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TECHNOLOGY / LIGHTFAIR INTERNATIONAL, PHILADELPHIA, USA PAINTING THE TOWN RED
A collaboration between The Lighting Practice and art students resulted in a spectacular sound and light show in downtown Philadelphia during Lightfair International.
‘Styling a Second Empire: A Light and Sound Experience’ featured animated graphics, moving lights and colour-changing effects that re-interpret the architectural elements on one of Philadelphia’s most outstanding buildings, City Hall. The project was created by The Lighting Practice, a Philadelphia-based lighting design firm, working with students from the University of the Arts and sound system designers from Metropolitan Acoustics, and in partnership with Center City District and the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA).
The temporary lighting display joined fourteen other buildings along the Avenue of the Arts as ‘performers’ in a free, outdoor art display in the heart of Philadelphia’s arts and culture scene. The buildings were united in a ballet of light, set to original music, and enlivened the skyline nightly for visitors and residents along four blocks of Philadelphia’s most artistic street, the Avenue of the Arts, from Market to Pine streets.
The project was a collaboration between
student artists from the University of the Arts, lighting designers from The Lighting Practice, and sound system designers from Metropolitan Acoustics. Student interns were engaged in workshop sessions to develop the lighting and music concept, system design and program content. The temporary lighting display coincided with PIFA, a three-week cultural celebration inspired by the Kimmel Center from April 7- May 1, 2011, and Lightfair International that was held at Pennsylvania Convention Center from May 15-19, 2011.
The south façade and tower of City Hall were the focal points for the new lighting installation. It was designed to coordinate with the existing artistic lighting of fourteen buildings on Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts, a programmable lighting display that was designed by The Lighting Practice for Center City District and installed in December 2008. The Avenue of the Arts lights were newly programmed for the month-long show to draw eyes and attention toward the City Hall display. “City Hall is the perfect centrepiece for
Philadelphia and a great place for us to direct the attention of our residents and visitors,” said Al Borden, principal of The Lighting Practice. “Built in the final decades of the 19th century, it has been at the centre of Philadelphia for more than 100 years. It was in the forefront of architectural fashion with its French Second Empire style, lavish sculptural ornaments and position as the world’s tallest building. The display celebrated that history. We were especially excited to be working with the students from the University of the Arts who brought their talent and education to the project.”
Seven interns, including six students from the University of the Arts, participated in the project, four contributing to the lighting design and three to the original music composition.
The project started from the initial fourteen buildings of the Avenue of the Arts (a City Theatrical SHoW DMX wirelessly controlled permanent outdoor installation, installed by PRG, that has been in place for several years) to which was added
Photographs: Emad Hasan for The Lighting Practice
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