose the LSC Clarity PC providing overall control of the 1,440 fixtures distributed across six universes. Seven DMX Splitters were used to distribute data to the fixtures via Artnet, which is then converted into DMX 512 via an Artnet to DMX Converter. The patch has been configured to allow for conventional FX programming via a Pixel Map. Playback occurs nightly via the inbuilt scheduler that exists in LSC Clarity. Currently, there is a show with three sequences that is replayed every 30 minutes. In addition to the inbuilt schedule the team also installed an xkey control panel allowing the operator to manually select preprogramed sequences as required. The system is protected via a UPS and there is remote access to the control system via Team Viewer.

The façade lighting was completed using just four other types of illumination Physics products. Its IP65 rated CL180 LED downlights were used in large quantities at Melco-Crown’s other property on the Cotai Strip, Studio City. They were used just as effectively in the soffit of the main entrance at City of Dreams and avoided the need for another type.

Each of the seventeen square columns that comprise the colonnade have a full height rebate in each face that are illuminated top and bottom with illumination Physics’ compact CR80 mini wash light using the 10W 5° warm white version.

The colonnade supports a wide arch in which there is a horizontal rebate running the full width of the façade. This is illuminated using one of illumination Physics' many Rigid Series low power linear LED strip lights.

Lastly, the architectural language used for the light boxes in the grand colonnade continues on the other flank of the main entrance but here the panels are vision glass. The mullions and transoms are illuminated from the sills using a pair of illumination Physics IP Wash 48 wash lights fitted with two types of lenses to effectively cope with the optical requirements of such a long throw grazing specification.

In conclusion, the completed centrepiece is a vision in white, establishing the City of Dreams façade lighting treatment as another step in the development of Macau’s vibrant nightscape.

www.illuminationphysics.com


Elbphilarmonie, Germany

The Elbphilharmonie on the Kaispeicher A marks a location that most people in Hamburg know about but have never really experienced. The Kaispeicher A, designed by Werner Kallmorgen and constructed between 1963 and 1966, was originally used as a warehouse for cocoa beans until the end of the last century. The new building, designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, has been extruded from the shape of the Kaispeicher A and is seamlessly congruent with the brick of the older building on top of which it has been placed. The top and bottom of the new structure are, however, entirely different from the plain, blunt shape of the warehouse below. The broad, undulating sweep of the roof rises to a total height of 110-metres at the Kaispitze (the tip of the peninsula), sloping down to the eastern end, where the roof is some 30-metres lower.

In contrast to the stoic brick façade of the Kaispeicher A, the new building has a glass façade, consisting in part of curved panels, some of them cut open. The glass façade transforms the new building into a gigantic, iridescent crystal whose textured appearance changes as it catches the reflections of the sky, the water and the city and transforms them into an intricate puzzle on its façade.

Upon reaching the top of the Kaispeicher A, visitors find an open space, a public Plaza above the city. Between the top of the Kaispeicher A and beneath the new building – at the joint between old and new – is a new public space that offers panoramic views. Along its edges, vault-shaped openings offer theatrical views of the River Elbe and the City of Hamburg. Further inside, a deep vertical opening creates constant glimpses of the foyer areas of the Grand Hall above. A café and the hotel lobby are located here, as well as access to the foyers of the new concert halls.

The design for the new Elbphilharmonie is a project of the 21st century that would have been inconceivable before. The principle design idea of the Grand Hall as a space where orchestra and conductor are located in the centre of the audience, is a well-known typology, along with the arrangement of tiers that take their cue from the logic of the acoustic and visual perception. Here, this logic leads to another conclusion. The tiers are more pervasive; tiers, walls, and ceiling form a spatial unity. This space, rising vertically like a tent, is not determined by the architecture alone but by the 2,100 listeners and musicians who gather in the space. The towering shape of the hall defines the static structure of the building and is reflected in the silhouette of the building as a whole.

Not only is the Elbphilharmonie a display of outstanding contemporary architecture, but it also features a complex and artistic lighting scheme developed by Hamburg-based lighting designer Ulrike Brandi.

Brandi has created an understated and subtle scheme, leaving the architecture at the forefront. ‘‘The architecture of the Elbphilharmonie is powerful enough,’’ explained Brandi. ‘‘So we didn’t want to create a secondary spectacle with the light.The artificial light is modest and works with simple optical principles.’’

In the HafenCity quarter of Hamburg where the Elbphilharmonie is situated, there is sufficient illumination provided by the surrounding area. As a result, the concert hall is easily visible without its own spotlights. The lighting concept also corresponds to the Federal Emission Protection Act, which regulates light pollution. The port city is a residential area, therefore the light emission of the Elbphilharmonie is designed so that it doesn’t interfere with the immediate environment.

Special lighting accents fill the gap between the old and the new building parts as well as the large arches, which are cut into the façade. They are illuminated in the evening and add rhythm to the entire picture, while during the day they carry daylight deep into the building. ‘‘During this time, a dialogue between daylight and artificial light begins to dominate the artificial light until the end. The result is a variety of effects from the light refraction, play of illuminated and unlit windows, and the printed grid glass of the façade,’’ added Brandi.

During planning it was ensured that the sky, the water and the panorama of the city can be experienced from within. That is, in the plaza or in the foyers, it is never so bright that the view outside would be hindered.

One notable area of Brandi’s lighting scheme can be found behind the entrance above the escalator. ‘‘The escalator is not linear but slightly curved,’’ explained Brandi. ‘‘The curved upward movement is a special experience. The light is reflected from the walls and the ceiling into the room, while glossy spots on the matte plaster provide additional special effects. They dazzle like sequins on evening dresses and thus form the prelude to a celebratory evening.’’

