Two projects designed by The Lighting Practice, University of Maryland Baltimore County Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building and the Sisters of St. Joseph Chapel, were featured in the Spring 2020 issue of Context. Context is a quarterly journal published by AIA Philadelphia exploring the relationship between architecture and its impact on the quality of life and design professionals in Greater Philadelphia.
The 130,000-SF Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building at the University of Maryland Baltimore County houses 8 active learning classrooms, 4 teaching labs, 12 specialized research labs, and an environmental systems lab for field research. The design team, led by Ballinger, worked with the client and artist Volkan Alkanoglu to integrate public-art into the architecture, creating an immersive and inspiring space for students. The dramatic piece, “In Flight”, was inspired by ongoing research at UMBC. The art piece creates “a memorable identity for the central student commons.” Principal Helen Diemer and Project Managers Matthew Fracassini and David Seok designed the lighting system to emphasize the strong geometries within the building and shared spaces to encourage interaction between students and instructors.
The Sisters of St. Joseph Chapel, located in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA, underwent a recent renovation to improve accessibility, comfort, and emphasize community engagement. The design team, led by Bernardon, created “a space within which the Sisters can gather around the altar and experience an intimate and unifying sense of worship.” The Lighting Practice, with Bernardon, designed a custom Corona fixture to reinforce the communal aspects of the chapel. Principal Michael Barber, Associate Principal Jon Hoyle, and Lighting Designer II Evan Wilson utilized concealed light sources to illuminate architectural details and improve visibility throughout the space.
The Lighting Practice is honored to have collaborated with Ballinger and Bernardon, respectively, to create these memorable and impactful spaces.
Read the University of Maryland Interdisciplinary Life Science Center Feature
