Huntington Library Garden Dome

Lead Designers Dawn Hollingsworth, Dave Young

Entry Description

The Garden Dome at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens was designed as the central feature of the new Education and Visitor Center. Realized as an open, exterior gathering space particular attention was given to illuminating the space with a low level of indirect light to maintain a balance within the site. As the structure is a glass dome, the designers knew they could rely on some bounce light from the glass but wanted to feature the structure itself.

The location of the structural uplighting was carefully planned to avoid conflicts with large scale fans used for cooling. Sconces were also used to provide another layer of light and a human scale to the space.

Light levels were also balanced with adjacent interior and exterior spaces to insure the visitor perceives a consistent experience throughout the entire project. The illumination of the donor wall can also be seen. The owner was worried the space would be too bright, but was very pleased with the final result.