An interesting detail of this area is that the lights are installed at the bottom, hidden beside the stairs. This ensures wonderful indirect light and is important for subsequent maintenance.

In the plaza the artificial light comes from the ceiling, where it is reflected from 750 spherical lamps, which were customised by Zumtobel. These LED solutions are grouped in diamond shapes and provide pleasant warm-white general illumination with a colour temperature of 3,000K. These luminaires can be found throughout the building. Sometimes grouped into diamonds, sometimes randomly distributed over areas, they are something of a musical motif, which is repeated in variations.

Over 3,400 lamps were installed according to Brandi’s plans, including: 750 glass ball lamps in the plaza, 650 mouth-blown glass ball lamps for the large hall as well as 750 linear lamps for the foyer. These radiate out from the ceiling around the concert hall - a symbolically charged positioning that was a requirement of the architects.

In the concert hall itself, the illumination emphasises the grandeur of the space. Here, Herzog & de Meuron, Brandi and the glass designer Detlef Tanz have referenced the architectural philosophy of combining old and new by working closely with Zumtobel to craft 1,200 hand-blown glass ball luminaires. Decorating the grandeur of the space, the fittings emerge from the undulating acoustic ceiling, in which the luminaire housings are discretely concealed from view. The result is a luminaire with an especially attractive appearance, which uses a colour temperature of 2,700K to create an emotive atmosphere in the room. The microshaping of the walls, which was created for the acoustics, provides playful optical effects, where the lighting, with its many small light points, emphasises the wave-like and irregular structure.

Furthermore, there are lights placed on top of the large acoustic reflector on the ceiling, which illuminate the vault above, avoiding the impression of a dark cave. On its underside, stage lighting is installed along with additional stage lights that are discreetly situated behind a slit in the ceiling.

An integral part of the lighting design are the windows, whose thousands of dots create a pixelated effect used for sun protection. In contrast to usual sun protection glass, however, the light is not filtered uniformly over the entire window surface. The dots become denser along the edges, while in the middle, the view is free. This weighting makes the façade livelier and the view to the outside more interesting. The dots are coated in silver on the outside so that they reflect light. On another layer, there are points inside that are black to avoid reflectivity and to allow visitors to look outside without sun glare. At the same time, the round dots take on the festive sequined motif, which can be found in the tunnel as well as the ball lamps.

Brandi concluded: ‘‘The location of the Elbphilharmonie is unique in terms of light conditions. You see the wide sky, the water with its reflections of light, and last but not least the sunset in the west. With the façade the architects have designed something exquisite. From each viewpoint, new and agitating lighting effects are explored.’’

www.ulrike-brandi.de


C3A, Spain

Four years after completion, the museum and artistic education centre C3A in Córdoba, Spain, designed by architects Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, was officially opened on 19 December. The building’s artistic façade installation implemented by realities:united showed the German studio for art and architecture’s animation sequence BREEZE during the opening ceremony.

The original concept for the building by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos proposed the integration of a low-resolution light and media façade on the building surface, facing the Río Guadalquivir. realities:united was commissioned to further develop the conception and the design for this media skin in close cooperation with the architects.

As part of its competition design for the C3A, Nieto Sobejano had proposed a medial enhanced design that was inspired by realities:united’s very first dynamic façade design (BIX Communicative Display Skin for Peter Cook’s Kunsthaus in Graz, 2003). The competition design featured a concrete façade with a regular grid of circular openings, each one to be equipped with a circular fluorescent light tube.

After winning the competition, Nieto Sobejano contacted the studio to get the team on board for further development of the project.

‘‘In this way we were first commissioned by the local government (Junta de Andalucia en Córdoba) in 2006 for the concept development and design of the façade, followed by a commission by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos for the planning and artistic site supervision, and a commission by the general contractor FCC Construccion S.A. for the development of the artistic software,’’ explained Tim Edler, Co-Founder of realities:united.

Following a period of collaboration and cooperation with the architects, C3A’s façade has now been transformed into a light and media display, whilst maintaining  its solid appearance as envisioned by the architects.

The resultant exterior has been designed to deliver a tactile and solid appearance in the day, while turning into a unique and dynamic communication wall that reacts very specifically to the architecture at night.

The starting point for the media façade was an analysis of the significant inner structure of the building, which is made up of a tessellated pattern of polygonal rooms.

This inner motif is translated to form a characteristic outer topography on the façade, a system of irregularly shaped, hexagonal indentations of varying density, size and scale.

There are 1,319 of these pre-fabricated ‘bowls’ scattered over the 100-metre long fiberglass-reinforced cement (GRC) façade. Each of the bowls serves as a reflector for an integrated artificial light source. By controlling the intensity of each lamp individually, the bowls turn the façade into a low-resolution grey scale display.

Three different scales of bowls are employed and distributed in huge patterns over the total exterior, thereby subtly echoing the building’s architectural elements. Additionally, each bowl appears to be unique in shape and size; and their distribution appears to be irregular, with only the distribution density remaining consistent.

‘‘The effectiveness of façade lighting is dependent on the quality and efficiency of the luminaires used and designing the right lighting control system,’’ said Jan Riha of Lledó Lighting Group, the company that developed the fixtures, wiring and control scheme for the project.

Each of the bowls is illuminated from the side and serves as a reflector for the integrated LED mini spotlights, of which the intensity can be controlled individually. One of the challenges faced was the uniformity of the illumination, as the bowls vary in size. In relation to this, the mini spotlights used have been applied in relation to the size of bowl in which they are situated. The innovation lies in Lledó’s inhouse developed optical concept which combines lens and light-shaping diffuser film and the flush mounted frosted cover glass.

