France - The distinctive folded concrete triangular-shaped vaulted ceiling of the CNIT (National Centre for Industry and Technology) building at the La Défense CBD in Paris has been subtly illuminated with Anolis Calumma XL SC LED luminaires.
This new lighting project is part of a modernisation initiative led by architect Jean-Luc Crochon of Cro&Co Architecture who approached BOA Light Studio to create a plan to enhance the underside of the ceiling with lighting.
The scheme is designed to bring a ‘living-breathing’ resonance to the structure, pulling the texturing, nuance and luminance of daylight and the sky outside into the shell-like atrium space of the building that now houses multiple shops, retail outlets and offices as well as a hotel and convention centre.
The brief from the client, the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield management team who manage the property, was to “bring in more light”.
The imposing concrete ‘vault’ as it is known, is 46m high and each side is 218m long, forming part of an equilateral triangle. Three glass façades – with convex curves on two sides – each span 206m and allow daylight and sun to stream through into the space.
The roof rises from three pillars, connected to the apex of a triangle beneath the reception hall. Its 6-centimetre-thick double shell is the last intact element of the monumental post-World War II reconstruction period architecture that was characteristic of the initial La Défense building scheme.
Inaugurated in 1958, the vault has seen two major renovations, in 1989 and 2009.
The new lighting concept chosen to deliver the best results was to illuminate the vault indirectly from the vantage points of all the roofs of the highest offices inside. "We needed plenty of luminous power to assist with this, and selected the largest Anolis Calumma fixtures, the Calumma XL SC as their 11,000-lumen output gave us the punch needed plus an excellent quality of light,” explained Nedir Benkhelifa of BOA Light Studio.
They wanted to emphasise relief and bring out the sublime and ethereal presence of the vault, noted Nedir, adding that it was more about creating a ‘sensation’ – almost an illusion of light – through ‘luminous presence’, than directly lighting the ceiling surface.
“Light moods are better when perceived. Done right, it's a psychological phenomenon that improves the overall perception of the place” he noted.
Following onsite demonstrations and testing, the Calumma XC SC was confirmed as the best fixture choice for the project, and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield placed the order for the tuneable white versions - 2,700 K and 4,000 K - that were manufactured at the Anolis factory in the Czech Republic.
Three rows of eight Calumma XC SCs mounted on metal tripods are located on the office roof section ‘islands’ towards the end of each vault arch and as they start to descend. Illuminating the ceiling and creating the textured relief that BOA envisioned, they reveal the grooves, detail, and linearity of the concrete shell by creating soft shadows.
The 24 x Anolis luminaires are controlled via a Pharos system using DMX / RDM. Lumières Utiles handled the control aspect of the project for BOA and programmed a series of preset lighting sequences for the installation.
