Custom ceiling fixture gets a design boost with Plexineon
In the planning stages for a decade, a new mixed-use development near downtown Austin, Texas, now dominates a major intersection in the city’s medical district.
Called Lamar Central, the four-story, 165,000-square-foot, LEED®-Certified building opened in the fall of 2015. It since has enlivened the area, attracting some prominent tenants for its retail and restaurant space on the ground level, as well as office space on the three floors above.
Houston-based developer Highland Resources Inc. tasked architect STG Design to design the structure, which replaced ramshackle retail buildings that formerly stood on the site.
The result is a streamlined, modern building with forward-thinking features, including a landscaped courtyard and breezeway with a unique design element that incorporates iLight Plexineon LED fixtures.
PROJECT Lamar Central Mixed-Use Development
SITE Austin, Texas
LOCATION Exterior application
PRODUCT USE Direct views
LIGHTING DESIGN STG Design
INTERIORS Josh Held Design
PRODUCT Plexineon White 1X 3500K
LENGTH 392 LF (119.5 m)
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A unique ceiling installation incorporates iLight Plexineon LED fixtures at this development in Austin, Texas..
AN iLIGHT SUCCESS STORY
OVERHEAD SURPRISE
“The owner loves showing the ceiling off.”Kelsey Humphrey, Architectural Designer
STG Design With the vision set, the design team considered several options to light the three-dimensional, green and white honeycomb shapes overhead. Neon was rejected, Humphrey says, “because the installation and wiring challenges would have been too cumbersome.” Maintenance and durability were also factors, given exposure to the outdoors. iLight’s product checked all the necessary boxes. “It was a no brainer for us to go with Plexineon,” Humphrey says.
The Plexineon AdvantageSince the idea for the ceiling element was introduced relatively late in the design and build process, smooth installation was key. White aluminum panels served as a substrate for the Plexineon fixtures, and a local signage company did the fabricating – mounting the fixtures to the panels, then transporting everything as a single piece.
“It turned out really great,” Humphrey says. The installation serves as an invitation to explore and be drawn into the courtyard space. The white glow at night catches the eye of passerby, while adding energy to the new, adjoining retail spaces.
Humphrey says, “The owner loves showing the ceiling off.”
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iLight LED products can add impact to your next interior or exterior project, while providing the reliability and durability you demand. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or already have a vision ready to turn into reality, learn more at our website: www.ilight-tech.com.
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LIGHTING DESIGNSTG Design www.stgdesign.com
LAMAR CENTRAL BREEZEWAY PROJECT DETAILS
The Design Challenge
The challenge was to create a visual bridge from the building’s formal exterior façade to the more relaxed courtyard.
A long breezeway with retail on either side offered the perfect opportunity. “The breezeway activates the courtyard from the street side of the building,” says Kelsey Humphrey, Architectural Designer.
The design team conceived doing a unique ceiling installation. With sustainability a design priority, nature served as inspiration. “We looked at the cell structure of a plant,” Humphrey says. “We were drawn to the honeycomb pattern, with its structured rhythm and geometry. We started taking the shapes apart and getting playful with lights and color.”
Plexineon fixtures were shaped to create the honeycomb shape, then installed on white aluminum panels. At night, the white glow of Plexineon catches the eye of passerby.
Plexineon is shaped to replicate a honeycomb pattern — inspired by the cell structure of a plant, lending a playful feeling to the space.
iLight LED products can make your next interior or exterior project more dynamic. Learn more at our web site: www.ilight-tech.com.