‘‘For this project we have chosen mini spot lights equipped with a single high power LED with 2.1W 86 lm/W, and a special oval lighting distribution to obtain the adequate distribution for each bowl type,’’ explained Riha.

The square shape of the heat sink provides an optimal heat disipation for the LED. In addition, the IP65 fixtures are telescopic and the fact that it is easy to swivel and tilt, aids the aiming of the light.

Just like the human eye’s retina, this composition allows the definition of areas of varying density or sensitivity on the façade. This analogy offers a certain artistic freedom: the resolution of the displayed images can stay low, fitting the blown-up scale of the screen, creating a mode of display in which the motifs are hinted at, rather than unambiguously presented.

‘‘We could never verify that this principle would work on the scale of the façade without building a one-to-one prototype,’’ commented Edler. ‘‘Of course we tried to simulate the anticipated effect to a certain degree and we developed an advanced software to run the façade, but testing it for the very first time remained a very exciting moment.’’

During the day, the exterior shows a three-dimensional landscape with no sign of being a media façade. Additionally, this tectonically modulated surface topography is characterised by a playful composition of light and shadow that constantly changes with the movement of the sun. The thorough immersion of the pixel-bowls – like negative impressions – in the volume of the façade turns the architectural scheme itself into a digital information carrier.

The studio’s interest in the aspect of visual acuity stems from earlier projects and extensive research on the process of visual perception. For visualisations with very low resolution, the precognition of the brain determines whether an image or animation can be recognised. A motif that has been displayed at a higher resolution can be shifted to much lower resolution and still preserve its readability.

The C3A project was the studio’s first commission to transform a non-transparent façade to become dynamic. ‘‘In comparison to all other dynamic façades we developed, this was a game changer. At least if you want or need to work with light as a medium – it was tricky to preserve the building’s solid appearance as a concrete block, as planned by Nieto Sobejano, while turning its main façade into an urban communication tool,’’ said Edler.

For that reason, realities:united changed the basic principle of the façade by transforming it into a tactile topography made out of recesses to be illuminated from the side rather than perforating it like Swiss cheese as proposed by the architects. In conclusion, this works very well; when you approach the building during the day, you discover a solid concrete façade with a playful texture of sunlight and shadow. Only at night the special qualities of the façade are revealed.

When asked about the role lighting plays in this project Edler responded: ‘‘I believe it’s not so much about the right lighting but about the identification of a suitable artistic concept to match the architecture.’’ For instance, besides the solid appearance of the façade, the decision to make use of the building’s significant inner structure and its tessellated pattern of polygonal rooms.

Upon reflection, Edler and the realities:united team claim their biggest challenge was to trust their own concept until the very end. ‘‘We proposed different scales of pixels on the façade in order to engineer a façade that could display images with as little pixels as possible that are still decipherable by the observer,’’ concluded Edler.

www.realities-united.de


Schuler Shook Announces New Partner

(USA) - Michael Burgoyne announced as newest Partner at Schuler Shook.

Schuler Shook has announced Michael Burgoyne, ASTC (Association of Science - Technology Centers), as the newest Partner in the firm. Burgoyne joined Schuler Shook’s Minneapolis office as a Theatre Planner in 2000 and became a Principal in 2011. The company cited Burgoyne's "strong leadership skills and excellent client support" as attributes that have made him an "invaluable team member".

Notable projects on which Burgoyne has collaborated include Cincinnati Music Hall, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Minnesota Orchestra Hall, Smart Financial Centre, Kings Theatre, Saenger Theatre, Confluence Arts Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center, Manhattan School of Music, Carleton College Weitz Center for Creativity, and University of Minnesota – Kilburn Theatre.

Burgoyne is an alumnus of North Carolina School of the Arts and is an active member of United Scenic Arts, United States Institute for Theatre Technology, and American Society of Theatre Consultants.

“Michael is a great leader and designer, and that’s a rare combination of skills. We are very happy to have him as a Partner in the practice. He is leading the future of Schuler Shook,” said Michael DiBlasi, ASTC, Partner and Practice Leader in Schuler Shook’s Minneapolis office.

www.shulershook.com


Delmatic Ultra-cool Touchpanel

With its clean, contemporary design, optically-bonded screen and high-resolution graphics, Delmatic’s latest Touchpanel delivers the ultimate touch screen experience.

Precision-engineered from aluminium and glass, the Ultra-cool Touchpanel can control a single room, a whole apartment or an entire building. Vibrant, animated graphics provide powerful and intuitive control of services including lighting, blinds, shades and temperature, including a built-in thermostat, as well as a comprehensive dashboard and monitoring functions.

www.delmatic.com


ZHAW Library, Switzerland

The new Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) library based on the Sulzer site in Winterthur, Switzerland is a state-of-the-art facility with a floor space of over 6,000 sqm. It houses more than 120,000 media items, a computerised self-service borrow and return system, around 700 workstations, training rooms and a cafeteria.

The Sulzer site is a former industrial park operated by Sulzer and the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Factory in the centre of Winterthur. Since 1990 a new district featuring a wide range of residential buildings, offices, leisure facilities and educational establishments has been created on the site. The latest project involved bringing together five libraries of ZHAW in the former Sulzer Hall 87.

In November 2012, following a period in which it was used as a concert venue, the building was converted into a modern library based on plans drawn up by P&B Partner Architekten.

The three-storey workshop building was constructed as a steel skeleton with reinforced concrete floor slabs. The curtain-wall constructed façade consists of fibre-reinforced cement cladding and large glazing panels. During its renovation, the defining architectural elements were retained. With this in mind, mezzanine floors, detached from the façade, were installed only in certain areas in the eleven-metre high hall; leaving the original riveted steel upright and crossbeam structure omnipresent, and even the old crane tracks spanning the rooms as before.

