Commercial TI Project

Each slab in this 4-story, 80,000 ft2 shell was carved out to create two atria at the building’s center and double-height lounges at the corners. These volumes funnel daylight to the middle and create a dynamic play of sun in spaces where chance meetings are designed to occur. The electric lighting complements the daylight as day turns to evening. Concealed grazers enhance the warmth of the vertical wood surfaces in contrast with glowing volumes of glass and steel accents. Oversized round fixtures float at ceiling level to provide continuity and subtle differentiation in user experience.

The palette of light fixtures reinforces the architecture, creating continuity among spaces with subtle differentiation for wayfinding. Oversized 6’-diameter recessed fixtures in the elevator lobbies give way to 4’-diameter pendants that float just below the wood-slat ceiling at open work areas, which transform to 3’-diameter drum pendants at informal lounges and cafes. Concealed grazers enhance the warmth of the vertical wood surfaces in contrast with glowing volumes of glass and steel accents.

Bespoke performance criteria were developed to ensure workplace equity, with emphasis on ensuring that everyone – regardless of skin tone – looks their best both in person and on video. Proposed criteria were tested qualitatively and quantitatively through computer simulation and physical mockup during the design process. Luminaires were selected to maximize visual comfort for the specific visual tasks that characterize each space. Low-brightness fixtures with large, luminous surfaces reduce glare when viewed directly and also eliminate veiling reflections in video displays while reducing hot spots on people’s faces.

The design of the whole-building lighting control system focused on maximizing the sense of time and place coupled with effortless and intuitive human interaction. Lights dim continuously with daylight and fixtures are off during almost all daylight sky conditions. As day transitions to evening, lights gently ramp up and are then controlled by a mesh network of vacancy sensors. The sensors are tied together so that public areas are sequentially illuminated when occupancy is sensed but they turn off to save energy when unneeded. Meeting rooms have scene-based controls that are tied to both occupancy sensors and the AV system to create a seamless user experience.

The project’s minimalism places extra pressure on the integration of fixtures with the architectural surfaces. Bespoke saddles were designed to ensure pendant fixtures hang perfectly flush with the wood slat ceilings. Careful detailing and mockups were required to integrate the flangeless recessed linears with stretched fabric acoustic ceilings. For grazing lights across wood surfaces, we created physically-accurate renderings that examined different geometries, wood species, photometrics, and fixture mounting positions. The preferred options were then tested in mockup before final shop drawings and installation. The resulting integration speaks to the emphasis on a user-centric design that attempts to foreground the architecture with a measure of reserved elegance and a hint of the unexpected.

The palette of light fixtures reinforces the architecture, creating continuity among spaces with subtle differentiation for wayfinding. Oversized 6’-diameter recessed fixtures in the elevator lobbies give way to 4’-diameter pendants that float just below the wood-slat ceiling at open work areas, which transform to 3’-diameter drum pendants at informal lounges and cafes. Concealed grazers enhance the warmth of the vertical wood surfaces in contrast with glowing volumes of glass and steel accents.

Bespoke performance criteria were developed to ensure workplace equity, with emphasis on ensuring that everyone – regardless of skin tone – looks their best both in person and on video. Proposed criteria were tested qualitatively and quantitatively through computer simulation and physical mockup during the design process. Luminaires were selected to maximize visual comfort for the specific visual tasks that characterize each space. Low-brightness fixtures with large, luminous surfaces reduce glare when viewed directly and also eliminate veiling reflections in video displays while reducing hot spots on people’s faces.

The design of the whole-building lighting control system focused on maximizing the sense of time and place coupled with effortless and intuitive human interaction. Lights dim continuously with daylight and fixtures are off during almost all daylight sky conditions. As day transitions to evening, lights gently ramp up and are then controlled by a mesh network of vacancy sensors. The sensors are tied together so that public areas are sequentially illuminated when occupancy is sensed but they turn off to save energy when unneeded. Meeting rooms have scene-based controls that are tied to both occupancy sensors and the AV system to create a seamless user experience.

The project’s minimalism places extra pressure on the integration of fixtures with the architectural surfaces. Bespoke saddles were designed to ensure pendant fixtures hang perfectly flush with the wood slat ceilings. Careful detailing and mockups were required to integrate the flangeless recessed linears with stretched fabric acoustic ceilings. For grazing lights across wood surfaces, we created physically-accurate renderings that examined different geometries, wood species, photometrics, and fixture mounting positions. The preferred options were then tested in mockup before final shop drawings and installation. The resulting integration speaks to the emphasis on a user-centric design that attempts to foreground the architecture with a measure of reserved elegance and a hint of the unexpected.