Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company L'Observatoire International
Lead Designers Hervé Descottes
Other Designer's names Carlos Garcia, Ellisrael Daing, Jenny Ivansson, Esteban Varas, Sai Lyu
Architecture Company Snøhetta
Client Blanton Museum of Art
Photo Credits Casey Dunn / Courtesy of Blanton Museum of Art / L'Observatoire International
Completion Date 2023
Project Location Austin
Entry DescriptionThe Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas in Austin underwent a comprehensive redesign to unify and revitalize the museum campus. The goal was to create a new cultural nexus where Austin’s civic center meets the University of Texas campus.
The lighting design plays a crucial role in enhancing the museum's atmosphere and functionality. Warm tones and relatively bright pathways create a welcoming ambiance, while lighting integrated into the infrastructure reduces visual clutter. Low-level lighting fosters a sense of intimacy, encouraging visitors to appreciate the surroundings. Concealed lighting within trees and foot rail lighting illuminate paths where light levels are low, providing both safety and aesthetics. The lighting design incorporates three layers of light. The primary core layer consists of indirect or diffuse lighting integrated into the architecture and millwork to wash surfaces and textures. The secondary accent layer highlights architectural features, while the third layer adds unique spatial character and serves as a design element to create focal points. Illuminating petals at the site entry provides high levels of ambient light, signaling the entrance and enhancing the overall aesthetic. The arcades feature bright, glowing entries that define the edge of the plaza. Pendants and glowing ceilings within the arcades provide an inner glow.