Due to the cavernous nature of the building, lighting designers vogtpartner were faced with the challenge of finding luminaires that would suit the old industrial architecture but would also produce excellent illumination at desk level from a great height for studying. vogtpartner defined luminaires from Fluora along with LED components from Tridonic to offer the ideal solution. The classically shaped body of the luminaire, which comprises a cylindrical top section and a parabolic shade, houses LED modules and LED drivers from Tridonic.

The original plan was to service the different room heights from three metres in the training rooms to eleven metres in the hall at ground level, with luminaires of different sizes, but the Tridonic LED portfolio offered all the necessary combinations of LED modules and LED drivers to equip a single luminaire type with the appropriate technology to suit the different requirements.

TALEXXmodule FLE LED modules were used in areas in which the luminaires are mounted at great heights as they have been specifically designed for illuminating large halls. For areas with moderate ceiling heights, Fluora selected the TALEXXmodule SLE GEN3 modules, which Tridonic offers mainly for use in spotlights and downlights. Both LED module types operate in an output range that calls for active cooling, which is provided by a fan located at the top of the luminaire housing. Tridonic conducted a series of measurements to support the correct design of the active thermal management system and gave the customer approval for the combination of fan, LED modules and LED drivers. The LED modules are supplied with power via TALEXXdriver LCAI 100W and TALEXXdriver LCI 35W.

Martin Vorburger of Fluora commented: “Tridonic's extensive range of LED modules and matching LED drivers has enabled the very different lighting tasks in this project to be covered by a uniform luminaire design. The technical support that Tridonic offered us in integrating the components was an important factor in the efficiency and durability of the luminaires.’’

At the ground level, in the eleven-metre high hall, are three separate areas: the library, the administration offices and a café. On the first floor are classrooms and on the second floor, under large-scale skylights, students can use a room structure which serves as a learning and reading area.

The lighting design has been tailored for purpose, providing a clean and bright working environment that supports focused and quiet study, a creative exchange in group rooms and encourages knowledge transfer in the classroom environment without feeling fatigued. Therefore the architectural features haven't been left in the background but have been integrated into the interior scheme with a conscious use of light and shadows.

The large-scale skylights allow a large amount of daylight in during the day. In contrast, to avoid so-called 'black holes', at night the skylights can be illuminated by LIG's Linearlight Tube, specially adapted for the project with a deep blue light to create an association with the night sky during twilight.

The rest of the lighting follows in this style despite the intervention of the architecture. Luminaires in the existing structure have been built-up or suspended to adopt the industrial theme.

With glare control in mind, newly inserted spatial elements such as the main staircase are illuminated with LIG's custom recessed LED strips that have 360° louvres to reduce spill light. Workspaces, such as office areas and the endless-working space on the ground level, have cautious base lighting, decreasing as daylight increases, leaving the ideal illumination provided through Artemide Tolomeo table lamps and therefore controlled by the individual.

The learning landscape on the second floor is also extensively brightened. Modern table and floor lamps from Artemide complete the lighting design to create adaptable discussion and work conditions.

Overall, vogtpartner has helped to repurpose a vast industrial space through practical and versatile illumination without sacrificing the building's rugged charm.

www.vogtpartner.eu

www.piotrowski-bovet.ch

Pics: vogtpartner


Fondazione Prada, Italy

The new Milan venue of Fondazione Prada, conceived by architectural firm OMA and led by Rem Koolhaas, expands the repertoire of spatial typologies in which art can be exhibited and shared with the public. Characterised by an articulated architectural configuration, which combines seven existing buildings with three new structures: Podium, Cinema and Tower, the new venue sees a gin distillery dating back to the beginning of the 20th Century restored and transformed.

The expansive project came with two conditions – preservation of the existing building and the creation of new architecture, which although separate - confront each other in a state of permanent interaction. Located in Largo Isarco, in the south of Milan, the compound covers an overall surface of 19,000m². Working alongside OMA, lighting practice Les éclaireurs was responsible for the lighting throughout, providing a flexible and powerful tool for Fondazione Prada to exhibit modern and contemporary art pieces.

For the renovated elements there was a strong desire to retain traces of the intervention and restoration that took place and so reinforcement beams have been exposed and painted with contrasting colours; the plaster refection has been left raw; and breakthroughs and doors are clearly identifiable through the use of brushed aluminium and large windows. Haunted House, a permanent exhibition in the space, takes up a four level section of the renovated distillery. Designed with gold leaf cladding it displays masterpieces from the Fondazione Prada collection and required complete concealment of all technical equipment. Lighting was realised by three phase tracks featuring ERCO Parscan 24W spotlights - used with wide flood distribution to achieve uniform ambient lighting in the exhibition spaces, while ERCO Parscan 12W with spot and flood lenses allow the exhibits to come to the foreground of attention. The minimalist design of the grey Parscan spotlights blends unobtrusively into the structural steel work of the existing building, directing the focus entirely on the illuminated exhibits. The flanking galleries feature Parscan 12W spotlights and 12W lens wall washers for perfectly uniform illumination of the paintings, emphasising their expressive colours.

