Using the ceiling as the reflector

Problem: The existing conditions and lack of electric light.

Lighting challenge and scope of work: This church in Arlington, TX was built over 50 years ago with unique and stunning architectural features like the sanctuary wood ceiling with varying pitch but no electric light. They had been using temporary track lighting but it did not provide enough light to the floor or highlight the beautiful architecture. KNB Architects in Arlington, TX contacted me to develop a lighting solution.

I took the before pictures during a bright and sunny day, so it was hard to imagine how dark the sanctuary could look at night. But on cloudy days and during evening events, they had very little light. They had mounted a few track lights behind the beams but it did not offer a uniform look or accent the beautiful wood ceiling. I thought if we could wash the entire ceiling but conceal the light source, it would make the space feel more open. We needed a uniformly lit space while also getting enough footcandles to the pews so attendees could easily see to read.

Mock-up

I took these pics during the mock-up. It was done at night and you can tell how desperately they needed to add lighting. We could have used direct light sources, but that would not have enhanced the beautiful wood ceiling or offered a glare-free solution.

We used a 12W/ft linear fixture with a 10 x 60 degree beam by i2Systems lighting. That allows for a narrow but long throw. Fixtures are mounted end to end along the front side of the beams so they are hidden from view when looking toward the front of the sanctuary. The fixtures include a dim-to-warm feature where the color temperature gets warmer as you dim them. This works perfectly for a church setting. Here you see us testing out the fixture. We confirmed there would be enough light to span between each beam.

Solution: The new lighting is revealed!

These are some of the amazing photos I took after the new lighting was installed and while the sanctuary was still under renovation. This is the view as you walk into the sanctuary. The light source is hidden from view as the ceiling is illuminated.

Here is another view of the unique architecture. Each section of the roof is at a different pitch. The width and slope vary between each beam.

The following pic shows the view from the front of the church looking toward the back of the church. This is the pastor’s perspective when he is speaking. The lights are still comfortable and they can be dimmed as needed.

Lights were also added in the choir loft. You can see how the back wall of the loft is now illuminated, bringing attention to the organ and adding task lighting for choir members reading music.

The wood ceiling, architecture, and new lighter-tone wood floors are now uniformly lit. The sanctuary feels more open and inviting. Utilizing only indirect light provides the perfect no-glare solution, giving an instant lift and volumetric feel to the sanctuary.

New wireless lighting controls by Casambi were installed via a Bluetooth device in each fixture. The staff can control and dim lights from an iPad tablet. This makes it very convenient to vary the color temperature and light levels during events.

Here is a video demonstrating how the Casambi app controls the “sunset dim” lights to change color temperatures and scenes.

App demo:

Demo from Pastor’s point of view: