This edition of e-notes points you to Architectural Lighting’s
Dear Readers,
This edition of e-notes points you to Architectural Lighting’s March issue, which examines daylighting strategies from a lofty perspective—that of the high-rise office tower. This uniquely American building typology has defined the skylines of New York, Chicago, and other notable cities. But its evolution as a building type has not been determined solely by architectural influences. Economics, zoning regulations, cultural expectations, and, yes, light, have played major roles in shaping skyscrapers over time. The three projects discussed in this issue—the New York Times’ headquarters, the Hearst Tower, and One Bryant Park—exemplify a new generation of tall buildings, the product of emerging design trends, architectural and lighting technologies, attitudes toward sustainability, and complexities of building, lighting and energy codes. Each building responds to a particular set of project criteria and represents a diverse set of solutions, but taken as a group, the lessons they offer are universal.
Keeping with the sustainable theme, the March issue also examines how the LEED process affects lighting, the benefits of physical modeling daylight analysis, and how load shedding can contribute to energy efficient building approaches.
There is also a new blog post from Jim Benya discussing his attendance at the Strategies in Lighting Conference in late February. And I also invite you to take a look at the comment exchange from his Feb. 13, 2009, post: “At Long Last - the Model Lighting Ordinance (MLO).” The public review comment period for the MLO closes on April 10, 2009. The MLO along with comment review forms and instructions can be downloaded from the International Dark Sky Association’s dedicated web page.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to let readers know about this year’s A|L Light & Architecture Design Awards. The deadlines for project submissions are May 13 (regular entry) and May 18 (late). Click here for an overview of the program and information about online registration:
So read on—excellence in lighting design awaits you.
Elizabeth Donoff
Editor