Designed by James R. Benya of Oregon-based Benya Lighting Design, Michael Neils and Juan José Villatoro of California-based M. Neils Engineering and James E. Christensen from Sacramento, the lighting module at the auditorium won the 2008 GE Edison Award.
Operating since 1927, the six main columns of Sacramento Memorial Civic Center are lit, with the luminaire on each illuminating the capital, frieze, dentils and cornice of the column. The design highlights lights from two types of sources – ceramic metal halide and 3000K linear fluorescent.
The lighting design features many GE ConstantColor CMH ceramic metal halide and GE T5 High Output Ecolux fluorescent lamps. The six columns with ornate capitals and the two end pilasters are lit with one 150-watt CMH T6 3000 K in-grade luminaire. The luminaire is located in the second step to ensure that the column, capital, frieze and cornice are illuminated.
Up-washers with 54-watt T5 HO 3000 K lamps illuminate the pediment wall, and the medallion is highlighted with a 70-watt CMH narrow spot lamp. The interior lighting for the skylight windows features fluorescent GE 32-watt T8 3000 K lamps.
The ceiling coves behind the arches feature 70-watt CMH downlight wall-washers that illuminate the wall and doors. Installed in the same location as the luminaries, the down lights were approved by the historic commission.
54-watt GE T5 HO luminaires light up the front corners of the building and supplement the 70-watt CMH luminaires for the limestone pilasters. The largest façades of the building on the east and west are comprised of a series of pilasters with sloping back rooflines.
The composition around the building base is connected by a continuous fluorescent 54-watt T5 HO wall wash luminaire between pilasters. The middle level of the pilasters is lighted with asymmetric luminaires with 70-watt CMH lamps while the top and bottom levels are lighted up with 39-watt CMH lamps.
The Romeo and Juliet balconies at each of the four main fire exits are lit by two 70-watt CMH in-grade floodlights and a single 54-watt T5 HO 3000 K up-washer highlighting the balcony and brick wall. The lighting reveals brick pattern not evident by daylight.
The design also includes site poles that provide all plaza, street and walkway lighting for the building’s block. Luminaires are fully shielded and employ 150-watt CMH lamps.
Listed on the National Historic Register, and a home of concerts, inaugurals, commencements and other civic events for 80 years, excavating the grounds of the auditorium to repair its foundation walls provided an opportunity to improve site and building lighting.
