The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC is a nine-story building with five levels above ground and four more below. The 400,000-square-foot building includes exhibition space, a theater and café, staff offices and an education center.
The building offers a number of prismatic angles and viewpoints known as “lenses,” or opportunities for visitors to view the White House and the Washington Monument, as well as other locations around the National Mall from unique framed perspectives—”a view of America through the lens of the African American Experience.”
The Yokohama Royal Park Hotel is a five-star hotel in Yokohama. “Shiki-tei” is a luxury Japanese restaurant located on the 68th floor. The quality of light was essential to creating the appropriate ambiance.
The Great Hall was officially opened to the public on the 18 July 1859. A grand festival of music was held over a week to commemorate the opening of the buildings on Grose Farm. Over the past 150 years, the Great Hall has been used for a wide variety of events including, conferring of degrees, musical and dramatic productions, banquets, public lectures, book launches, balls, exams, commemoration, memorial services, antique fair, and so much more. Pendant luminaires and suspension accessories developed by 3S lighting are suspended under the timber truss roof and blend in with the background to provide functional light for the interior as well as illumination to highlight the roof structure details that were previously not visible.
Design goals for the Grace Church included an increase in usable light levels for the aging population, reduction in energy usage, and a maintenance-friendly system. However, when the project started, excavation of the existing brown paint layer present on all the church wall and ceiling surfaces revealed exquisite patterns of decorative paint on the walls and a painted ceiling full of stars on a blue night sky. This required a new, more layered lighting approach which combined aesthetic and functional goals.
The new system approach integrates multi-circuit track above beams along the Nave. Track heads from Lighting Services Inc. using Xicato’s XTM in varying beam spreads suit different functions; amplifying the dazzling painted ceiling, focusing on pews below, and highlighting distinctive architectural features and paint patterns. A secondary layer of light was added using new pendant luminaires, designed by the Tillett studio in the style of the elegant original historic church chandeliers and using contemporary technology. Flexible controls were added to allow for scene shifts for multiple services and events throughout the year. What started as a functional/programmatic driven project, turned into a celebration of the vivid, joyous space that was discovered.
Courtesy of The Artist Loft is a stunning 200 square metre gallery perched beautifully on the 4th level of Sydney’s iconic and historic building The Strand Arcade. With the objective of creating memorable moments, Courtesy of The Artist Loft is set to host some of the most coveted events Sydney has to offer and bridge the gap between art and industry. Courtesy of the Artist Loft effortlessly transforms from a beautifully lit gallery with soft natural light streaming through its Victorian sash windows during the daytime, to an intimate setting in the evening where careful attention to staging will be exhibited to dramatic effect. The 3S Lighting track spotlights using Xicato’s XIM and XTM Artist Series modules ensure that the light is easily managed, provides superior illumination, and is reliable and consistent in color.
