Permanent Outdoor Lighting for Sculpture

[aacerr]

Hi folks! This is my first post here but I have been using CB as a resource for my entire career. Thank you for all of the help in the past. But I have looked around and can’t seem to find much help on what I need today.

The problem is this:
A local sculpture artist wants me to help him light his most recent work. It’s a very large gazebo-esque structure that is entirely metal and entirely outside in the elements of Colorado. He wants a “light show” but doesn’t know anything after that. That’s where I’m supposed to come in. However, I don’t know much about this type of light show. Especially not permanently installed ones that run on their own.

Can anyone walk me through how we can accomplish something like this? What is the scope? The technology needed? I know I’ll need outdoor rated fixtures based on what we decide for design. I’ve been looking into pixel tape as a good option but what would I program and then have it run on? I know he will want to add music as an element as well.

I have been an electrician/programmer for a while now but I’ve never had to venture into this territory before so any advice and help would be appreciated!

 

[theatricalmatt]

Step number one: What are you lighting? Get scale plans of the large gazebo-esque sculpture as well as a site plan for where it's going to be installed. The artist may also provide documents indicating how they'd like it lit. Assume you'll need to light it from any direction a potential audience member could see it (so, presumably, 360-degrees of lighting). It's worth considering, though, how highlights and shadows from lighting will affect the viewers' perception of the LGES and the surrounding environment, as well as color and textural choices.

Since it's outdoors, you'll also have to consider the effects of glare from the lighting fixtures, and how they may affect other businesses and especially vehicle traffic in the area, i.e., don't point lights where they shouldn't go. Also consider the observer's viewpoints -- both adults and children, plus folks who may be visually-impaired in some way. How close to the LGES are they allowed to get?

I would suggest two lighting techniques: A set of diffuse wash lights from fairly high up, lighting as much of the sculpture as possible; and a set of color-changing fixtures from the ground, pointing up and scraping the LGES, similarly to a groundrow for a cyc. Depending on how gazebo-esque the LGES is, you mighty also need some interior lighting, a separate lighting system around the roofline or columns, and so on. There are a number of commercially-available standalone lighting systems, your choice of which would be informed by your familiarity with the system, the complexity of lighting you have in mind, and budget. Something like an EOS Nomad Puck doesn't take up much room, and could be contained in a secured enclosure and either made part of the sculpture, or disguised by a decorative element or interpretive display. Depending on your creativity, you could have time-coded events (so it turns red, white, and blue on the Fourth of July) or sensor-related events (flashing blue when it rains, gets brighter when more people are present -- the possibilities are endless). You m-i-g-h-t also think about working in WiFi access so that an authorized user could remotely access the system to make updates to programming. The City may even ask to make it a WiFi hotspot for the public.

Spealomg of: There might also be a call for ancillary systems such as illuminated pedestrian paths, interpretive displays, dedication plaques, etc. A custom gobo with the city seal, sponsors' logos, or artists name is a nice touch. Providing an exterior power receptacle for maintenance and landscaping is also a kindness.

Once you've figured out how you want to light it, document that with a lighting plot -- not very different than a lighting plot for theater, though your symbols for lighting fixtures may be very different! I've going to make a bit of a leap, here, and assume that whichever municipality you're working with is going to have city or town electricians perform the installation work, which would include power runs and tying into the city grid. I've found it's usually easier to make it very clear the things you do not want and allow the electricians to implement things according to code. You might find it's easier for them to install conduit and paint it to match the LGES, rather than run everything in trenches -- but! including the artist in this portion of the process will lead to a happier result.

There are plenty of architectural sytems out there on the market; Phillips Color Kinetics offers a wide range of products, which either are or can be made to be IP67 rated, but there are many other manufacturers as well.

Expect everything to be endlessly debated and value-engineered within an inch of its life. It's simply how some people figure out what's critical and what's wishful thinking. Know what your needs are, and stick to them. And enjoy the process of making art!

 

[aacerr]

Step number one: What are you lighting? Get scale plans of the large gazebo-esque sculpture as well as a site plan for where it's going to be installed. The artist may also provide documents indicating how they'd like it lit. Assume you'll need to light it from any direction a potential audience member could see it (so, presumably, 360-degrees of lighting). It's worth considering, though, how highlights and shadows from lighting will affect the viewers' perception of the LGES and the surrounding environment, as well as color and textural choices.

Since it's outdoors, you'll also have to consider the effects of glare from the lighting fixtures, and how they may affect other businesses and especially vehicle traffic in the area, i.e., don't point lights where they shouldn't go. Also consider the observer's viewpoints -- both adults and children, plus folks who may be visually-impaired in some way. How close to the LGES are they allowed to get?

I would suggest two lighting techniques: A set of diffuse wash lights from fairly high up, lighting as much of the sculpture as possible; and a set of color-changing fixtures from the ground, pointing up and scraping the LGES, similarly to a groundrow for a cyc. Depending on how gazebo-esque the LGES is, you mighty also need some interior lighting, a separate lighting system around the roofline or columns, and so on. There are a number of commercially-available standalone lighting systems, your choice of which would be informed by your familiarity with the system, the complexity of lighting you have in mind, and budget. Something like an EOS Nomad Puck doesn't take up much room, and could be contained in a secured enclosure and either made part of the sculpture, or disguised by a decorative element or interpretive display. Depending on your creativity, you could have time-coded events (so it turns red, white, and blue on the Fourth of July) or sensor-related events (flashing blue when it rains, gets brighter when more people are present -- the possibilities are endless). You m-i-g-h-t also think about working in WiFi access so that an authorized user could remotely access the system to make updates to programming. The City may even ask to make it a WiFi hotspot for the public.

Spealomg of: There might also be a call for ancillary systems such as illuminated pedestrian paths, interpretive displays, dedication plaques, etc. A custom gobo with the city seal, sponsors' logos, or artists name is a nice touch. Providing an exterior power receptacle for maintenance and landscaping is also a kindness.

Once you've figured out how you want to light it, document that with a lighting plot -- not very different than a lighting plot for theater, though your symbols for lighting fixtures may be very different! I've going to make a bit of a leap, here, and assume that whichever municipality you're working with is going to have city or town electricians perform the installation work, which would include power runs and tying into the city grid. I've found it's usually easier to make it very clear the things you do not want and allow the electricians to implement things according to code. You might find it's easier for them to install conduit and paint it to match the LGES, rather than run everything in trenches -- but! including the artist in this portion of the process will lead to a happier result.

There are plenty of architectural sytems out there on the market; Phillips Color Kinetics offers a wide range of products, which either are or can be made to be IP67 rated, but there are many other manufacturers as well.

Expect everything to be endlessly debated and value-engineered within an inch of its life. It's simply how some people figure out what's critical and what's wishful thinking. Know what your needs are, and stick to them. And enjoy the process of making art!

This is all so great!! Thank you!! Can you give me a more specific recommendation for types of standalone lighting systems? I am an EOS programmer so a nomad puck came to mind, but I wasn’t sure what other options I had for this type of permanent outdoor install.

 

[Morte615]

For something like this I have used Mosaic in the past. When dealing with Building Electricians it's probably something they already know about too as it's used for Architectural Lighting all the time. The units aren't too expensive either. And it's made by ETC (kinda) so very compatible with devices.

 

[STEVETERRY]

Bear in mind that if the luminaires are outdoors and cord-and-plug connected, the outlets must be GFCI-protected per NEC 210.8(B)(6).

ST