ColorBlast Product Guide
3
Transforming Chicago with ColorBlast
Transforming the Nightclub
Chicago’s ultra contemporary Soundbar boasts two levels of entertainment with
an eye-popping interior unlike any other. The 20,000 sq ft (1858 m
2
) nightclub is
comprised of unique lounges, bar areas, and dance floors, each distinguished by its
own vivid hue. To add sparkle to
the club’s exterior and main dance
area, Soundbar’s lighting designers
enlisted the help of intelligent LED
lighting from Philips Color Kinetics.
The industrial building’s exterior
façade features glass panels, lit
by ColorBlast 6 fixtures, which
gradually change color over the
course of an hour. The compact,
rugged fixtures wash the glass
surfaces with rich colors ranging
from bright red to exotic green.
Inside the club, ColorBlast 6 fixtures
envelop the main dance area (shown
here and on the cover) in deep
shades of blue. To complement the
design and high-energy music, four
clear acrylic columns, internally
lit by ColorBlast 6, extend from
floor to ceiling. Because the fixtures are low-heat and low-maintenance, the project
designers could install them in concealed and hard-to-reach spaces. In addition, the
dynamic effects are easily rendered with the club’s existing DMX control system.
Transforming the Fountain
Completed in July 2004, the acclaimed Crown Fountain, located in
Chicago’s Millennium Park, is an interactive sculpture comprising
glass, water, and light. The fountain encompasses two 50 ft (15 m)
glass block towers linked by a 232 ft (71 m) reflecting pool. Each
translucent tower is lit by approximately 70 ColorBlast 12 fixtures,
which gradually change color. Because of their compact size, the
designers were able to install the ColorBlast fixtures where needed
to properly illuminate the towers and glass.
In order to make the towers appear light and translucent, with their
internal structures reflecting light from behind the glass surface, the
designers installed the ColorBlast fixtures on continuous channels
mounted between the glass blocks and the structures, aiming straight
upwards to illuminate the structures just beyond the glass. The
towers glow from within on three sides, while the fourth sides feature
LED video displays that project the diverse faces of Chicago and
nature scenes. Water cascades down the outside of the towers into
the pool below.
According to the project architect, the ability to manipulate the
lighting in multiple ways, depending on time of day and season, was
an important consideration. Because longevity and dependability were
also key to the design, ColorBlast fixtures, with their long lifetimes
and low maintenance requirements, were the logical choice. Both the
lighting and fountain controls respond to one DMX-based control
system, which integrates seamlessly with the ColorBlast fixtures.
