Industry office spaces need interesting design, too
“We were excited at the prospect of playing the designer for once,” said Stephanie Ragusa, director of operations and design studio at Lighting Dynamics, Inc. “Our typical role is to comply with our client’s desires, but we really enjoyed making our own decisions for the ultimate look and feel of the renovated office space and showroom.” When Florida-based lighting manufacturer representative Lighting Dynamics, Inc. (LDI) needed to upgrade its long-used facility (complete with a beige color palette typical of the early-aughts; 5-ft tall solid cubicles and linear indirect fluorescent lighting), the team took matters into its own hands. The project began in the first quarter of 2022 and started with the switch to a grey and white paint palette; the removal of the cubicles as well as the placement of all-new flooring. The project, completed a year later, features over 70 luminaire types with wiring infrastructure for more than 80 individually controlled zones—and proves that lighting industry representative offices can be just as bespoke and intricate as the design projects they serve.
“Much of the lighting design focused on featuring the latest and greatest products from our most supportive manufacturers. As their representatives, we see a lot of beautifully rendered applications of lighting solutions that don’t often get the chance to be utilized in real spaces,” said Ragusa. To ensure the new office differentiated in aesthetic from simply a lighting showroom, the team carefully crafted the space so that “Nearly every wall and individual space utilizes a different type of lighting solution. We started by breaking the large open space into three smaller spaces and treating them all separately, with varying acoustic lighting solutions to reduce the volume of inter-office chatter. Ancillary spaces and perimeter offices were also each designed to be unique.” For example, in flexible work areas in the center of the office, round drum pendants by Sharper were installed, while linear blade lights were selected to illuminate work desks in groups of six at the north end of the office. At the south end, a hexagonal light system by Axis brightens more work desks. Some offices have single direct/indirect pendants and others have multiple pendants; decorative sconces were also added where appropriate. “We really wanted the lights to become art, which was easy with beautiful fixtures like the ones from Sonneman, Flos or Kuzco. Other [fixtures] called for more creativity by varying the color finishes and placing lights in clusters,” Ragusa added.
Despite the large number of luminaire types, the all-LED workplace is unified through color temperature. The standard was set at 3500K, and while many luminaires adhere to this standard, some (decorative luminaires) required variations, making the final color temperature range from 2700K to 4000K throughout the office; mock-ups against various wall finishes helped designers make the final choices. Similarly, Ragusa stated all spatial and decorative details of the office were modeled into a large AGi32 file—a simulation tool to aid designers in creating a layout—that allowed the team to determine appropriate light levels. “We knew we would ultimately rely on the lighting control system to tune the light levels but in general, we designed to about 50-footcandle average in the open office spaces and 30-fc average in the small offices.”
Six touchscreens along with five digital keypads located throughout the building, and optional smart phone controls, allow for scene management. Outside the office, the digital control system uses six hard-wired WaveLinx panels to manage exterior site lighting via an astronomical timeclock.
While LDI wasn’t required to follow any specific energy code, the remodel power consumption is approximately 1 watt per sq ft and complies with the current retail standard.
The saying “It takes a village” applies to the $205,000 remodel. Nearly 30 of LDI’s clients contributed lights in some form to the project with Axis Lighting and Cooper Lighting providing the most products. Beyond that, Ragusa noted how the team of electricians from Unlimited Power Solutions was essential in ensuring the success of the untraditional workspace. “They were very patient. Most of the lights they installed were completely foreign to them, and since there were so many different types, they didn’t have the luxury of a learning curve. They would master the installation of one type and then move on to the next to start the learning process over again.”
And it is the village who also benefits from the remodel. Lighting industry personnel from all over the U.S. to clients in the Florida region have come to visit after the project’s completion. “It’s the greatest compliment when they tell us how refreshing it is to visit an open and vibrant space,” said Ragusa. But most importantly, a special Friends and Family event hosted at the office after the revamp showed how much meaning the change of space held for LDI staff. Ragusa acknowledged, “Watching the enjoyment of our employees, some of which have been with us over 25 years—their excitement and pride in showing their family the new office—was really rewarding.”
THE DESIGNERS |
- Stephanie Ragusa is director of operations and design studio at LDI and served as the project lead.
- Ryan Huff is a principal with LDI.
- Ledia Karaj is a specification sales specialist with LDI.
- Gustavo Macias is a principal with LDI.
- Frank Fernandez is the owner of Unlimited Power Solutions.
- Alva Alberga is an electrician with Unlimited Power Solutions.
- Erik Schaeffer is superintendent with Unlimited Power Solutions.
Photos: Tirone Garcia.