As well as delivering the building lighting, Les éclaireurs designed and commissioned the lighting of one of the opening exhibitions - Serial Classic, which focuses on classic sculpture and takes place in the Podium and Beam spaces. The Podium forms the central museum section and features glass facades on three sides; the lighting presents the statues in a mineral and artificial landscape composed of marble-travertine slabs laid on transparent acrylic slides. The lighting had to present the sculptures at every angle and seeks to avoid imposed views on the meaning or aesthetics of them. The sculptures are illuminated to minimise shadows and provide a complete reading of the details. Directions of light are specifically designed to reduce the shadows and allow light to penetrate into the sculptural volumes. ERCO Optec contour spotlights and Pantrac lens wall washers are combined in the space to deliver superb professional LED lighting tools. Parscan 12W with Spherolit lens with spot and flood distributions complement the Parscan 4W with narrow spots to illuminate and accentuate the ancient masterpieces, bringing out even the finest of details for a three-dimensional effect that is delivered with absolute photometric precision.

On the first level of the Podium, Pantrac LED lens wall washers 24W, 4,000K, illuminate the wall surfaces in a uniform manner in neutral white light resembling daylight a lighting concept that produces a wide and spacious impression of the room.

The exhibition that takes place in the Beam space is more didactic and attempts to show techniques of copying and the differences between originals and copies, using video mapping on a block of marble to illustrate this.

The Cinema acts as a mirror to the Podium; with its stainless steel mirrored façade it multiplies the Podium, extending its outlines. Inside, the room is lined with black carpet – a nod to the 1970s from OMA and Prada – while a large chandelier dominates the entrance hall and fluorescent lighting, slipped under a perforated, folded metal mesh, creates a strong welcome sign, extending into the room. The lighting features Zumtobel Linaria with T5 seamless fluorescent lines, positioned between the metal beams of the ceiling with alternate beams forming black and white stripes on the ceiling of the cinema. Steel bars complete the system between each fluorescent line in order to be able to fix stage projectors and allow for different stage configurations. Zumtobel Linaria are also used for the Podium ceiling, general corridors and toilets, while Zumtobel ZE with T5 fluorescents, under PMMA grey cores are attached to the curved ceiling of the foyer.

Robert Juliat ZEP 340LFWW fresnel projectors with 150W LED have been specified for the exhibitions in the Great Hall, the Tank and the Cinema, along with Robert Juliat TIBO 533WW profile projectors with 150W LEDs. At almost 70m long and 20m high, the Great Hall is a huge space dedicated to monumental exhibitions and events. Having been partly dismantled for the construction of the tower, its structure has been reinforced by visible steel beams that have been painted orange. The Tank, which faces the Great Hall consists of three exhibition spaces each 15m in height and a totally transformed eastern façade, with the addition of balconies and large contemporary windows. In both buildings lighting is achieved through stage projectors fixed onto a special cable tray system with a continuous scenic bar; RJ45 and power sockets allow for multiple configurations to be performed. General lighting for mounting and cleaning is delivered through high-power asymmetrical floodlights that are wall mounted.

The original north and south galleries have been subtlety rehabilitated while leaving the structural reinforcements exposed. A series of clean rooms in raw and industrial atmospheres hosting the temporary exhibitions have therefore been created. The existing lighting with T26 fluorescent lines on the trunking system has been removed and replaced with identical equipment but now featuring DALI ballast allowing for individual dimming. Three phase tracks for installing exhibition projectors were added alongside the fluorescent lines - again, working with lighting and general lighting enhancements of works with the use of spotlights. The venue is equipped with intensive and semi-intensive LED spotlights, a number of LED profile projectors and wall washer lighting for artwork on entire sections of walls, all from ERCO.

For such vast lighting design, a powerful centralised management system was required. Les éclaireurs designed a complete DALI management system, including execution studies: DALI relay, dimmers, management for single lights and so on, with multiple lighting scenarios made for each space. A heliometer analyses the amount of sunshine and sky typology there is and automatically switches between different lighting scenarios: sunny, day, cloudy day, dusk, twilight, night, building closure. A wireless touchpad allows for control at any point with wall panels dedicated to each space.

For the main exhibition spaces, lighting is reconfigurable via a graphic interface again designed by Les éclaireurs. It allows the user to select the fixtures one by one, in groups, or individually to graduate as they please.

Moving outside of the space, the exterior sections between the individual buildings of the complex are illuminated using warm white light. Beamer projectors in 36W from ERCO with flood distributions set off the paved pathways, with the special outdoor floodlights of ERCO’s Lightscan range providing lighting for the ground around the entrance areas. Excellent glare control from the ERCO outdoor luminaires ensures a high level of visual comfort and makes sure that the light shines precisely when needed.

This once abandoned industrial space has become a popular environment for artists to display their work, with its predictable conditions non-conflicting with the artists’ intentions, merely enlivened occasionally with exceptional architectural gestures. Not a preservation project and not new architecture, the Fondazione sees two conditions confront one another in a state of permanent interaction – offering an ensemble of fragments that do not congeal into a single image or allow any part to dominate others.

www.oma.eu

www.leseclaireurs.net

Pics: Bas Princen, Courtesy of Fondazione Prada


La Fondation Louis Vuitton, France

Standing in the heart of Bois de Boulogne, Paris, in October last year La Fondation Louis Vuitton opened the doors of its first commissioned stand-alone building, dedicated to the display of artistic creations in all forms.

Commissioned by Bernard Arnault and designed by Frank Gehry, at the heart of the space the public is invited to discover the permanent collection made up of works belonging to the Fondation and drawn from Arnault’s personal collection, as well as temporary exhibitions – two per year – and musical events in the auditorium.

Twelve mainsails, made up of 3,600 glass panels, shape the building, housing a total surface area of more than 11,000m², including 7,000m² available to the public. The building holds eleven galleries dedicated to the collections, along with a 350-seat auditorium featuring a modular design.

