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Have we got a building to show you—a hot new listing, just on the market. It’s located in beautiful Denver, easily accessible from major roads and highly visible to drivers, giving your company plenty of free PR. There’s just one small problem. When it comes time to install the lighting, there might be a few hurdles to overcome—like beams and ductwork.
 The building in question is the 12-story, 259,000-sq ft headquarters for Re/Max. Lighting designer Marla Stauth (formerly of Swanson Rink and now with Frankly Lighting, Arvada, CO) had to navigate some tricky structural conditions within the real estate company’s new real estate. But not to worry, the lighting concept (which earned Stauth a 2009 IES Illumination Award of Merit) conquered these challenges while providing a handsome HQ that emphasizes Re/Max’s global reach.
Stauth was responsible for lighting all aspects of the project, including the exterior, a 288,500-sq ft underground parking garage, and most notably, the lobby atrium, common areas, hallways and an inhouse TV studio used for training sessions. Barber Architecture, Denver, was the architect on the project, which was completed in 2007.
Not surprisingly, considering the nature of real estate sales, Re/Max “wanted a building that would stand out when people drive by on Interstate 25,” says Stauth. To provide that visibility, Stauth “streaked up” each of the window mullions at the front of the building with 3.7 deg narrow spotlights aimed 200 ft up the face of the 240-ft-high structure. The lowest wattage lamps possible (250-W metal halide) were used to avoid light pollution. “I wanted to keep the light levels low while still meeting the client’s needs.”
After Re/Max’s clients enter the grounds, the main entrance at the rear of the building makes the next bold statement. Here, the porte cochere is lighted from above and below by 70-W metal halide luminaires mounted away from the drive lanes and walking paths to reduce glare. Visitors approaching the entrance are then exposed to the Re/Max brand in all its glory. Looking through the glass walls of the two-story atrium, they’re able to view the company’s famous balloon logo, flags that represent its international footprint, a trophy case and even some unusual hanging “light chimes.”
MAKING IT FIT
The contours of the atrium and other interior areas dictated several important lighting decisions. For example, since “glass surrounds the two-story atrium, there were no walls to wash,” Stauth explains. Consequently, induction downlights were used to light the atrium. Their long lamp life minimizes maintenance, and since there is no warm-up time for induction lamps they can also be used for emergency lighting. Stauth likens the visual effect to a “glowing jewel box with a splash of color.”
 More technically challenging were the areas of the building that required Stauth to work around structural beams and ductwork. The under-floor ductwork forced most luminaires to the ceiling, but in-grade fixtures were used to light the 40-ft high, acoustic wood Re/Max logo wall. The adjustable 150-W ceramic metal halide (CMH) lights create an interplay of light and shadow across the wall. However, the location for these lights had to shift when large structural floor beams were adjusted during construction.
Art walls are located one floor beneath the atrium and on the same architectural plane as the logo wall. Once again, Stauth’s design had to accommodate the massive ductwork (this time overhead). “I used a really narrow and shallow slot for the T5 cove lights.” Track lights were originally considered, “but they clutter up the space. Instead, we got the glow of a cove and it washes down nicely on the art.” The cove lights are supplemented by 37-W MR16s to save energy.
Re/Max is an international company in the truest sense of the word, with offices from A (Argentina and Austria) to Z (Zambia) in more than 70 countries. Each time, a new office opens, a ceremony ensues at the Re/Max headquarters and the home nation’s flag is hoisted along the flag wall in the lobby. (There are now two walls due to the large number of flags.) Stauth designed two rows of adjustable 70-W T6 CMH downlights that penetrate through three thick rows of flags. In addition, Re/Max wanted its awards case to be prominently displayed. A room was created behind the cases and painted white, and fluorescent strips placed so that light would be distributed evenly to the glass walls of the case.
The building also includes a training center/TV studio used for teleconferencing. The lighting design had to ensure an even level of vertical footcandles on the faces of the people using the room. The lights are also completely dimmable. “The source is two 40-W biax lamps in each luminaire. I used 40-W instead of 50 or 55 because the 40-W lamps have a 20,000-hour life. If you go up [in wattage], the life goes down to 10,000 hours,” says Stauth. In some areas, 54-W lamps had to be used to achieve the desired 30-35 fc.
THE ICE STORM
Perhaps the building’s most stunning design flourish are the “light chimes” in the atrium. There are approximately 20 of these “semi-custom” chimes (manufactured by a furniture company) hanging in two parallel rows from the ceiling. “The interior designer, Deborah Barber, and I designed them and came up with the configuration and location and presented it to the owner,” says Stauth. What makes the design stand out, says Stauth, is that the length of the chimes is staggered across each row. “They look like icicles dripping off a house. They’re not uniform. The two rows are not noticeable because the chimes are in staggered lengths.” Moreover, since they reflect off the glass in the atrium there appear to be many more chimes than actually exist, depending on the visual angle.
The chimes house T5HO lamps with a ballast housed in between each lamp. Their waterfall effect is visible from the lobby and the level below, from the escalator looking up and, of course, from outside. The owner approved the concept even though maintenance will require that scaffolding be placed over the escalator.
Typically, the chimes and flag wall lighting provide the lobby illumination during the day. Other lobby lights are usually off. At night, during the various social function that take place in the facility, Re/Max staff can switch off the overhead induction downlights and logo wall lighting, leaving only the glow and reflections that emanate from the chimes. When the lighting is right, even the corporate logo—balloons and all—can be downplayed. Now that’s a company secure in its branding.
January 2010 |
