LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
Issue link: https://landscapearchitect.epubxp.com/i/807417
The South Bend River Lights installation is an interactive display of light over the St. Joseph River. The lighting system detects motion, which prompts the lights to change colors or alter their patterns. When people are present at either side of the river the towers light up and colored light floods across the spillway. As a permanent installation, the display is programmed to activate every afternoon 30 minutes before sunset and continue until sunrise, however, the interactive feature stops at midnight. The lighting is programmed to cease interactivity at 15 minutes before the top of each hour, at which time only white light illuminates the river. When the hour strikes, the current time flashes and the color sequences begin again. The design also allows for other color- themed lighting to correspond with holidays and special events. Architectural lighting fixtures were installed to illuminate the underside of the Jefferson Boulevard Bridge, which was built in 1905 and is one of the oldest bridges in the area. The design accentuates the bridge's many beautiful architectural details, including the long arches that sweep across the river and support it. The interactive lighting display is made up of five components: The Jefferson Street Bridge, the Mark de Suvero abstract sculpture "Keepers of the Fire"; the downstream crescent that lights up the cascades, the trio sculpture on Century City Island and the Forest Towers directly across the river at Seitz Park. This ambitious project comprises nine light sculptures: eight interactive towers and a ninth that provides illumination for the river's 250'-wide white water cascades. A 500' bridge provides a dramatic architectural backdrop, with additional lighting under its arches to add a layer of reflected light off the water. The site, which opened on May 22, 2015, has become an exciting new destination for city residents and visitors. Trio Trio, the first of the light sculptures, comprises three freestanding custom TOMCAT trussed aluminium light towers of 22', 27' and 32'. These towers are on the river's west bank and illuminated by a series of DMX-controlled LED 'Lumenbeam' light color- changing fixtures from Lumenpulse in various wattages and beam angles: 33 at 60 watts (large 26° RGBs), three at 28 watts (medium 60° RGBs), two at 140 watts (6° RGBs) and one 140- watt color changing 6° 3,000K unit. The LED fixtures point up and down every 5 feet along the brushed aluminum towers, which are very responsive to the lights. This light display, located in Island Park near the South Bend Century Center, was carefully placed to provide optimal lighting of the river and sculpture and to provide for pedestrian interaction. 38 Landscape Architect and Specifier News Above: The trio of freestanding custom TOMCAT trussed aluminium light towers stand on the southeast corner of the Island Park Century. The island, lying between the spillway and the west race, connects via a walkway to the Century (Convention) Center on the west bank of the river. The towers stand 22, 27 and 32 feet tall. They're illuminated by DMX-controlled LED 'Lumenpulse' fixtures: 33 60-watt 'Lumenbeam' large 26° RGBs; 3 28-watt Lumenbeam medium 60° RGBs, two 140-watt Lumenbeam LBX color changing 6° RGBs, and one 140-watt LBX color changing 6° 3,000K unit. 'Pharos' controllers with custom iPhone remote control apps handle the lighting program. PHOTO: MATT CASHORE