When Corewell Health conceptualized their new innovative campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan, they turned to NBBJ and Gwen Grossman Lighting Design to introduce a consistent visual language across a unique site. For the project, the existing Brassworks building (originally constructed in 1904) was renovated before connecting it to a newly-built structure and pavilion, with this architectural reuse putting a focus on sustainability that informed the project as a whole.
Designing lighting for the interior of both buildings, GGLD incorporated hospitality-inspired illumination in collaboration spaces, the likes of which one might sooner expect to find in a restaurant or hotel, rather than an office. These hospitality details (which are often overlooked in corporate projects) create welcoming hubs perfect for cooperation and relaxation. In the main gathering space and beyond, thoughtful lighting adds verticality to the wood surfaces, while ample cove lighting contributes warmth for staff and visitors alike. In the large conference center, multi-purpose linears introduce subtle layers of luminance to the interior, while sheer curtains surrounding the ground floor make this space glow from within. Extending this relaxed, unconventional corporate ethos, the exterior façade is softly uplit, expressing the building as a quiet yet distinct landmark.
With the Brassworks building’s signature wood and brick finishes as inspiration, our team created a consistent design across the existing and newly-built structures, marrying both spaces with a strong vocabulary of lighting, design details, and fixtures – some of which emulate the flowing water of the city’s Grand River. The continuity and warmth of GGLD’s lighting for both structures lays the foundation for this campus’s future: one that invites collaboration and fosters community health.