The visionary collaboration between Frank Gehry and Bernard Arnault inspired architectural lighting designer Herve Descottes, Principal of L’Observatoire International, to add his poetic vision and infuse La Fondation with the luminous vitality that the structure commands. The building has a very different presence during the daytime compared with at night because of the layering of the glass sails and the way the lighting works within it. During the day the exterior of the building feels more opaque – the glass and the frit embedded on it, reflects the daylight giving a sense that the exterior is more of a definitive shell with subtle cracks in between, which are felt in the shadow.

As night falls however, the structure undergoes a breathtaking transformation from opaque shell to glowing lantern, as the central core of the building begins to glow with warm light and the glass sails, made transparent by the night sky, take on a delicate, almost diaphanous quality. The lighting allows the glass to become cloud-like and the architectural layers behind it become more present. In this sense, elements that were in the shadows during the day are bathed in light at night. The lighting has been designed to allow the spaces in between, to glow subtly behind the glass while not completely losing the presence of the glass itself. It is about seeing and experiencing the building as a cloud-like object, but also as a series of moments that are woven together. The architecture is present and at the same time not present, with the lighting trying to evoke this.

“His architecture is of course very distinct and dramatic,” comments Descottes on his collaboration with Frank Gehry, “so in turn, the lighting has to follow the movement of the architecture without overpowering it.’’

“With La Fondation we wanted people to see and experience the architecture as a series of moments woven together, creating a beautiful suspension of material reality.”

Working within such a magnificent architectural structure naturally brought about challenges when implementing an appropriate lighting system. According to L’Observatoire International, when working with the Gehry team, lighting is always a challenge – but one that the practice loves to embrace. The intensity of the forms and spaces of the building mean the lighting needs to find a way to feel like it is coming from the architecture, not simply applied to it. There also needs to be an honesty about the presence of the lighting fixtures themselves and as such, the Gehry team often exposes the building materials for what they are… steel members, glass and its systems etc and so the lighting needs to do the same. The fixtures are exposed, not over designed individually, but they blend with the honesty of the architecture in which they are integrated.

At the most basic level, the main challenge is often where the fixtures can be located in such a complex architectural geometry while still being able to illuminate the necessary floor surfaces and so on. Luckily, having worked with the Gehry team over many years (including Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2003 and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, due to open in 2017) L’Observatoire International was able to work with the team digitally to get the fixtures in the right spots.

In the project’s infancy, LED technology wasn’t exactly at the point it is at today in terms of efficacy and refinement; the offering from the lighting industry was much more traditional, meaning comparisons with more mature technologies were recurrent and under serious consideration at points. However, as time has gone on and products have developed, dimmable integrated LED fixtures were chosen in the final design, aided by French practice Ingelux, which was tasked with the detailed lighting design, allowing for a degree of sustainability that exceed the most stringent energy policies. The outdoor pond and glass sail lighting however, was designed using more conventional fixtures but in a creative and subtle way - either concealed or sometimes voluntarily and blatantly exposed.

The lighting in the galleries and various public spaces needed to be of the highest level of energy efficiency while maintaining excellent colour renditions. A broad range of fixtures were considered and tested for the gallery spaces, evaluating intensity, colour rendering, uniformity, contrast ratio, room cavity ratio, daylight harvesting, energy use and all associated control systems. The fixtures used in the galleries are extremely practical – a system that offers both a base uniform and smooth light level over the vertical surfaces and complemented by an additional layer of more focused lighting, offering extra accentuations when and where needed. Developed by L’Observatoire International and the Gehry team over a number of years, they call it the ‘powerbar’ – it has many incarnations and allows for gallery fixtures to be installed via a clamp mechanism on a bar that is suspended from a single point in the ceiling. When not in use, the bar can be removed and the point in the ceiling closed up with a trim plate. The points also serve as structural hanging points for gallery installation purposes.

The complexity of the project was increased as very little was known in terms of the curatorial experience and so a flexible system was required – one that would allow for versatile exhibition content.

Another challenge faced by Descottes and his team was designing lighting for completely off the charts spaces with room proportions and shapes rarely seen or studied before, with the integration of lighting. Both inside and out, Descottes has struck a balance between integrating the fixtures into the architecture and complementing Gehry’s precise revelation of structural and material elements.

The warm light from within highlights the astonishing architectural detail of both the central core and the sweeping sails wrapped around it, while never losing a sense of the structure as a singular, holistic entity.

Descottes’ elegant lighting design gives this monumental structure buoyancy and movement, as light from the reflecting pool dapples the billowing glass sails that weave around La Fondation’s prow, drawing it westward to the Arc de Triomphe. Floating, ark-like amidst the green, the luminosity of La Fondation provides it with an arresting sense of ethereal grace.

“La Fondation Louis Vuitton opens an exciting new cultural chapter for Paris,” states Arnault. “It brings the city a new space devoted to art – especially contemporary art – and above all a place for meaningful exchanges between artists and visitors from Paris, from France, and from the entire world. By encouraging spontaneous dialogue, the new Fondation seeks to inspire both emotion and contemplation.”

www.foga.com

www.lobsintl.com


Generator Hostel, France

Generator Paris is the newest location in the quickly expanding chain of eclectic urban hostels. Located in the 10th Arrondissement – a Parisian neighbourhood known for its hip galleries, shops, cafés and bars, Generator stands opposite the French Communist Headquarters by Oscar Niemeyer, just steps from Canal Saint-Martin and Buttes-Chaumont Park.

Constructed in 1985 as an eight-storey office block, the property was gutted and transformed by Parisian project architect, Studios d’Architecture Ory & Associés, with interiors by Toronto-based DesignAgency, under the creative direction of Anwar Mekhayech and lighting design studio artec3. The property follows Generator’s universal concept of affordable and design-driven accommodation in prime locations, with an emphasis on a range of vibrant social spaces. Accommodating up to 916 guests in a range of rooms, this is the largest Generator property to date.

