CHICAGO – This year the seasonal light display won’t be taken down and discarded, as in years past. The Chicago Loop Alliance partnered with Traxon & e:cue to add permanent lights that could be reprogrammed for new festive looks for all holidays and special occasions throughout the next five years. The display also syncs to music and announcements. The permanent lighting accents are called “Lightscape.”
More details from Traxon & e:cue (http://www.traxon-usa.com):
CHICAGO – Each year, the Chicago Loop Alliance adorns the city’s historic Loop district with glittering holiday lights. This year, the group partnered with Traxon & e:cue and its partners to add permanent, festive lighting accents, referred to as “Lightscape,” allowing Chicago’s commercial and cultural center to sparkle year-round.
Through its promises flexibility, simplicity, and innovation, Traxon & e:cue was able to provide the solution to realize Chicago Loop Alliance’s vision for a permanent lighting display with dynamic capabilities. In response to the creative concept developed by Marty Peck of Creative Lighting Design & Engineering, Traxon customized its Spot XB RGB fixture to fit into artful, fiberglass reed fixtures designed by Comptec.
Winona Lighting crafted a custom head assembly, including sandblasted acrylic tops fitted specifically to the reeds, which were mounted onto custom enclosures and placed in planters lining a major pedestrian thoroughfare. About 660 reeds are controlled by e:cue’s Butler XT control engine and linked via a closed circuit wireless management system, a total integration made possible with the assistance of Designlab Chicago. e:cue’s intelligent control system runs and replays music and audio announcements synced with lighting shows triggered every half hour. To further its flexibility and simplicity, the entire installation was integrated into an existing LED installation on a Chicago Transit Authority bridge spanning the street, facilitating a seamless visual experience. The unique “Lightscape” installation light and sound displays will be programmed to change with every season, offering visitors a new and festive experience with each trip to the district.
Traxon & e:cue’s innovative solution benefits Chicago’s State Street far beyond its aesthetic quality. In previous years, a holiday lighting scheme was installed, uninstalled and discarded each year. The new LED solution is not only low emission and energy efficient, it will remain installed for five years and will provide intriguing ambiance during every season, thus saving money and significantly reducing waste. Traxon’s fixtures paired with e:cue’s control will allow the system to change its look completely by simply programming new effects.
