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PL & P
The Branches
The lighting on the guideway columns is based on the same technology . In this case , the direction of the SkyTrain ( north or south ) triggers a specific colour pattern that flows down either direction of the guideway on one side of the posts . Additionally , the effects can be programmed to coincide with a holiday or special event .
“ We started by looking at the physical size of the columns to figure out how much light we needed to cut through the streetlights , how to get even coverage , what the best lens length would be , and which fixtures would do the best job and still be robust enough ,” Bedard shares . “ The fixtures do take some shaking and abuse . They ’ re outside , so birds and animals …”
The eight-sided guidway columns called for a mix of Color Kinetics ColorReach Compact Powercore and ColorBlast 12 fixtures for even coverage and good saturation .
The Stream is located at the southeast corner of Guildford Way and Pinetree Way . It uses lighting and coloured concrete to create water-inspired effects surrounding a complement of public benches . Lumenbeam LEDs from Lumenpulse are affixed to the benches and project onto the underside of the guideway between the columns to create the illusion of a stream ’ s reflection .
What ’ s more , there are three pressure pads incorporated into the concrete between the columns that activate the feature , basically creating “ splashes ” of light overhead . The pads are intentionally discreet and unassuming to create a type of “ easter egg ” reaction from visitors .
“ There ’ s not a sign on the street to tell you what to do , so it ’ s more of a little secret feature for people to discover ,” Bedard elaborates . “ We like that type of thing , where not everything is spelled out – where you ’ re kind of invited to explore and figure things out . It gives it a longer lifespan for the public , where people get excited and might tell their friends or guests to check it out , so it gets more people engaged .” The Branches feature on the east side of Pinetree Way stemmed from ISL , who had the idea of reinterpreting trees that once occupied the space being developed for the SkyTrain expansion . “ They wanted to pay homage to all the greenery around there with a kind of ‘ figurative forest ,’” shares Bedard .
Eos ’ s task then was to liven up the sculptures with illumination , and ultimately , the best approach was to use an old theatre lighting trick and incorporate basic spot fixtures with plant-themed gobos .
“ I love creating with light and shadow and contrast out in an urban environment ,” Bedard enthuses . “ It ’ s just a little more fun and dramatic than standard street lights . It creates a space that people enjoy moving in and out of .”
The fixtures are mounted to the branch structures and are on the same circuit as the nearby street lights , so they come on at the same time and don ’ t require any elaborate control .
During the installation , over the course of a single night , one of Bay Hill ’ s electricians was up on a lift with Bedard and a few others below , playing with variables like direction , focus , and shadows to optimize the overall effect .
The last of the special lighting features is also on the east side of the development , right beside the City Centre Branch of the Coquitlam Public Library . Informally dubbed “ The Guideway Mover ” by the city , it ’ s an SGM G-Spot IP65-rated LED moving head discreetly mounted atop a standard streetlight pole . The fixture can project custom messaging and signage onto a host of nearby surfaces .
“ They have the guideway there , which crosses the street , so we can project onto that , the north and south sides of the sidewalk , the parkway , and the library ,” offers Bedard . “ Those are all different canvases , and we can change it from event to event . Sometimes you ’ re looking up , sometimes down , sometimes beside you , sometimes across the street , so it ’ s a lot of variety from one lighting position .”
Bedard says Eos has been working with
28 | Summer 2018