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Cahill Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics at Caltech

Pasadena, California

The new $50 million Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics unites 300 of Caltech's eminent astronomy and astrophysics faculty, research groups, and graduate students previously dispersed across the campus into a single 100,000 square foot, world-class facility dedicated to their requirements.  Our collaboration with the design team led by Morphosis included lighting design for the auditorium, library, grand staircase, classrooms, conference rooms, offices, labs, clean rooms, remote-observing rooms, circulation, and interactive spaces.

Key features include a single gesture of illumination in the grand staircase which utilizes rail integrated LED luminaires, keeping the striking white configuration pure, and thus preserving a vertical view which references a life-sized telescope and extends from the basement to a skylight on the top floor.  Additionally, corridor lighting acts as an organizing and orienting element within the unexpected and ever-shifting architecturally dynamic volume of the building.

Energy saving, fluorescent lamp/ballast combination systems were placed in the majority of spaces to help meet the project's LEED and energy goals.  This is the first Caltech building to receive LEED certification and it has been awarded Gold level certification.