lighting
PROJECT
Lighting Control Is A Boon For Stargazers Outdoor lighting control helps unveil the universe at Grand Canyon visitor center.
A
t approximately 7,000 ft. elevation, there’s something magical about the Grand Canyon’s South Rim and its visitor center that invokes a sense
of majesty, solitude, and serenity. Visitors cannot help but wonder at the grandeur of the amazing views, and ponder our place within the world—indeed, within the universe. The Grand Canyon Visitor Center complex provides park and regional information, informative exhibits exploring the park’s history, bicycle rentals, a bookstore, and much more. The National Park Service also offers a unique experience for South Rim visitors—stargazing sessions. The area offers amazing views year round, and during the late spring and summer months when the evenings are clear and warm, the night sky is a spectacular sight. Several years ago, Grand Canyon Visitor Center rangers began hosting stargazing sessions where visitors gather in the parking lot with binoculars, cameras, and telescopes to enjoy the celestial views. As interest and participation in the sessions grew, it was decided to upgrade the park’s lighting-control system to be able to turn off (or dim) pole lighting in the parking lots and dim walking-path bollard lighting systems to better accommodate the stargazing sessions. At the same time, having the flexibility to keep some of the bollard lights near stairs at 100% light levels, would help with safe access in a very dark environment. ROCKY LIGHTING
Vantage Controls, Pleasant Grove, UT, manufacturer representative firm MH Lighting, Denver, worked with David Roederer of Clanton & Associates, Boulder, CO, to design an outdoor lighting-and-control system for the National Park Service. Clanton & Associates has been a leader in sustainable lighting design since they were established in 1981. MH Lighting and Vantage Controls, a brand of Legrand North America, performed the system installation and programming at the South Rim. “The National Park Service had very aggressive luminance level, color temperature, and energy requirements for this project,” said Roederer. “The control system had to have complete flexibility in order to achieve these goals, which it does. The control design helped us meet the luminance criteria and energy requirements, establishing this facility as an International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), Tucson, AZ, compliant lighting installation. Because this was a new-construction project with all new lighting and controls—and because the site is basically all 56
COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE
SEPTEMBER 2017
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
The National Park Service offers stargazing sessions for Grand Canyon South Rim visitors.
