Lagares Showroom, Award of Excellence in 2012 IALD International Lighting Design Awards
The inspiration for the lighting proposal for the Lagares Showroom is the Japanese zen garden. The object on display in the showroom is an essential part of the composition, in the same way that in the zen garden, rocks, moss, and sand or gravel are joined together in a single, unified space. The overall effect is one of peace and elegant simplicity, as well as beauty. "A beautiful composition of light and shadow, dramatic and emotional," stated one award judge of the project. "This project showcases the power of light; how it can turn simple objects into sculptures and [accomplish] the simple task of illuminating merchandise into poetry." The lighting concept creates a composition of light and shadow; the components are the objects on display, their shadows and the way the light touches the floor. The materials used in the showroom are basic and few: a concrete ceiling (integrating rails and projectors painted the same color as the concrete), concrete walls and flooring, steel tensors and porcelain and white lacquered-iron toilets. This, too, echoes the Japanese Zen garden: a few well-chosen elements of light, medium and dark color, as well as light and shadow. "Light creates a new art form in the Lagares Showroom," one judge praised of the design. Tensioned steel threads not only support the bathroom fittings, but also act as transparency filters inside the space. The rails on the ceiling also follow an orderly pattern. The versatility of the placement of the luminaires in the rails allows for precise focus on the objects. A line of lights attached to the ceiling and halogen lamps of very narrow beam illuminate each object from above, creating a shadow directly below it on the floor. The shadows are neatly ordered, reinforcing the visual sense of levitation introduced by supporting the toilets with tensioned steel threads. PROJECT CREDITS LAGARES SHOWROOM GIRONA, SPAIN LIGHTING DESIGN MAURICI GINÉS, IALD ARTEC3 STUDIO ADDITIONAL CREDITS COLLABORATORS JOSÉ DE JESÚS GONZALEZ GIACOMO DAMATO ARCHITECTURE RCR ARQUITECTES PHOTOGRAPHY © HISAO SUZUKI
The inspiration for the lighting proposal for the Lagares Showroom is the Japanese zen garden. The object on display in the showroom is an essential part of the composition, in the same way that in the zen garden, rocks, moss, and sand or gravel are joined together in a single, unified space. The overall effect is one of peace and elegant simplicity, as well as beauty. "A beautiful composition of light and shadow, dramatic and emotional," stated one award judge of the project. "This project showcases the power of light; how it can turn simple objects into sculptures and [accomplish] the simple task of illuminating merchandise into poetry." The lighting concept creates a composition of light and shadow; the components are the objects on display, their shadows and the way the light touches the floor. The materials used in the showroom are basic and few: a concrete ceiling (integrating rails and projectors painted the same color as the concrete), concrete walls and flooring, steel tensors and porcelain and white lacquered-iron toilets. This, too, echoes the Japanese Zen garden: a few well-chosen elements of light, medium and dark color, as well as light and shadow. "Light creates a new art form in the Lagares Showroom," one judge praised of the design. Tensioned steel threads not only support the bathroom fittings, but also act as transparency filters inside the space. The rails on the ceiling also follow an orderly pattern. The versatility of the placement of the luminaires in the rails allows for precise focus on the objects. A line of lights attached to the ceiling and halogen lamps of very narrow beam illuminate each object from above, creating a shadow directly below it on the floor. The shadows are neatly ordered, reinforcing the visual sense of levitation introduced by supporting the toilets with tensioned steel threads. PROJECT CREDITS LAGARES SHOWROOM GIRONA, SPAIN LIGHTING DESIGN MAURICI GINÉS, IALD ARTEC3 STUDIO ADDITIONAL CREDITS COLLABORATORS JOSÉ DE JESÚS GONZALEZ GIACOMO DAMATO ARCHITECTURE RCR ARQUITECTES PHOTOGRAPHY © HISAO SUZUKI