To light the new casino, architect Patrick Cotter was appointed with a brief to rejuvenate the pavilion. The pavilion's glass structure meant Cotter had the added challenge of making the inside dark enough for a casino while taking care not to ruin the appeal of a the renowned glass building.
To achieve the desired effect, Cotter chose to create a second environment within the glass structure. This created a housing suitable for the internal casino lighting, while enabling the exterior to be lit in a way that attracts strong visual interest from the outside. A white fabric stretch ceiling system was installed into the internal structure, allowing the walls to act as a giant canvas for the lighting techniques.
Cotter wanted to light the surface of the new interior in a way that would place this superstructure in silhouette, visible through the glass exterior. A key element was that the light on the surface of the interior structure would change colours and show movement, enhancing the silhouette and drawing potential visitors to the site through its creative appeal.
To achieve the desired effect, Cotter chose to work with TIR Systems Destiny CW luminaires that incorporate sixty Luxeon high-power LEDs each. The Destiny CW was chosen as it can provide both horizontal and vertical uniform rectangular projection for surface washes. The horizontal wash optic provides larger beam width, while the vertical wash optic projects the beam of light further, enabling superior coverage of the internal 'canvas.' In total 34 vertical wash (VWO) at V2.0 and 11 horizontal wash (HWO) at V1.1 were used.
The Luxeon based luminaires were located on the ground between the glass exterior and the new interior façade. By using a remote power supply base, the designer was able to position the illumination section of the Destiny CW as far away from the wall surfaces as possible, overcoming the challenges of lighting the whole 3600sq.m of the interior surfaces.
The lighting system is programmed to create coloured lighting effects using over 250 different colours, enabling the creation of lighting to accompany the seasons or special events and to complement the watery surroundings. The luminaires glow across a spectrum of colours which, when reflected in False Creek, create an eye-catching effect for both residents and visitors.
(Chris Henry)
