Open Invitation Concealed sources showcase original architecture through new glass walls at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa - Lightemotion
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NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE
Open
Invitation
Concealed sources showcase original A glazed curtain-
wall enclosing the new
architecture through new glass walls at
entry is more inviting than
the National Arts Centre in Ottawa the building’s original
reinforced concrete.
BY SAMANTHA SCHWIRCK
L
ocals who ordinarily stroll right by the National
Arts Centre (NAC) in downtown Ottawa might
now catch themselves doing a double take.
To be clear, the concrete, Brutalist-style “fortress for
the arts,” built in 1967 to commemorate Canada’s
Centennial, has not been demolished or replaced. In-
stead, a $110-million overhaul of the building, led by
Toronto-based Diamond Schmitt Architects and fin-
ished in July 2017, has completely transformed the 1
million-sq ft performing-arts hub. While many of the
structure’s original architectural motifs have been re-
tained, the new NAC is fully “open” to the public, with
glass windows and walls exposing warm, wooden in-
Photos: Younes Bounhar
teriors that invite users inside.
Of the NAC’s renovation goals, establishing this
sense of transparency to connect the building with
the city and its residents was at the top of the list—and
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NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE
the project in 2015. “The NAC is like the Lincoln Visible sources
including LED
Center of Canada, and the theater remained
downlights were
open through the renovation,” he adds—yet an- used to make
other challenge for the design team. amenities like the box
An even greater obstacle, Roupinian says, was office stand out.
integrating the fixtures into the architecture, and
then making the system dynamic. “For me, what
had to stand out was the architecture, and it was
really important not to upstage that, so every-
thing we used needed to be tucked away. It all
had to be subtle and we avoided anything too
different,” Roupinian explains. “We were chal-
The ceiling is lighting played an integral role in its execution. is available. There’s a coffee shop and rehearsal concrete construction in favor of a 28,300-sq ft lenged to find a way to push the boundaries of
similar to a Lite-Brite Following a bidding process, the client selected glazed curtain-wall system enclosing former ter-
halls; choirs practice in the lobby. The goal was lighting elements as part of structures. How
toy: each triangle’s
central dot looks like
François Roupinian of Lightemotion, Montreal, really to open the space to the public, make it race areas. would we integrate lighting into gypsum ceilings
a light source, but to oversee the project’s lighting plan, perhaps in more usable, and create a memorable experi- Inside the transparent walls is another hom- or incorporate fixtures into the triangle structure
illumination actually part because of the firm’s design philosophy. “We ence in every way, shape and form for the users.” age to geometry: hexagonal prefabricated wood to make it a seamless space?”
comes from laser-blade
have a very artistic approach,” Roupinian explains. coffers cover the ceiling, functioning as both
LEDs concealed
between panels. “Lighting for me is going beyond quality and be- GEOMETRIC ROOTS acoustic panels and structural support. While LASER IMPACT
yond beautifying the space. It’s a sensory experi- While improved performance and event spaces the curtain-wall system helped with one part of For the beehive-like ceiling that extends
ence—how do we feel? How do we design for the were included in the renovation, the enhanced the lighting mandate—to introduce daylight into through new front-of-house spaces—past the en-
users? I think the client-centric sensory approach curbside appeal comes from a new marquee the design—the challenge of illuminating the rest try and atrium to lobbies and other multipurpose
for the users was very important for the NAC.” tower designed as an extension of the structure’s of the interior spaces, including the intricate ceil- areas—laser-blade LED fixtures (iGuzzini) were
“The center is also open morning to night,” original geometric qualities, based on triangular ing structure, remained. concealed between each of the triangle struc-
Roupinian says. “It’s a public space, not just a and hexagonal shapes. Marking the building’s new “It was a very big undertaking in a very short tures that make up the hexagons. The fixtures
theater or a lobby. Show or no show, the space entry, the addition eschews the old reinforced- time,” says Roupinian, who began working on include a laser-blade LED chip, located behind a
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NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE
Double in the ceilings. The angle of the belly-button tricks
does as well. “The worst thing is to have a differ-
Feature ent approach—a square fixture, a round fixture—
throughout,” Roupinian says. “This is meant to
Illumination of the Kipnes Lan-
be timeless and simple, and it was a very intricate
tern, a hexagonal tower rising dra-
and tough process to achieve that—to have the
matically above the National Arts Linear LEDs marking
same approach through the gypsum ceiling, the
an entry vestibule
Centre’s new front entrance, was high ceiling, the surface mount … an approach disappear once guests
another significant factor in the that is sustainable and deployed throughout.” pass through the door.
building’s rejuvenation. The glass
tower incorporates transpar- FLEXIBLE CONTROL
ent LED screens that display still The theater is equipped with an ETC system
images and dynamic video con- that is connected to the DMX system used in pub-
tent. Montreal-based multime- lic spaces. “It’s very versatile,” Roupinian says.
