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Movement for Spiritual Inner Awareness

The Movement for Spiritual Inner Awareness was looking for a unique design solution for their Brentwood Ballroom, a space that is used regularly for educational and spiritual seminars as well as meditation.   The form of this space was influenced by a collaborative effort between Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design and M. Charles Bernstein Architects.  

A lighting solution that provided plenty of light on the stage so that seminars could be videotaped and broadcast to multiple locations was desired.   The spun glass used in the theatrical fixtures led the team into adopting this approach into a more architectural form.   A combination of a thin layer of acrylic that appeared as spun glass riveted to a thicker layer of clear acrylic for stiffness.   This allows light to soften before it reaches the stage as well as illuminate the skylight cone creating diffused light onto the audience.   Architectural materials were highlighted with hidden wallwashers on either side of the floating ceiling.   Small low-voltage downlights were used in pairs for sparkle, along with larger incandescent downlights for general ambient lighting.

The balancing act of designing a meditative and spiritual environment in conjunction with the pragmatic needs of broadcasting challenged the team to create harmony of space, materials and light.

This lighting design has been recognized with an IIDA Award of Merit.