AWA Lighting Designers sent us images of 575 Lexington Avenue project which they recently completed.

The lighting for the lobby at 575 Lexington Avenue was designed to draw attention to the building entrance with two large “lanterns” of light flanking the entry doors.  Each lantern is comprised of double-height translucent white glass which is evenly illuminated from within.

The glowing lantern walls wrap around the corner of the facade, receding under the entry canopy.  The light temperature shifts from cool exterior to warm interior illumination, drawing the visitor into the lobby.

The full face of the lobby’s curved wall on the left is covered with vertical panels of textured resin that seems to emanate warmth as it glows from fixtures hidden at its base. A regular sequence of illuminated niches progresses entry to elevators in even pairs.

Focus Lighting sent us a few photos of the recent lighting design overhaul of the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky.

Here is what they have to say about the project.

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Focus Lighting was tasked with updating the lobby of the Kentucky Center for the Arts, and instantly saw a huge blank canvas in the 130 foot long by 35 foot high half vault that stretches across the main lobby space.

Taking images from around Kentucky, including views of the Ohio River just north of the Center and Kentucky’s famous blue grass, Focus used lighting fixtures to recreate Impressionist versions of the images in light.

The effects created encompass the variety present in nature, from the soft undulations of a field of grass to the subtle variations of a beautiful sunset.

dpa lighting provided the lighting solution for East Park Mosque, Bahrain. Pictures by Paul Roberts (Atkins).

And here is some info from dpa lighting

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The new Arcapita Headquarters building in Bahrain combines a dramatic location with innovative sculptural forms, which results in a distinct sense of place for business and arts uses. The project provides a significant architectural presence that has an immediate impact and creates positive and exciting associations for Arcapita Bank.

Working in conjunction with the project team, which included The Client, Architects, Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM) and Atkins and Project Managers Mace, dpa have produced lighting solutions, in terms of aesthetic requirements and functions, in this prominent and significant project.

Situated within the Bahrain Bay Development off the north coast of Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, the Mosque comprises a concrete shell that is clad internally and externally with natural stone. One of the main goals of SOM for AHQ Building and East Park Mosque was to provide a productive work environment that balances day lighting and thermal comfort.

Natural light is provided within the Mosque glazing on the ground floor and through feature windows that are cast into the faces of the structure. In order to highlight this feature during nighttime, dpa proposed concealed linear fixtures within the cladding slot feature. This reinforces the iconic identity of the building whilst providing a low energy, maintainable and practical solution.

Externally, a freestanding minaret was erected along side of the Mosque. A similar but inverted lighting design was implemented for this feature to create harmony with the adjacent building. In addition to this, illumination at the pedestal wall was introduced using concealed energy efficient fluorescent luminaires integrated within a slot to provide ambient lighting to the Mosque perimeter. The external lighting was deliberately located to provide reflections from the perimeter water.

Linear LED ‘L’ shaped arrays have been integrated into junctions between paving to reflect the slot design on the Mosque cladding. Graphic shapes act as a visual guide to the Mosque rather than dominating the feature.

A lighting control system for the interior and exterior façade of this project was also carefully established by using the concept of lighting scene control via Automatic Astronomic/Solar Time-clock and Manual Override. The scenes can be chosen depending on the Praying Time.

AWA Lighting Designers sent us the photos of their project in Mumbai, One Indiabulls Centre. The building was designed by Anupam De of Anupam De Associates (ADA).

Here is a short text by AWA Lighting Designers describing their project:

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AWA Lighting Designers were retained by the architects, ADA and the client to provide a distinct and elegant visual experience with the lighting solution for the two towers.

The intent of the lighting solution was to create a well designed and clean looking space that augmented the architectural expression, and the requirements of the client. The lighting design solution aspired to highlight the materiality in the space while providing visual clarity for the building at large and the spaces created within. Since this project included two towers, it was important for the lighting to provide visual continuity, while also providing way-finding through the site by highlighting paths of circulation and clear visual cues through the public lobbies.

AWA provided interior lighting solutions for entrance lobbies, lift lobbies, all circulation areas and all landscape on the 10-acre site. Exterior lighting was designed to accentuate the two 100-meter towers, encompassing nearly 2 million square feet of office space. AWA was also able to utilize the architectural glass volumes and refuge terraces to create lit volumes that provide a graceful lighting personality for the building at night.

At the concept development for this project, a custom and bespoken lighting system was developed for India Bulls- such that a unified solution could be developed for both towers. It was also important to develop the lighting solutions such that parts of the lighting “kit of parts” could be repeated over the other India Bulls projects. The final design incorporated many custom details that were developed through a continuing process of close communication and collaboration with the architect, Anupam De of ADA.

Technologically advanced control systems with photo-sensors and motion-detectors were implemented to assure no light was wasted, and only energy-efficient lamps were used for this project, including frequent use of Metal Halide Lamps, CFLs and LED’s. It is also important to note that NO halogen/ incandescent lights were used in any of the spaces designed by AWA. The lighting solution for the lobbies and public circulation areas only consumes 0.78watts/ SFT of electricity- which is above and beyond what is required by LEED.

We received pictures of Matteo Messervy’s installation “Hypnotic Conversations” at the commercial center Parly 2 in Versailles, France.

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This installation is composed of all original lighting designs crafted with the intention to give the visitors the impression of entering a world of harmony and peace and quiet in contrast with the universe generally proposed by other more traditional commercial centers.

Here the light plays with lines and curves while restoring sensations of natural light. The ceiling offers options of changing times and seasons using video projection. The lighting effects are set to create an atmosphere of a cocoon, intimate and reassuring. Light radiation seen in the distance act as magnets drawing individuals in to a protective and intriguing dimension.

