With the ever-evolving influence of the digital world, the Spokane Central Library in WA read the room and underwent a significant makeover to become a different kind of community gathering space. The revamp uses the circular form as a guiding design element in areas such as meeting rooms, event spaces, media studios, a business lab, children’s play area and a café. Lighting design circles back to round forms and utilizes dots, globes and many fixtures by Eurkea to evoke an exciting new take on a reading room. “In revisiting the whole idea of a library, the city was looking for less of the ‘shhh’ and more of an active space,” says Christina E. Raschko, senior lighting designer at design firm in charge of renovations, Escent Lighting Design.
To comply with Washington State’s strict energy code, luminaires feature dimming capability and are managed with Acuity Brands’ nLight networked lighting controls platform. Library staff can adapt lighting environments for specific events, improve occupancy comfort and reduce energy costs.
Arena-Ring pendants bisected with Arena-Slice Round luminaires provide ambient illumination in the café and direct light down to high-top tables.
The River Rumpus Children’s Playspace offers climbable furniture and bright graphics to appeal to little ones. Pendants are suspended on short aircraft cables, providing a contrast against the pale green drop ceiling. To mimic cloud puffs, 12- and 16-in. round globes are interspersed with the rings.
Though all pendants are suspended at the same height, the ceiling’s varying geometry, created by acoustic tiles, dropped panels and substrates, create the illusion that the illuminated spheres are staggered.
Photos: Grand Showing Photography.