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National Harbor

Oxon Hill, Maryland

HLB was contracted to develop the lighting component of the master plan and design implementation for National Harbor, a 300-acre mixed-use development in the Washington, DC Beltway area. The approach was to document a conceptual design of the lighting for the National Harbor development that would address the practical issues of illumination while providing ample opportunities for the emotional and experiential lighting gestures which ultimately inform, articulate, and reinforce the visual impressions of the on-looker, resident and consumer at National Harbor.  Our scope of work includes development of a “family” of custom fixtures, as well as design for streetscapes, sidewalks, parks, plazas, waterfront, façades, and parking structures.

HLB's lighting masterplan for National Harbor began with solutions for practical functions, but then worked to transcend the practical and articulate the environment.  The lighting ‘ethos' that HLB strives to create in large scale planning initiatives - lighting that manifests itself both as the unifying theme for a development and as the expression of a development's unique parts.  In order for the two ends of this spectrum of expression to come together as a powerful whole, lighting must be used as a multi-layered design tool in both bold and subtle strokes.

Our firm is also designing the lighting with Gensler for the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center located on the site, including all interior and site lighting including fountains, piers, and boat landings.