"We initially pitched the new design to our client, the Rockefeller Group, owners of 1221 6th Avenue," said Lance R. Caffrey, chief production officer, American Christmas. "The Rockefeller Group puts a lot of emphasis on being LEED-certified and being environmentally aware, so as a nod to that, we suggested they change the existing display of conventional holiday lights to a display of LED lights." Caffrey, who worked closely with PRG, leads the manufacturing, logistics and production team of American Christmas.
The new display is modelled on M5 Mini Ice Christmas lights. Each of the display lamps is internally lit by LED sources. The team experimented with different technologies to achieve the desired luminosity and even distribution of light. "Inside each display, we used a flexible circuit board with LEDs that is backed with an adhesive strip," explained Chad Woerner, project manager, PRG. "We used five-metres of LED strip per display and an MR11 LED lamp at the top to get the light into the cone where the bulb comes to a point."
Because the display draws only 7 amps, it is left on day and night. "We experimented with effects like chases and blinking, but in the end the design team and the building owners wanted to go for something more traditional," continued Woerner.
"Working with PRG was a great experience," said Caffrey. "This was something that had never been done before. The scale and the level of detail made it very challenging to take from concept to completion."
PRG is no stranger to holiday displays in New York City. In recent years, they have provided the automation for the windows at Macy's department store, as well as for an American Christmas-designed chandelier in the lobby of Radio City Music hall that contains 80,000 Swarovski crystals.
(Jim Evans)
