Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company Visual Terrain, Inc.
Lead Designers Christina Martin
Other Designer's names Lisa Passamonte Green, Jonathan Lebovic, Steeve Vajk, and Mallory Paddock
Architecture Company Simpson Coulter Studio
Interior Design Company Hunt Design
Client Hunt Design
Photo Credits David Green
Other Credits System Integration - Bandit Lites: Chris Barbee, Jeremy Sinicki, and Caleb Werkmeister
Completion Date 6/1/2023
Project Location St. George, Utah
Entry DescriptionThe Visitor Center was designed to be an immersive, family-friendly experience celebrating southwest Utah’s natural beauty.
The lighting design celebrates nature, enhances floor-to-ceiling graphic wall displays and an interactive map, accents scenic elements, and illuminates live animal displays.
Designed in two layers: 1) Functional lighting illuminates educational text and graphics for legibility. 2) The beauty of nature shown in graphics and beautiful scenic rock work elements is highlighted at four simulated times of day, seamlessly transitioning every fifteen minutes: Dawn, Midday, Sunset, and Night. DMX-control allows discrete control of each fixture to craft precise color and tone for each moment of the cycle.
Rockwork elements include a slot canyon experience and animal habitats within the space. Faux trees highlighted by “natural” light complete the immersion. Each detail is carefully illuminated to evoke Utah’s grand landscapes, in a truly mesmerizing environment.
Video projected onto an interactive map showcases the area’s state parks, with lighting curated to enhance the map’s topography when projections are not in use.
The Visitor Center lighting design is not just about illumination—it’s about storytelling. From dawn to dusk, each lighting element is crafted to captivate and inspire, inviting guests to explore southwest Utah’s wonders in a whole new light.
