January is here again, which means the return of the phrase “New Year, New You” all around. New Years’ resolutions may not often stick, but that doesn’t mean renewal is impossible. In this month’s blog, we’re turning our attention to three recent Chicago renovation projects we collaborated on and some of the ways each project used lighting to create an experience.
Northern Trust Headquarters: Striking a balance between the old and the new
For over a century the Northern Trust Headquarters has stood in Chicago’s financial district as one of the city’s bedrock financial institutions. The building’s historic classical-styled architecture communicates this sense of history and stability. As part a 2016 renovation, however, the institution sought to marry this feeling of permanence with a more forward-looking, global vision.
The challenge lay not just in creating a new modern entrance and updating the interior lobby with a contemporary, sophisticated feel to attract a younger clientele, but to do so without alienating long-standing existing clients with drastic changes. Balance was critical.
The focal point of this renovated entrance was a glass canopy that connects the sidewalk outside to the lobby and reception area. The canopy was designed to create a plane of light that would appear to float above the entry and draw patrons in and through to the lobby.
Northern Trust entrance with canopy
The architects from the HED design team wanted to avoid down lighting and turned to CharterSills to backlight the canopy. With a structure depth of only 4 inches, we performed multiple mockups, comparing various fixtures and glass opacities to find the best solution. We landed on linear LED strips in shallow extrusions mounted to the upper lid. The canopy comprised several removable glass panels, which allowed for access to the light fixtures. For the exterior of the canopy, we installed additional color-changing RGB strips, enabling the bank to add a seasonal glow for holidays and special occasions.
A feature stone wall was also designed to run the length of the concourse and communicate that sense of strength and stability. The material and curvature of the wall presented a challenge for cove lighting—we needed to manage reflections in the surface while still providing light distribution down the wall. We were able to work with a manufacturer to develop a custom curved fixture that follows the exact radius of the wall and utilizes a linear T5HO fluorescent.
Recessed into a larger ceiling slot, the fixture benefits from added width, allowing greater vertical illumination and a smoother gradation, providing a finished appearance that created a continuous line of light. These elements all came together to create a sense of balance between the contemporary and historical, appealing to Northern Trust’s new and traditional clientele.
Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel: Creating a bold destination
With the winding Chicago River practically on its doorstep, the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel was built on a spot ideally located for entertainment, shopping, and business. In its first 25 years, however, the hotel did not capitalize on its setting enough to feel like a prime travel destination. As the riverfront underwent a large-scale revitalization, the hotel also took on a renovation that would rebrand them as a destination that would appeal to visitors and locals alike. As we have explored in a previous blog, lighting plays a key role in creating a dynamic guest experience.
The renovation aimed to make a bold statement inside the hotel and out. We collaborated with Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA) and the Gettys Group to design lighting that helped transform the space into a new downtown icon. In designing the lighting throughout the lobby, the goal was more than just highlighting artwork, but also to create “pockets of experience” where guests would want to linger. In the first-floor bar, we integrated backlighting designed to draw the eyes to dramatic geometric panels. For a nearby seating area, we spotlighted black-and-white works of art with color-changing LED theatrical fixtures. Near the bellman station we used LED strip lighting integrated around the perimeter of a large-scale taxicab art installation that emphasized the texture of the piece.
The mixture of illumination styles within a single space added energy, but also required several mockups to ensure the different techniques worked together to create a dynamic environment that did not overload the senses. This required careful communication with the architectural design team to ensure that the final product came together thoughtfully.
Chicago Union Station Great Hall: Restoring an icon
Designed in 1925 and designated a Chicago landmark in 2002, the Great Hall inside Chicago’s Union Station is truly an iconic space. As Amtrak’s flagship station for the Midwest, Union Station is not only a busy travel hub, it has also served as the filming location for numerous movies, from The Untouchables to My Best Friend’s Wedding.
The Great Hall’s iconic 219-ft skylight had led to water damage and deterioration throughout the space, so a 3½ year project was launched to provide substantial repairs and improvements, including stabilizing the skylight and restoring the original color scheme. The challenge was to restore the cast-iron skylight assembly while maintaining its historic appearance.
Prior to the restoration project, the Great Hall did not offer travelers an uplifting experience as they waited for their train. From a lighting standpoint, the discolored skylight panels and heavy paint schemes combined with outdated and non-dimmable induction light fixtures created a gloomy, uninspired space. The ultimate lighting solution would need to provide balance and harmony with an abundant source of filtered, natural sunlight during the day.
The architectural team designed an energy-efficient, modern skylight above the original structure. Supported 5 feet above the restored cast-iron skylight, this new high-performance skylight of steel and 858 panes of clear, high-efficiency glass protects the landmark building while brightening the Great Hall interiors with 50 percent more natural daylight than before.
As a result, the new lighting scheme needed to play a supportive role: to not draw attention away from the skylight’s architectural presence and avoid over-illumination due to the presence of additional natural light. Throughout the design process we created mockups with samples of the restored paint colors as well as a range of skylight panels with various degrees of opacity and reflection to understand how the designed lighting would support and enhance the direction of the architectural team.
Skylight at Union Station Great Hall
With advancements in LED technology, our team was able to work with new lower profile fixtures. High performance, asymmetric LED cove lights were installed on the existing second-floor ledge that wraps around the Great Hall to provide the general lighting. Mockups were critical to make sure the fixtures were concealed almost entirely from the visitors view while still providing the distribution required. The results call attention to the volume of the space and intricate plaster detailing, not the fixtures.
New inground uplights at columns provide brightness at a lower, pedestrian level and color changing grazers were added to lattice plaster work to allow the station to customize the space for holidays and events. The original decorative chandeliers at adjacent stair and mezzanine areas were fully restored and upgraded to LED. Low profile cove lights and discreet downlights were added to increase light levels and balance with the hall. All lighting is dimmable and connected to a timeclock-based control system with remote, mobile access for color adjustment. This new lighting scheme can provide ambiance for travelers and for private events, all while creating a breathtaking experience for those who enter the Great Hall.
At CharterSills, we believe that when lighting is designed correctly, it can add dimension to the simplest of spaces. Lighting can turn an ordinary space into a work of art. Whatever design challenges clients present, CharterSills responds with a solution that exceeds their expectations. Contact us today at (312) 759-5909 or by email at info@chartersills.com.