Enoch Pratt Free Library

Baltimore, MD | Beyer Blinder Belle | Ayers Saint Gross

The library opened in 1933 after undergoing program changes from its original iteration in 1882. Over time, many of the library’s fixtures were replaced by new and more efficient fluorescent lighting. In 2001 the renovation project began with the intention of restoring the splendor of the library from the early 1900s, paying homage to its original craftsmanship while at the same time modernizing the technology and complying with current energy codes. In order to recall the grandeur of the Beaux Arts era the lighting systems had to be re-evaluated and catalogued. The conclusion was to restore all existing historic fixtures and add modern fixtures to balance light levels and greatly improve the ambiance over all previous renovations. Throughout time many of the original fixtures were lost and had to be newly designed by using historic photos as inspiration. The challenge lay in restoring those historic fixtures with LED technology while at the same time carefully introducing minimal, standard LED fixtures and a new control system.

In the 3-story Central Hall, the historic fixtures were meticulously cleaned and restored with LEDs and a layer of indirect LED uplights within the chandeliers were used to highlight ceilings and provide supplemental light to achieve the required foot-candles. This strategy of direct and indirect layers of light was employed throughout all the renovated fixtures, differing only in quantity and placement.

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