DesignAgency's interior design was inspired by the cinematic experience of strolling Paris’ streets and discovering its romantic moments, changing moods and rich colours. To highlight these themes, Mekhayech and his team created a series of mise-en-scènes that playfully flaunt their simultaneous fiction and reality. The atmosphere mixes the industrial backdrop with warm materials, varied textures, vintage finds from Parisian flea markets, signature design elements from Tolix, Jielde and Tom Dixon, and unique pieces made by emerging industrial and furniture designers such as Blom & Blom, Spain’s Lobster’s Day and local artists including Romain Guillet and You Talking to Me.

Stepping off Colonel Fabien Place into the lobby, guests are greeted by the sparkle of a lit marquee, suspended over a lively, Mondrian-inspired reception desk. On the upper level, a Moroccan infused chillout space features custom wood pallet and kilim sectionals, and a typographic mural by Dutch designer and typographic artist, Ceizer. Channeling the vibe of Paris’ many brasserie-lined streets, Café Fabien and its adjoining canteen open up to a garden and solarium. Finally, a curved concrete stair descends to the bar, conveying the impression of a secret Parisian metro party, complete with retro seat fabrics and curved metro tiles, terminating in a graphic print of a platform by local French photographer Ludovic Le Couster.

According to Mekhayech: “This generator project allowed the opportunity to give the interiors a bold attitude and a unique spirit, taking the guests on a cinematic journey. Rather than connecting each space, the design becomes an exploration of ideas — both real and surreal.”

The lighting concept, designed by Barcelona-based studio artec3, guest to enter, generating welcoming sensations and, at the same time,creating stimulus through dynamic compositions of contrast, making the spaces interesting. Maurici Gines, director of artec3, commented: “We first got the call to improve the visual comfort of the existing lighting, taking into account and reinforcing the Generator brand.’’ This was the beginning of a good relationship with the project manager, interior designers and client that led artec3 to complete the lighting scheme for Generator Paris, Amsterdam and now Rome.

The studio treated light as a material that can be transformed throughout the day. With this in mind, the communal spaces deliver a friendly ambience, inviting guests to get together and stay.The illumination, as in all Generator hostels, looks to be at one with the interior design, becoming a part of the space's decor.

“The interior lighting for this project has been very challenging,’’ Fernando Rojo, studio director explained. “We had to think about the design in an old fashion way by using vintage fittings in order to follow the style of the Generator brand.’’ With this in mind a combination of retro fittings with LED sources fill the hostel. From the entrance lobby to the restaurant and rooms, lights form part of the decoration thanks to the shape of adapted fittings recovered from the past.

Rojo explained: “The key point of the design was the integration of the architectural lighting design with the vintage fittings found in old-fashioned shops by the interior designer; and converting them into efficient sources of light, which could provide the different light ambiences we wanted to generate a cosy and intimate atmosphere.’’

In order to achieve this desired outcome, artec3 coordinated with the DesignAgency team to make sure the decorative elements could (as well as look appropriate)illuminate the different spaces effectively as per the concept's intentions. At the same time, converting the fittings into efficient luminaires by following the current electric standards and making sure the light sources wouldn't intefere with the original light effect of the fitting, proved a challenge for the studio.

Taking this into account, artec3 selected efficient, visually comforting architectural fixtures that create contrasts in the lounge areas. Manager Lighting Designer Nikoletta Theodoridi explained how: “the directional light was achieved by means of iGuzzini's Palco narrow beam projectors and LTS' CSA 900 recessed downlights, providing the space with diffuse task lighting.’’

On the whole, architectural lighting has been integrated by LED Linear's Vario LED light lines in the custom made furnishing of the space, assuring a warm colour temperature that covers the space and is the base of all lighting scenes. In service areas such as the staircase of the breakfast lounge, artec3 selected Flos' Kap Surface minimal pendant fixtures to fulfill the lighting levels required. The luminaires used in the public spaces as a whole, were required to be dimmable allowing them to meet all program requirements by the established preset scenes of the control system.

Rojo concluded: “All together it was tough and we had to fight until the last gasp to keep the re-purposed luminaires, but the result was worth it.’’

www.artec3.com

www.thedesignagency.ca

Pics: Nikolas Koenig


Amerlux partners with Enlighted

(USA) - Amerlux partnering with Enlighted to enable integration of controls with LED lighting fixtures.

Amerlux CEO and President Chuck Campagna has announced a partnership with Enlighted, Inc., the leading provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for commercial buildings and retail applications. The agreement will enable integration of the most intelligent and advanced lighting sensors and controls with innovative LED lighting fixtures from Amerlux.

“We are very excited to be the very first lighting manufacturer to partner with Enlighted for its Customer First program. This relationship positions us to offer LED lighting fixtures with built-in advanced smart sensors supported by a state of the art analytics platform,” explained Mr. Campagna. “Our customers now have the ability to utilise control-embedded lighting that's smart, code-compliant, and ahead of the technology curve.”

Enlighted Sensors are available with Amerlux's Linea and Gruv lines, as well as the new Stellina family of direct and indirect LED fixtures, and Stellina and Curvano LED low bay fixtures. The sensors are engineered with unique, secure data-rich architecture that provides unparalleled insights around the clock while helping to achieve sustainability goals and reducing costs. The controls offer motion and photometric sensors, dimming capabilities, and data collection.

