Waterbury Awards
2004 IIDA Awards from the
Puget Sound Section of the IESNA

Section Award

Northwest Regional Award of Merit

Received an Award of Excellence in International Judging! Go to IESNA.org for more information on the International Winners.

Museum of Glass: International Center for Contemporary Art
Tacoma, Washington

Lighting Designer(s)
Mary Claire Frazier, Candela Architectural Lighting

Project Owner
Museum of Glass

Photography
Lara Swimmer

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Figure 1
Upper Plaza at Dusk
As an institution focused on materials, the Museum of Glass was conceived to interact with light. Glass, water and metal provide the canvas for light to graze, reflect and diffuse. Light seems to emanate from the materials themselves. Obvious poles and bollards were banished.

At dusk, muted contrast blends angular shapes into a soft mysterious composition.

Figure 2
Upper Plaza at Night
At night, contrast increases. Forms come into sharper focus. Metal halide grazing uplights surround the cone. Steplights provide stair light and punctuate the base with a ring of lights.

The fire-like burst atop the cone, contrasting with the cool skin, expresses the intensity of the glass-blowing process within, by backlighting perforated metal with ceramic metal halide 3000?K floodlights. The luminous Wing orients visitors to the elevator.

Reflecting pools, conceived as exterior galleries, required flexible lighting. Accent lights within the pools incorporate water movement into the artwork.

Figure 3
Section
Cone uplights and stair steplights are integrated into a knee wall surrounding the cone. Tight budget required minimizing fixture quantities to maintain quality.

Figure 4
Site Plan
Grand stairs wrap around the cone. Ramps wind among reflecting pools. Long-life, energy effective sources and time-clock controls minimize maintenance.

Figure 5
Lower Plaza
The faceted glazed façade reflects its surroundings. Low level steplights supplement soffit-mounted ceramic metal halide downlights, Interior views predominate.

Figure 6
Waterfront View
The striking waterfront nighttime image gives the museum the civic presence it sought. Visual impact combines and clear way-finding make this a popular evening destination.