The Lights Fantastic

If you look at the the photos I posted of the Laura Turner Concert Hall over the past few days, you no doubt noticed the beautiful lighting fixtures. In the concert hall, there are eight grand chandeliers suspended from the ceiling, and a number of smaller, wall-mounted fixtures lining the east and west walls under the windows (Both shown above.). There are approximately 40 different fixture styles throughout the Center, and the basic design is the same for each style. The size and mounting vary, but the look and feel is the same. (The photos at right and below left show the light fixtures in the main lobby. )

Using inspiration from St. Leopold Church in Vienna, Austria, New York-based Susan Brady Lighting Design created custom fixtures that reflect the grandeur and feel of the Center. Each of the fixtures has polished nickel bases and six-inch globes that have a crackled texture to emulate candlelight. (By the way, note that the bases of the hanging chandeliers in the concert hall and lobby resemble an upside-down wedding cake!)

As with every other detail in the building, the lighting design came second to acoustics. There are eight massive chandeliers in the concert call, four of which measure seven feet in diameter by seven feet in height and have over 80 globes hanging from the base. Believe it or not, the fixtures were built in such a way that not one arm or globe vibrates at all.

Join me tomorrow as we look at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center's icons and the meaning behind them.