Cemeteries are usually a place you want to avoid in the dark, not gravitate towardBy Paul Tarricone
LD+A has been having some fun on social media and in the August issue with our “Firsts and Favorites” series, where designers reminisce about their first or favorite project, be it a hotel in Montreal or a streetscape in Italy.
This issue offers another first. In my time as editor, we have covered the full gamut of applications from A to Z— from airports to zoos and everything between. But to the best of my knowledge, we have never featured a cemetery. That makes sense. Cemeteries usually aren’t known for best-in-class lighting (or any lighting), and as any horror-film enthusiast knows, they’re typically a place you want to avoid in the dark, not gravitate toward. Until now.
Our feature on the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia aims to change that pop-culture perception, while adding a new project type to our landscape lighting coverage. The Lighting Practice took home an IES Philadelphia Section Illumination Award for its master plan that created a dynamic nighttime identity for the cemetery and arboretum by spotlighting select mausoleums and their accompanying trees. The LEDs provide warm-white light for a respectful soft glow and turn off every evening to preserve normal day/night cycles and minimize disturbances to the natural habitat and wildlife. There are even tours and seasonal events, complemented by color-changing lighting effects.
So run, don’t walk, to check out this unofficial LD+A first.