The owners of this downtown Chicago office building wanted to refresh and enhance its lobby. The glass-enclosed front plaza, which already contained a stunning art piece by sculptor Louise Nevelson, was about to house three more large-scale pieces designed by the architect. To enhance these artworks and create a dramatic effect for visitors, we borrowed lighting strategies widely used in theaters and museums. Some of the sculptures are lit with elegant uplighting and tight beam accents, while others are enhanced by rich colored light. The surrounding interior columns feature dramatic, color-changing uplight, which can be adjusted depending on time of day, holidays, or events. A living wall is similarly uplit by rows of 10- and 30-degree beam in-grade linear white LED fixtures. The result is a transformation of the space from an everyday office lobby into something more akin to an art museum.
