Prize(s) Winners in Heritage Lighting Design
Lighting Design/Product Company Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design
Lead Designers Francesca Bettridge
Other Designer's names Nicole Kim, Clara Samudio
Architecture Company Apicella + Bunton Architects
Client Yale University
Photo Credits ©Frederick Charles
Other Credits Fixture renderings by Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design
Completion Date 4/15/2024
Project Location New Haven, CT
Entry DescriptionThe renovation of Yale’s beloved study space, the Linonia & Brothers Reading Room, thoughtfully blends sustainability with historic preservation. While its historic character was cherished, there was a need to resolve the short lamp life, excessive glare from the original fixtures, limited task lights, and high contrast due to daylight through tall windows.
Original pendants were carefully restored and retrofitted with 2700K LEDs. Concealed wide-beam uplights now gently illuminate the ornate Gothic ceiling, previously lost in shadow, creating the impression that all light comes from the diffuse glass. Custom-designed table and floor lamps, wall sconces, and LED picture lights create layered ambient lighting. All controlled by a new preset dimming system.
Along the mezzanine, a continuous line of linear LED uplights integrated into the floor’s interior edge, softly highlight the tall Gothic windows.
Each alcove features an arched barrel-vault ceiling with refurbished pendant LED disk uplight and retrofit LED lamps for glow, balanced with translucent table lamps all providing the room illumination.
Through careful restoration, sensitive retrofitting, and discreet integration of modern LED technology, the addition of table and floor lamps, the L&B Reading Room lighting design preserves the historic character while delivering flexible, energy-efficient, innovative illumination.
Company DescriptionCline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design (CBB) is dedicated to enhancing the grace, utility, and comfort of architectural spaces with light. The 17-person firm is certified as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) - locally by NY State and NY City, and nation-wide by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
CBB provides architectural lighting design services for buildings and sites of every type, size, and architectural style. This portfolio encompasses celebrated sites around the world.
