Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company Flux Studio
Lead Designers Glenn Shrum, Laura Dillon
Other Designer's names Neighborhood Design Center
Client Blue Light Junction
Photo Credits Glenn Shrum, Merrell Hambleton, Flux Studio
Completion Date 6/5/2024
Project Location Baltimore, MD, USA
Entry DescriptionThis dynamic arrangement of blue, pink, and amber lights transforms the brick facade of a natural dye art studio and educational facility in Baltimore’s Station North Arts District, enlivening the adjacent pedestrian alleyways and turning them into inviting community spaces.
At the start of the project, our interdisciplinary team and community engagement partner led a co-design workshop to engage the studio director, building owner, and neighbors in reimagining the building's nighttime presence. Participants used colored pencils to sketch onto drawings of the studio facade, inspiring the final design: surface-mounted modular lighting elements arranged to evoke blue flowers from the studio's dye garden, referencing both the plant source of natural dye as well as Station North’s vibrant mural culture.
The design's resemblance to neon signage inspired an evolution in our approach to the lighting specifications. To streamline installation and maintain cost efficiency, we pivoted from conventional surface-mounted linear fixtures to an LED signage system. Custom mounting details we developed with the signage manufacturer accommodate various surface conditions and allowed us to incorporate surface-mounted conduit and other electrical equipment into the artwork composition.
Sustainability ApproachThis installation exemplifies our commitment to social sustainability in lighting design. It serves as a demonstration project for a 2021 placemaking initiative that reimagines Station North’s public space lighting to address historical inequities and empower communities to shape their nighttime surroundings. The initiative’s framework supports diverse lighting interventions that promote community agency while ensuring cohesion across the district. An interpretive plaque documents the project context and community engagement process, encouraging other property owners to envision similar projects throughout the neighborhood. Our guided tour of the installation during 2024 Placemaking Week highlighted the power of artful lighting interventions to embody community values and demonstrate the potential of participatory design processes.
