Unveiling Indian Community School's Design Metamorphosis

By Randy Reid

Photo Credit: George Lambros Photography

In the beautiful town of Franklin, Wisconsin, a revolution in educational space design has quietly unfolded. The Indian Community School's recent lighting redesign isn't just an update; it's a transformation that speaks volumes about the confluence of technology, design, and care for the learning environment. We dive into the intricate details of this retrofit project that has redefined the illumination of educational spaces.

Avraham Mor, principal of Morlights, and his team are the visionaries behind the project. He shared, "This building was already a jewel since 2007, an award winner that dreamed bigger than the lighting technology of its time. Our task? To realign the lighting with the building's inherent connection to the natural world."

In what started as a building with minimal lighting control, the retrofit breathed new life into the space, making a profound impact on the learning experience. With classrooms that once had eight switches now streamlined and a building that pulsates with the warmth of wood, stone, and metal finishes, the new lighting design has both respected and amplified the school's architectural ethos.

A maintenance issue – specifically, difficulties in procuring replacement ballasts and lamps – necessitated Morlights initial involvement in the job.

The specific challenge in this scenario involved lighting components. The space in question utilized three-wire dimming systems for which ballasts are increasingly hard to source. Nowadays, many resort to purchasing these components from secondary marketplaces like eBay, as they are no longer readily available through conventional distribution channels.

The second part of the problem was non-controllable uplighting of the subtle soft tones of the sloping Douglas fir timber ceilings in the classrooms. Though the system was considered rather high end in the early 2000s, Avi sensed that newer technology could offer an enhancement of the architecture, better lighting at the desk top, greater efficiency, and better accommodation of highly variable outdoor lighting conditions on the interior spaces.

To assess the situation accurately, Avi brought along a light meter capable of measuring both light intensity and color. Measurements at a student's desk revealed an illumination level of 35 foot-candles. Existing fluorescent fixtures predominantly directed light upwards toward the wood ceiling—95% uplight and merely 5% downlight. Because the light was reflected off the wood, the color temperature at the desk level was 2200K.

Further complicating the situation, the wall switches in the classrooms operated on a 277-volt system. Crestron was the sole manufacturer of the 277-volt keypad required. However, during the submittal process, the crucial specification for this keypad was inadvertently omitted, and an order was mistakenly placed for 120-volt keypads instead. To make matters worse, when the problem was identified during the construction phase, Crestron had ceased production of their 277-volt keypads.

Despite this omission, a solution was implemented. The team at Morlights acquired 120-volt stepdown transformers to convert the voltage from 277 to 120 with a 0.1 amp draw, which the contractor then installed. Fortunately, the spacious eight-gang switch boxes at the site accommodated this unexpected addition without issue.

Another key challenge was retrofitting a modern control system into the existing infrastructure without compromising the building's aesthetic integrity. "We had to get creative with wireless solutions for DALI lighting controls. It was about preserving the integrity of the building while ushering in cutting-edge technology," Avi reflected.

The Morlights team did encounter an issue during mock-up. They installed a single lighting fixture which was equipped with a Casambi interface and controlled by a smartphone, in conjunction with the DALI system, which “performed flawlessly,” according to Avi. The challenge arose when the smartphone, which was critical as a Bluetooth bridge between the Casambi-DALI interface and the lighting fixture, was removed, leading to a non-functional system.

This raises questions about replicating a wireless system without its full infrastructure and necessary contingency measures. For future wireless installations, the strategy will involve placing wireless transmitters in concealed yet optimal spots, like above the ceiling panels, while planning to hardwire locations that are not as visually appealing but ensure dependable connectivity. Avi explained, “The true test of a system’s effectiveness will come only after the complete array of wireless services, including Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular signals, is activated and their collective interference can be fully assessed.”

It wasn't just about making the space brighter; it was about smarter, more interactive lighting. The new design included both uplight and downlight components, bringing depth and dimension to spaces that were previously uniformly lit. "The shadows under the tables, the highlights on the wood – it's about creating a rich tapestry of light that supports the educational journey," said Avi. The revamped design now features a dance of shadows and highlights, creating a layered visual experience.

BEFORE

AFTER

Avi further elaborated on the choice of control systems, "Our partnership with Crestron allowed us to introduce a responsive and intuitive lighting control system that enhanced the educational atmosphere."

"We didn't just bring in LED solutions and advanced controls; we considered the daylight, the nature outside, and how we could enhance that connection within the classrooms. The new lighting is a dialogue with the sun, synced to a rooftop sensor, harmonizing the indoors with the outdoor color temperature." He added, "The classroom lighting now responds intelligently to both educators and natural cues.”

In what Avi described as "the highest quality space I've worked in to date," the retrofit has been about much more than bulbs and switches. It's a testament to what happens when a designer’s love for a space meets innovative lighting solutions tailored to improve the learning environment.

With a school so invested in the quality of its environment, the retrofit needed to be thoughtful and respectful. As Avi put it, "You can see the level of detail they've invested in. It was up to us to match that commitment in our lighting design."

Concluding the interview Avi spoke to the broader impact of such projects, saying, "We're at the frontier of a new era where educational environments are not just spaces but experiences. Our work at the Indian Community School is a chapter in that unfolding story, where light doesn't just brighten; it inspires."

MORLIGHTS PROJECT TEAM

Avraham Mor, CLD, IALD Sean Murphy, A. IALD

Casey Diers, CLCP

Kelsey Knowak (Formerly of Morlights)

LUMINAIRE SCHEDULE

LIGHTING

ALW: Crowne Pointe, MasterSpoke

Artemide: Alena

BEGA: 22 132 + K3, 22 203

Beta-Calco: RING

B-K Lighting: Hume

FILIX: RDP 100

Flos: Fuscia

Focal Point, LLC: Metro

Gotham: EVO, Incito

JLC-Tech: TBAR LED

Lighting Services Inc: LP2, LP4, LPW8, LX2060, LX2060, Surface Track

Lithonia Lighting: CLX, CPANL

LumenArt: Illuminer

Lumenpulse: Multi 2

LumenWerx: Selka, Squero, Squero Wall, Via 2, Walo

Luminii: Bosca, Kendo 45M

OCL: TUBIE 5

Pinnacle Architectural Lighting: ADEO, COVE, EDGE, FINA, LiFT, Moffat

Soraa: VIVID

Tech Lighting: BurkHead

USAI Lighting: BeveLED 2.2Complete, BeveLED Block

CONTROLS

Crestron Casambi: Wireless DALI Controls