The Ceiling Fracture

Project Details

Project Description

This small but important project links two streets and serves as a public gateway to a new science and technology
campus. The Architect’s vision for the corridor was to express the tension of two buildings coming together. The
“ceiling fracture,” a custom lighting feature that spans nearly 200 feet, runs through the corridor and acts as a fault
line, creating a statement and drawing the public through the entire space.

It is a space that steps out of the ordinary and remains refreshing as people use it from different directions. The
color temperature of the centralized “fracture” is set at a warm 3,000 kelvin, supporting the wood tones in the angulated ceiling while the perimeter grazer is programmed to follow the color temperature of the daylight as it shifts throughout the day.

The integrated lighting uses the same light source for multiple design purposes, as both ambient and focal light and to fulfill code compliance. For ease of mounting and servicing, the designers specified linear LED in an extrusion with no lens and a custom metal channel with acrylic insets housing the source. The fixture is contrasted by dynamic tunable white wall grazers at the perimeter, allowing the focus to be on the ceiling while the rest quietly falls away.

The seamless fixture is the result of a close collaboration between the Lighting Designer, Architect and Ceiling
Manufacture. The team utilized hand sketches, GLU models for HVAC and plumbing coordination, charts and diagrams documenting ceiling heights, and custom enclosure design reviews to confirm the design and installation. Mock ups of lighting with various lens opacities, light source intensities, and chip color temperatures confirmed lighting levels for code compliance, visual comfort and emotional impact.