WATERFRONT MAGIC

HOW TO HOW TO LIGHTING LIGHTING BY SBI STAFFBY SBI STAFF

The idea involved floating illuminated rings as a signature element of this multi-billion dollar redevelopment.

Waterfront Magic LED luminaires light up a riverfront neighborhood attraction.

Perched along the Potomac River and located within a short walk of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., sat a mile-long stretch of waterfront property that was not only being underutilized by residents but also being ignored by tourists.

However that perception all changed recently when a $2.5 billion development transformed the area into a new, bustling 24-acre neighborhood known as “The Wharf” or “District Wharf.” This makeover has turned the area into an attraction for local residents and tourists alike.

There are plenty of features and amenities now at District Wharf: concert venues, retailers, restaurants, hotels, residences, and businesses. There is also the restored, historic Oyster Shed, which is now part of the new Washington Fish Market and adjacent to the floating Municipal Fish Market (the oldest continuously operating open-air fish market in the country).

The main public plaza is the perfect spot for taking in the scenic views, both of the water and also overhead. This is also where fifteen rings of iLight Plexineon seem to float aloft at night. And this is the story of how this IES Illumination awardwinning project was brought to life.

One Design Challenge (of Many) The idea for these floating circles of light was conceived by Gilmore Lighting Design of Potomac, Maryland after the firm was brought onto the project by nearby Landscape Architecture Bureau (LAB).

Debra Gilmore, president and principal at Gilmore Lighting Design, utilized layers of light for the different scope locations (architectural, landscape, and site) to establish a visual hierarchy relating to activity within the locations.

With all of the cables angled, rather than horizontal, a custom mounting was used.

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One challenge was selecting lighting for the entry plaza. Functional light using a minimal energy footprint was needed, but Gilmore also wanted to create a solution more unique than typical festoon string lighting. “Our philosophy and at

titude about solving egress lighting is to also create a beautiful night environment,” she says.

The Gilmore team developed an innovative entry solution, comprised of an angled catenary system using suspended,

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glowing custom LED rings that provide functional egress illumination, while adding an artistic moment and a memorable site location by day and night. When they pitched their proposal, it was met with enthusiasm.

An additional challenge was that Gilmore and her team were brought aboard in the final stages of the project. With a sign on the construction site counting down the days to completion of the project’s first phase, a deadline was looming.

Fortunately Gilmore already had iLight Plexineon in mind, after using it in previous projects where curved fixtures were mounted to a surface, to form the circles. She hoped iLight could help her create the circles—and suspend them—so she sent the company drawings of what they were trying to accomplish.

The iLight team confirmed to Gilmore that the Plexineon she had in mind could be bent to form the circles and be suspended from aircraft wire.

“With all of the cables angled, rather than horizontal, [we had to build] a custom mounting,” she says, noting her team also worked with iLight to determine electrical component sizes and how the connections would work.

Reflections and Reactions The end-result is a stunning feature that creates a formal, monumental pedestrian entrance to the fish market while attracting both business tenants and customers.

Gilmore was also pleasantly surprised by how the luminaires also work within the context of all the surrounding elements. “A Tiki bar added a lot of colored lights that reflect on the rings in a unique way,” she says.

Another happy surprise was how the Plexineon Rings unexpectedly interact with blue lighting along a nearby overpass. “The reflections are really fun,” says Gilmore.