“Everything is able to move and change, and there
dia studio Moment Factory was
Works by award-winning Michif (Métis) are touch pads in each room as well as a general
Photo: Trevor Lush
visual artist Christi Belcourt appeared responsible for the lantern’s light
control.” The light levels adhere to IES recom-
on the lantern to celebrate National programming and ClearLED, Van-
Indigenous Peoples Day. mendations, but vary throughout the day. “In the
couver, provided the LED screens
daytime it’s very bright, then around 5 p.m. the
for the design. Installed on four sides of the tower, the screens create a levels go down,” Roupinian says. “They go back
grid of LEDs that is unnoticeable when not in use, so as not to deter from up around 7:30 p.m. before a show, then down
views into the building. When the screens are on, the lantern becomes again at intermission for intimacy, then back up
a high-definition display surface, highlighting upcoming productions at Illumination flowing out of the crevices creates VISIBILITY GAMES once more after the show.” The range and flex-
the NAC, as well as images of Canada’s leading artists and productions. an overall glow, as well as patterns and movement The laser-blade fixtures were also used as con- ibility is typical for Lightemotion projects. “Even
based on daylight through the walls, and the fix- cealed sources in areas beyond the entry. Sur- if it’s a shopping mall, we never have a single light
tures can be controlled or dimmed via a DMX sys- rounding the box office, for example, the fixtures level. I always specify a control system that can
Samantha Schwirck
tem. “All of the fixtures are individually address- are tucked between acoustic triangular ceiling vary,” Roupinian says. “Spaces are used by differ-
able to create a dynamic canvas with very slow panels. “You can’t see the source or light, but the ent users and the users are always changing. It’s
reflector as well as a glossy black bezel. “There’s waves of light movement that evolve during the floor is illuminated,” Roupinian explains. our job to cater to that.”
full cutoff so you never see the light source unless day and change on different days during the week,” Recessed LED downlights light the box office FAST FACTS
you’re underneath it,” Roupinian says. Roupinian says. “It’s like a living organism.” itself, offering one example of how the designers • Concealed
THE DESIGNER
lighting ensures
Each triangle also has a small, indirect “light” in “The ceiling really united the entire project,” used “visible” light to make a statement and, in François Roupinian, IALD,
architecture
the center—a lens-like structure without any light he continues. “It’s a great environment inside, this case, make an amenity stand out. Lightemo- Member IES (2012), is presi-
remains the
dent and director of design at
source. “The dots are the ‘belly buttons’ or ‘tricks,’” but also creates an exterior lantern effect. The tion also played with the concept of visible light in focal point.
Lightemotion, a firm with offices in
Roupinian says. “They give the impression it’s the NAC promotes all these activities under one roof entry vestibules illuminated by linear LEDs (Delta Montreal and Toronto. Roupinian • All sources are
light source when it’s not—the light sources are and the ceiling conveys that idea from the out- Light). “When you come in, you see the light with a has overseen more than 60 proj- 3000K.
ects across five continents in the culture, trade retail, • Triangles used
hidden in the black parts of the floating triangle, side—like a beehive of creation that encloses all frosted lens, but when you cross the next door, the
institutional, commercial and hospitality sectors. for the ceiling
like a Lite-Brite [toy].” Lightemotion worked with of the activities.” sources cannot be seen anymore,” Roupinian says.
look like wood
both the architect and the NAC to perform mock- Aside from the laser-blade LEDs, there is only While the number of fixture types used through- but are made
ups and testing for the ceiling effect. “If the light- one other fixture type (Lumenpulse Lumenfa- out the NAC was limited, the team’s attention to of perforated
ing was too high, it’d create scallops on the walls. If çade) used in the new atrium, to graze a row of detail was not. The angle of the downlights, for veneer.
it was too low, we’d see the light source.” concrete columns and create a barrier of light. example, follows the same sight line as the lines
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