Sue Schreibe - Sol Café
Award of Recognition - Cooper Lighting's Source Awards 2006
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Lighting Concept:
Sol, children’s clothing retailer, seeks to capture and express, through the integration of lighting and spatial experience, the radiant spirit of the child: that sense of warmth and energy that emanates from within. To help create a place experience, Sol uses the extra square footage provided in the retail space as kid’s café. From the entrance, it will be visible as a bright, warm, and radiant center from which all other spaces emanate.
Light and color work together in this space to help define both the overall feeling of the store, as well as a spatial hierarchy. The kid’s café/lounge will be the "glowing center" with lighting and color becoming more saturated as one moves toward the central space. The retail space that radiated outward from this area will be less saturated, creating a visual balance and supporting a regular change of merchandise (in other words, providing a neutral backdrop).
Different approaches were used to achieve the appropriate, pleasant balance layering of light. A combination of downlighting and uplighting provides general, ambient illumination; yet the part of the overall goal is to create a sense of drama. Use of wallwashing as well as track lighting provides a focal glow for merchandise and signage. For drama and sparkle, the columns in the café glow from within, balanced by a softer, lower lighting level in the café. Pin spot downlights, sconces, and small pendants also provide sparkle and a more striking ambience in this area. Fixtures allow for undercabinet lighting to highlight the product on display.
Judges Comments:
"Great concept and good technically."
"Nicely supports the architectural statement and flows well."
"Innovative concept."