Civic & Event Center Lighting

Civic and event centers are showcases of architecture and community pride. By virtue of their function as high profile public and commercial gathering places, any lighting design or retrofit project should be sensitive to the aesthetic influence of lighting on an interior environment. This applies to the overall lighting effect, as well as the appearance of the equipment itself.

As multi-use facilities, event centers are commonly characterized by high ceilings. General lighting systems must efficiently and effectively deliver light to the space below without encroaching upon it, or impeding view. They must provide adequate illumination and conserve energy, but they also play a key role in the quality of the space as a presentation venue. After all, the lighting needs of civic and event centers are not dissimilar to that of the theatre. Through its directional strength and the appearance of the lighting equipment when reflected in gloss surfaces, lighting dictates the appearance of objects within the space. This characteristic is known as object modeling and it is a highly valued aspect of lighting for presentation. Event centers frequently combine point-source lighting technologies with black or dark ceiling treatments to enhance and optimize the modeling of objects within the space. Interplay of light and shadow enhances impressions of three-dimensional form and reflected images of high-output point source lighting provides a dazzling display of sparkle.