The beloved Lorain Lighthouse, a 108-year-old beacon perched on a manmade island in Lake Erie, has been brilliantly reborn with a cutting-edge lighting upgrade that beautifully merges preservation with innovation. Through the combined efforts of the Lorain Lighthouse Foundation, ETC, CLI, Vincent Lighting Systems (VLS), and South Shore Electric, this National Historic Landmark now shines in vibrant, color-changing brilliance—visible from shore and beyond.
The goal of the project was to modernize the lighthouse’s legacy metal halide lighting with a contemporary, remotely controllable, energy efficient RGBW LED lighting system. Given the lighthouse’s seasonal inaccessibility and boat-only access, remote operation and durability were non-negotiable design requirements. TMB’s Solaris Urban Lux™ fixtures were selected as the ideal solution: a robust, high-performance architectural lighting system engineered specifically for demanding environments.
Solaris Urban Lux represents a new standard in architectural lighting, combining high-performance output with rugged reliability. Designed to provide unparalleled quality of illumination while surviving harsh environments and challenging installations, these fixtures are ideal for both landmark restorations and contemporary structures. Their compact form factor and exceptional optical control make them versatile across a range of applications, from coastal monuments to metropolitan façades. With peerless energy efficiency, advanced color rendering and future-proof integration at its core, the Urban Lux family offers a durable, visually striking solution that delivers lasting value in every setting.
Balancing the integrity of the original structure with forward-thinking technology, the project’s design intent emphasized saturated, even, illumination across all four sides of the lighthouse. The Solaris Urban Lux fixtures delivered just that, with crisp whites and deeply saturated colors enhancing the lighthouse’s bold lines and stately profile—especially stunning against Lake Erie’s shifting skies. The fixtures were chosen not only for their outstanding optics and quality of light, but also for their extreme-weather-resistant design. Salt air, high winds, freezing temperatures, and daily freeze-thaw cycles present no challenge for these compact, IP67-rated luminaires. The installation made use of existing cabling, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing cost-efficiency, while highlighting the flexibility and integrative design of the Urban Lux solution.
At the heart of the installation is Solaris Urban Lux’s exclusive DoP (Data over Power) technology, which combines power and data transmission through a single cable. This proprietary solution dramatically reduced the need for new infrastructure, simplifying the installation and ensuring seamless communication and synchronization between fixtures. Lighting control is handled through a sophisticated, custom remote control system, allowing precise management of brightness, color, color temperature, and scheduling. Throughout the year, with this flexibility, Lorain’s most iconic landmark remains as visually impactful at night as it is historically significant by day.
Mayor Jack Bradley was among the first to celebrate the upgrade, proudly sharing photos of the lighthouse’s vibrant new look with the community. His enthusiastic response reflected the pride Lorain feels in both preserving and modernizing this treasured symbol of the city’s heritage.
Key project partners included Vincent Lighting Systems (VLS), who handled system integration and fixture customization; CLI, serving as the manufacturer’s representative for lighting and rigging; and South Shore Electric, the installation contractor.
The lighting system includes two Solaris UrbanColor 1X4 fixtures with 9° optics and eight Solaris UrbanColor 2X5 fixtures, also 9°, all in the standard grey finish and custom mounted by VLS. The installation also features matching filter frames and 80°x80° diffusers. Power and data are provided through a DIN-Rail mounted Solaris UrbanLux DoP Injector. A custom control system, comprising ETC’s Mosaic lighting platform integrated with the VLS Co-Pilot cloud-based system allows complete remote fixture management.
This initiative stands as a beacon not only for Lake Erie boaters but for any city or organization seeking to elevate historic landmarks through modern technology. Thanks to Solaris Urban Lux, the Lorain Lighthouse can now tell its century-old story in vivid, contemporary color—lighting the way forward for generations to come.
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