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The Lighting Practice, a lighting design firm headquartered in Philadelphia, will work to enhance the lighting of some of the country’s most significant buildings in 2010. The firm, which recently received Women Business Enterprise certification from the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, will be designing lighting on a wide range of projects, including historic buildings and sites, museums, healthcare and university projects, and hospitality venues.

“We are thrilled to be working on several high-profile projects this year,” said Helen Diemer, president of The Lighting Practice. “Our work in 2010 underscores our many areas of expertise, as well as our commitment to finding sustainable lighting solutions for our diverse clientele.”

HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND SITES

On The Lighting Practice’s list of 2010 assignments are many significant historic buildings and sites, including the Library of Congress and Capitol Dome, both in Washington, D.C. The Library of Congress project has a strong tie to the history of lighting, as it was one of the first buildings with electric lighting, with equipment designed by Thomas Edison. The Lighting Practice will also continue its work on the energy efficient lighting of the Capitol Dome, part of the “Green the Capitol” initiative.

Another noteworthy project, also with ties to Thomas Edison, the “Father of Lighting,” is the Edison Memorial Tower in Edison, New Jersey, an art deco tower on the site where Edison invented the incandescent light bulb. The Lighting Practice will give the historic site an update with LED lights, and a relighting of the 13' 8"-high monumental light bulb at the top of the tower.

At the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) in Philadelphia, The Lighting Practice will design the lighting for the new Plaza and renovate the lighting of the historic landmark art museum and school building’s facade on Broad Street. PAFA’s original building was designed by the Philadelphia firm of Frank Furness and George Hewitt in 1876. In addition to enhancing the city’s Avenue of the Arts district expanding north, the lighting adds to The Lighting Practice’s past work along the Broad Street corridor, where they lit the façades of 12 buildings. The building is also located across from the new entrance of the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center, for which TLP is also designing lighting.

The Lighting Practice will also be working on two other historic buildings, the Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio, Texas, and the offices of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP, one of Delaware's largest law firms, located in Wilmington, Delaware. For the courthouse, The Lighting Practice will design lighting for the historic restoration of a courtroom built in 1896. At the law firm, The Lighting Practice will work on a more contemporary look for YCS&T offices within its historic building.

MUSEUMS

The Lighting Practice will focus on two museum projects in 2010: The Franklin Institute and Rodin Museum, both located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. At The Franklin Institute, The Lighting Practice will work on the lighting of a new public atrium, exhibition areas, a conference and education center and a new garden and façade. At the Rodin Museum, they will be relighting the restored historic garden area and museum façade. Both of these projects add to The Lighting Practice’s already completed work along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which includes nine building façades and 14 historic public sculptures.

UNIVERSITY AND HEALTHCARE PROJECTS

Three new dormitory buildings on the Livingston, New Jersey campus of Rutgers University will be lit by The Lighting Practice this year. The Lighting Practice will also design lighting for new signage at University of Texas in San Antonio and building façade lighting for the new Fisher Center at Penn Medicine, part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

HOSPITALITY

Among The Lighting Practice’s hospitality work in 2010 will be a project on the 103rd floor of the Empire State Building – the lighting of an interior reception space and exterior balcony, designed as a private viewing area, and as a location for small, exclusive events overlooking New York City.

The Lighting Practice will also be assisting with SugarHouse Casino, a new development project in Philadelphia. The Lighting Practice will design the exterior lighting of the stylish and contemporary building, highlighting its riverfront location on the Delaware River.

R2L, a new Philadelphia restaurant located on the 37th floor of The Residences at Two Liberty Place in Center City, Philadelphia, worked with The Lighting Practice to create lighting that enhances the sweeping views of Philadelphia both during the day and at night. The restaurant opens this month.

Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park will designate one of the islands in the Schuylkill River as a nature sanctuary, and The Lighting Practice will design lighting for a footbridge being built to access the sanctuary. In addition, The Lighting Practice will be relighting the Italian Fountain in the same area, which was a gift from Italy to mark Philadelphia’s Sesquicentennial.