“Integrating intelligence into our LED lighting fixtures will dramatically impact our customers' bottom line,” continued Mr. Campagna. “The big data analytics generated through this technology will enable high-growth customers to achieve significant efficiencies and substantial cost savings.”

Smart customised controls help management professionals reduce lighting and energy costs with an extremely impressive ROI of up to 80% for public buildings, without compromising comfort. A seamless, dense data cloud-based network collects, aggregates and communicates detailed information wirelessly on building occupancy and performance, environmental conditions, ambient light levels, temperature, and energy consumption. The system has the potential to extend savings to HVAC, real-time demand response, security, and safety systems.

“Lighting is only the beginning,” said Joe Costello, CEO of Enlighted. “Our mission is to change the way we interact with the spaces around us. These sensors give you unparalleled control over the spaces you manage. We offer a no-compromise solution, reducing energy spends by 65-80% while increasing the comfort and employee satisfaction of building users. For the first time ever, we are making fully responsive, fully personalised, fully connected workspaces, a reality.”

Enlighted's lighting control solutions improve energy efficiency in buildings, and the large volumes of data collected by the smart sensor network will enhance a broad range of applications, including space planning, indoor positioning and retail store analysis.

www.enlightedinc.com

www.amerlux.com


Soraa expands manufacturing operations

(USA) - Working with the State of New York, Soraa will open Syracuse, NY semiconductor fabrication plant and employ hundreds of workers. 

Soraa announced today that it will open a new semiconductor fabrication plant in Syracuse, New York. In partnership with the State of New York, the company will construct a new state-of-the-art GaN on GaN LED fabrication facility that will employ hundreds of workers.

Working in coordination with SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (SUNY Poly CNSE), the new facility is on pace for shell completion by the end of this year with production beginning in the second half of 2016. Soraa currently operates an LED fabrication plant in Fremont, California, one of only a few in the United States.

"Central New York's economic growth is due in large part to high-tech companies like Soraa that recognise the region's wealth of assets and resources," said Governor Cuomo. "Today's announcement not only means economic stability for the region, but it also strengthens Central New York as leader in the development of the clean technology that will help light and power the future."

"Syracuse is an optimal location for the new fabrication facility for a number of reasons including the innovative high-tech vision and strategy of Governor Cuomo; the ability to attract some of the best and brightest scientists and engineers in the world; and the capacity to tightly control the product quality and intellectual property around our lighting products through our partnership with SUNY Poly CNSE," commented Jeff Parker, CEO of Soraa.

"Since we launched our first product in 2012, global market reception for our high quality of light LED products has been phenomenal and sales have soared. The new facility will significantly increase our manufacturing capacity to meet this growing demand."

It was announced in late 2013 that Soraa would expand its manufacturing operations to the Riverbend Commerce Park in Buffalo, NY. The plans outlined sharing the space with solar module manufacturer, Silevo. However, following the acquisition of Silevo by SolarCity, the facilities at Riverbend could no longer accommodate both Soraa's fabrication facility and the necessary square footage for SolarCity's expanded operations. As a result, it was back to the drawing board.

"Following the change with the Riverbend space, we remained focused on finding an optimal solution that worked for the State, Soraa and the talented workers that call upstate New York home," added Parker. "We're back on track with a great location and are targeting to employ at least 300 people to support a revenue stream of over $1 billion once fully functional."

"By taking Albany's nanotechnology-based public-private economic development model across New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo has established an unmatched engine for long-term growth, and this latest announcement is a perfect example of how his jobs-focused strategy continues to pay dividends," said Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, President and CEO of SUNY Poly.

"SUNY Poly is thrilled to partner with Soraa to locate this advanced manufacturing facility and its resultant jobs, as well as the hands-on educational offerings that this will present for New York's students, adjacent to the Film Hub in Syracuse, where the company's cutting edge lighting technology can be adapted for production purposes. Each component of this collaboration is further proof that the Governor's unique vision for crafting commercialisation and manufacturing-based opportunities is a powerful recipe for a resurgent New York."

www.soraa.com


Moment Factory opens London office

(UK) - Ex Royal Albert Hall Head of Events Simon Lupini takes charge of new London office - the company's first in Europe.

Moment Factory, the world-leading multimedia and entertainment studio today announces the company's expansion with a new office in London.

The new office, headed up by ex Royal Albert Hall Head of Events and Cirque du Soleil Company Manager Simon Lupini, is the company's first in Europe and is designed to enable Moment Factory to increase collaboration with European-based clients and creative studio partners outside North America.

Moment Factory is an award winning multimedia and entertainment studio specialising in the conception and production of immersive environments combining video, lighting, architecture, sound and special effects to create remarkable experiences. Since its inception in 2001, the company has created more than 350 events, shows and installations. Productions span the globe and include such clients as Walt Disney, Nine Inch Nails, Microsoft, Madonna and Los Angeles World Airports.

The company has recently worked closely with a number of European client projects including the remarkable Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, the immersive Tunisia Pavilion at the Expo Milano 2015, a multimedia spectacle at La Sagrada Familia for the City of Barcelona and the creation of multimedia shows and digital installations on Royal Caribbean's latest technologically advanced ships ‘Quantum of the Seas' and ‘Anthem of the Seas'.

"Opening an office in London is a natural progression for Moment Factory" said Eric Fournier, partner at Moment Factory. "It enables us to be closer to our European collaborators and clients who share our vision of bringing people together in public spaces through compelling events, shows and installations."

"Co-operation with creative studios has always been important to the Moment Factory way of working and I'm looking forward to strengthening our links with existing partners and building new relationships in London," said Simon Lupini, Managing Director of Moment Factory, London.

Moment Factory is headquartered in Montreal and has offices in Los Angeles.

www.momentfactory.com