Beneath the Surface Blog

This week, we are looking at this extraordinary application of ceramic tiles in exterior design. Ceramic tile possesses a high durability and is easy to maintain. It is commonly used for wall, floor, and roof covering. Modern manufacturing techniques have made it possible for this ancient material to be produced in various colors, shapes, and sizes, allowing architects and designers to create both artistic and functional décor pieces.

The exterior of this elegant-looking music hall by Spanish architect Cor & Asociados in a village near Alicante, Spain is comprised of pearly porcelain tiles. Slightly different from stoneware tiles, which are the classical ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles have more breaking and wearing resistance. To achieve this iridescent effect, each plate went through the process of firing (three times), vitrifying, and metals disposition.

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Unlike many projects GPI Design creates where our clients desire an evenly illuminated surface with artificial lighting, the exterior of this music hall interacts with perspective and natural light. If you look closely, you’ll realize that the ceramic tiles are perfectly flat even though they appear to be dimensional and ceramic tiles with dimension have been an important feature of Spanish design. The constant change in its light reflection creates a vibrant movement and enables the building to appear less massive in a subtle way.

Image Credits: Dezeen

For the National Cancer Institute project which we’ve been working on for months, GPI had the pleasure of presenting our mock-up of the very unique backlit wood system last week in Washington, D.C.

Above: Initial project rendering by HOK

Over three years ago, Bill Hellmuth of HOK envisioned these unique backlit feature walls to bring light and texture to the long lobby hallways at the main entrance to the National Cancer Institute.  To translate the initial rendering of the backlit wood lobby feature walls to the photographs of the mock-up taken just last week, there have been countless hours of coordination between the surface, structure, and lighting elements. Our team has become quite captivated with the project.

Above: Mock-up photograph by GPI Design

The surface was the driving element in the conceptual design of the wall.  GPI Design sourced an exotic Redwood burl (yielding large panels), sliced the wood to under half of a millimeter and laminated between glass.  The seamless LED backlighting environment keeps the wood surface as the primary visual focus, pouring through the translucent wood material in an unexpected pairing of the newly redefined material with backlighting illumination.  Next came the custom structural hardware components engineered to hold the wood and lighting systems safely and in a complementary relationship.  The majority of this testing and detailing has occurred internally, communicating with the project team in D.C. via shop drawings and conference calls, so there was much anticipation built up over the unveiling of these illuminated wood panels.

Above: Mock-up installation progress

The GPI Design crew spent a full day assembling four of the wall panels to demonstrate our system (over 250 panels will be installed in the final project).  The mock-up was designed so that pins, joints, lighting controls, and accent lighting were all crafted to represent their appearance in the final installation. As the project team (owner, architect, lighting designer, general contractor) in D.C. arrived to the mock-up the next morning, sentiments of quiet contentment and satisfaction were in the air - a successful review with great dialogue generated.

Above: Mock-up review meeting

It’s creative surfaces and great project teams like these that make us fall in love with our job all over again.

THANK YOU to: HOK, MCLA, James G. Davis Construction Corporation, TSI Architectural Metals, Cleveland Marble, and The JBG Companies

The backlit escalator wall installation at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco is wrapping up smoothly.

Here's the project rendering again, described in our first blog post about this project:

Some photographs snapped from our cell phones in the field:

The clean lines and even illumination are the result of months of iterative detailing and expert installation.  A great project for our team to celebrate this weekend!

If you missed our first blog post about GPI technicians arriving on-site for this long awaited backlighting installation at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, check it out here (and take a peek at the project rendering).

After a labor-intensive weekend, the bottom and center rows of the custom-built 3Form Varia Ecoresin and wood slatted surface panels are now illuminated.

To ensure that the intense patterning of wood and light was not further disrupted by structural shadows and inconsistent lighting, the fastening system has been considered hand-in-hand with the backlighting system design from the earliest concept stage.

Blocking on the back of the 3Form/wood surface panels not only reinforces the eight foot panels, but also provides a channel to hold the Flat-Lite™ at the correct distance from the lens.  The combination of burying powered LED edges into the blocking and employing diffusing tapes ensures that hot spots are not visible from any viewing angle of the feature walls.

Notice the trapezoidal panel shapes along the bottom course of panels? With special attention to light collection in the acute corners,the LED light panels were custom designed with controls and filters to provide even illumination.

More photographs of the entire completed feature wall coming soon as this installation wraps up!

