The stunning and unique feature of this atrium space is a 4-story street facing façade of original Lalique glass. The glass has beautiful depth and texture but is clear with no rear vertical surface making its illumination – when viewed from the interior and the exterior – technically challenging. Linear LED uplights with narrow optics were carefully concealed in the façade (all sightlines to the fixtures were avoided). This approach subtly emphasizes the texture and sparkle of the glass without reflections so that it appears to just be glowing from ambient lobby light.

Illuminating the 4 story stone wall and the translucent glass bridges, while minimizing visible sources was another key to the success of the lighting scheme. Spotlights discreetly integrated into the steel support structure of the interior balcony illuminate each frosted glass bridge surface. A view up to the atrium ceiling shows the existing backlit skylight and the beautiful organization of the lighting layers: cylinder wall washers wash the stone wall providing most ambient light in the space while the balcony bridges glow from above. Downlights in the corners are separately controlled for egress only.

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