Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company Creative Designs in Lighting
Lead Designers Creative Designs in Lighting
Other Designer's names N/A
Architecture Company PHX Architecture
Interior Design Company N/A
Client The Heard Museum Store
Photo Credits Mark Greenawalt, Creative Designs in Lighting
Other Credits N/A
Completion Date 2024
Project Location Phoenix, AZ
Entry DescriptionThe Heard Museum in Phoenix Arizona has celebrated Native American art and culture since 1929. As part of a two-year, $4 million renovation, the museum reimagined its retail store as a true extension of the galleries. Its refined environment features jewelry, pottery, basketry, paintings, sculpture, Katsina dolls, and weavings all displayed with the same care as the museum’s permanent collections.
The Museum Store’s barrel-vaulted ceilings posed a significant design challenge. Traditional round downlights could not integrate cleanly into the architecture, and the store required museum-quality lighting that would:
· Blend seamlessly with the architectural forms.
· Provide flexibility for frequently changing merchandise and displays.
· Provide the highest CRI to bring out the vibrant colors of the artwork.
· Eliminate glare and highlight artifacts in their best light.
The chosen fixture’s low profile, recessed downlights solved what traditional downlights could not, discreetly integrating into the vaulted ceiling while delivering powerful, controlled illumination. The joystick adjustability gave museum staff the ability to easily re-aim fixtures as exhibits and merchandise changed, without tools or complex commissioning.
Sustainability ApproachThis project was designed with sustainability at its core, balancing energy efficiency with the high visual demands of a museum-quality retail space. By selecting advanced, low-profile LED fixtures, the design minimized energy consumption while providing exceptional color rendering and glare control. The recessed, adjustable system not only reduced the need for frequent fixture replacement but also allowed for long-term adaptability as merchandise and displays evolve, extending the lifecycle of the lighting investment. Integrated controls and efficient optics further reduce unnecessary energy use, ensuring the lighting solution enhances both the visitor experience and the project’s overall environmental performance.