This combination is reminiscent of the heyday of the Kinetic Art and of Op’art culminating in the sixties and seventies. The repetition of forms and the persistence of vision are interpretations of the kinetic phenomena in the brain.

This modern form of tribute to this artistic movement and its most fervent representatives, past or present, will make visitors unconscious actors or volunteers of this ongoing dialogue between humans, architecture and the works of the artist Matteo Messervy.

Paul Klotz from LED-Art sent us a project called Push me, which is an interactive lighting installation.

Here is a brief explanation of the project.

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Push me is a modular and tactile display, offering a new way of communication through light. Each “Push me!” tile consists of 19 illuminating buttons that can change color by simply being pushed by it’s user.

One formation of tiles is realtime connected to an identical set up on a different location via the internet. Therefore people can remotely “touch” each other and co-create an image at the same time.

Alila is a 200-room resort with four bar/restaurants, a conference facility, a health spa, and two swimming pools, that AWA Lighting Designers designed the lighting for . The entire resort was built in accordance with ‘Green Globe’ environmental guidelines focused on reducing light pollution and respecting the natural habitats of the local flora and fauna.

Given the vernacular architectural style, several choices of lighting treatments, materials and fixtures were informed by local crafts. Light levels were kept at a minimum, thereby sculpting a romantic and exclusive feel.

The approach for Alila Diwa had two key aims. Firstly, to create a fully immersive experience for guests in which illumination, from the overall plan to the material used for individual light fixtures, would emphasise the resort’s spirit of serenity, luxury and romance.

Secondly, on an ethical level, the team wanted to attain green globe status through the balanced utilisation and preservation of local resources, and through a reduction of light pollution.

Kerem Asfuroglu sent us his project Eight, which received the Red Dot design award.

It is a luminaire that uses recycled PET bottles combined with a hydroturbine and an LED. Please find more info below:

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Eight is a screw-on plastic connector containing a mini hydroelectric plant, which turns a pair of used PET bottles into a luminous hourglass.

Eight is a mini hydroelectric plant containing a hydro turbine and generator. It produces electrical energy via the movement of the turbine, and lights up a set of LEDs. Encased in a double-ended screw cap, it functions when attached to the mouths of two recycled PET bottles. The assembled unit act as an hourglass; gravity acts on the water to drain it from the top bottle and filter into the lower bottle, activating the turbine on the way.

Eight converts the energy into light for a certain amount of time (which is governed by the size of the bottles and the amount of water they can hold).Eight grants the user light as well as a sense of time. As the water completes its movement, the LEDs (which face up and down) gradually dim down. Simply rotating the bottle will allow the user to continue the generation of light.

The light is distributed onto direct and indirect surfaces. Refraction through the water and plastic, as well as the form of the bottles themselves, enhance the distribution of the light. The waterproof LEDs are hidden within the cap element, which limits glare. As long as identical bottles are used on each side of the cap, Eight will achieve stability and stand without support.

Various LED colours to allow the user to customise their lamp. The dimensions of the cap element (when unassembled) are 65mm x 35mm. The universal-size cap detail is compatible with different PET bottle sizes (from 0.5L to 2.5L), which grants users the flexibility to express their own style.Eight influences our recycling habits in a positive way.

We received images of a lighting design for the Royal Fountain in Canada’s Wonderland – the largest theme park in Canada. The project was completed by Crystal Fountains – a lighting manufacturer specializing in water features.

More information about the project follows:

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Crystal, a world leader in water feature technology, has completed the first refurbishment of the spectacular Royal Fountain at Canada’s Wonderland, Canada’s largest theme park. To help celebrate the park’s 30th Anniversary, Crystal replaced the water feature’s halogen lights with LED Lights for multi-coloured effects, and specially developed the first of its kind, a Pure White and RGB LED Combo Light from one fixture.

The light allows “pure”, highly intense White Light and RGB coloured light to be created from the same fixture. It was specially developed because Crystal’s client, required a LED Light that would allow for dazzling effects, but help save on space as well as reduce maintenance and power costs.

Previously White Light was created by individual white LED Lights, or by using an “approximation” by blending RGB, which didn’t allow for a pure white colour.

Simon Gardiner of Crystal commented: “The Combo Light was specially developed for this project. It has very sharp effects but immediately reduces costs on future maintenance and energy bills. Canada’s Wonderland estimates the conversion took them from 255,000 watts of power to 18,5000 watts of power and the reduction will allow them a payoff in six years or less. The product brings real benefits and is now part of our submersible LED Lighting product range.”

The Royal Fountain creates outstanding, “dancing” water and light shows utilising rows of LED Lights that line the pool measuring 325’(99m) x 80’(24m). Located at the foot of “Wonder Mountain”, the park’s central feature, the water feature’s show displays a spectacular canvas of colours with a backdrop of original animated effects and 3D images, projected on “Wonder Mountain”.

Guests experience have been experiencing the water feature’s show nightly. The fountain is the last thing many visitors see before they depart the theme park, and its incredible effects leave visitors with a long lasting impression.

As part of the park’s 30th Anniversary celebrations management also introduced the WindSeeker, a thrilling new 30 storey high swing ride. Canada’s Wonderland is located near Toronto and is spread over 330 acres and is one of the world’s most visited theme parks.

One of the biggest developments in water feature technology in recent years has been in the area of high performance LED technology and Crystal was an early pioneer in submersible LED technology for water features. Its submersible LED lights are among the most advanced in the world. With intelligent control devices that deliver unlimited programming flexibility and advanced optics, with minimal light loss and built-in diagnostics that make installation easier. Crystal’s LED lights are energy efficient and create highly intense effects.

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.