For the extensive renovation of the San Francisco Grand Hyatt in Union Square, the teams at Indidesign (interior design) and Revolver (lighting design) envisioned a custom panel and backlighting treatment to revive the wall surfaces at the main escalator.

Extending from the lower lobby to the main lobby, dark wood panels striated with thin lines of illuminated 3Form Varia Ecoresin clad the escalator walls. The custom-built backlit panels bring innovative light, interesting texture, and a unique pattern as viewers move throughout the levels of the hotel.

Above: Project rendering from Indidesign

The team here at GPI has worked on the project for over 6 months, coordinating closely with the millwork team at Acosta & Sons to merge our backlighting solutions with their custom wood and resin panels.  Flexibility has been key in the project, as field dimensions shift, so have our strategies, LED panel sizes, fastening devices, and methods of controlling and balancing the light. (Special thanks to Cliff at Acosta & Sons for hand-delivering the 3Form panels on a redeye from California to Ohio so we could test the lighting!)

The custom components (Flat-Lite™ LED panels, Infuse™ custom lighting controls, wiring, and diffuser panels) arrived to site on August 1. Shortly thereafter, GPI lighting technicians arrived on-site to assist with the time-sensitive installation.

Above: Photograph of the first day’s progress, east elevation center and bottom rows of LED panels installed.

We enjoy being on-site to finally witness these intense coordination efforts come to fruition. Stay tuned for more photos and updates as this project progresses - we’ll share more about the process of generating the LED panel design, how the custom wood /resin panels were created, and how shadows and hot spots were eliminated.

While the exterior of building has been criticized with terms that approximate “foreign spaceship”, the interior of the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London employs deep textures and artistic expression. From carpet inscribed with poetry verses to high-end artwork, understated luxury abounds. But what really take center stage in this interior are the illuminated feature walls at the main entry staircase.

Designed to augment the journey through the hotel entrance with a translucent boundary, Digital Space created these massively scaled backlit walls. Framing the main staircase, the walls sweep hotel visitors from the ground floor entrance up into the first level reception area. The woven plastic mesh panels with dimensional texture provide a tactile surface with just the right amount of transparency for the visual and lighting effects the designer envisioned. LED light fixtures graze the inner surface of the wall to illuminate the mesh, changing shades of color as the day progresses.

With the unique surface choice, even continuous backlighting, and controllable color schemes, the custom illuminated wall contributes a boutique feel to this large contemporary hotel. Can't wait to get our hands on a sample of the lovely mesh and have some fun with backlighting in our Design Lab...!

Image credits: Frame Mag

Bringing together fine art photographs of natural grasses, custom bent glass, and LED backlighting can be difficult – throw in a curved shape with a narrow lighting cavity and the stage was set for this example of custom integration at the lobby of Lancaster General Health Women and Babies Hospital.

Architects Noelker and Hull wanted to bring soothing natural elements to the entrance lobby of this hospital in Lancaster, PA. Artist Henry Domke’s fine art images were commissioned, and Skyline Design fabricated the prints onto bent glass panels. The designers knew they wanted to showcase these artistic glass panels with seamless backlighting.  

1. Design Intent

Rendering of initial design concept for the space

2. Surface

Skyline Design printed Henry Domke's specified image onto optically clear film, which was then applied to the back side of Skyline's bent glass panels.

3. Lighting

GPI analyzed the printed glass surface to calibrate the ideal diffusing method and lighting cavity.

Below left: glass in direct contact with LED panel, without diffusers

Below right: specialty diffuser between glass and LED panel plus small air cavity to increase light diffusion

4. Structure

Section detail showing the overall assembly - glass was run in channels on the floor and ceiling

5. Detailing

All wire exits were detailed in a staggered arrangement to avoid extensive gaps between panels.

6. The Result

Seamlessly illuminated dramatic glass feature wall

---> Here’s what we learned from working through this project. Keep these tips in mind when designing illuminated glass feature walls:

• Make sure that your glass supplier and lighting supplier maintain direct communication so that each company can calibrate their product based on the given set of parameters.
• Don’t skimp on physical mock-ups. Because flat LED panels emit varying brightness based on the panel sizes, each job must be analyzed individually in order to determine the ideal LED panel size, lighting cavity and proper diffusers.
• Seams between flat LED panels are the most susceptible area.  Hot spots can occur when two LED strings are placed back-to-back. Seams can also create shadows if wire exits create large gaps that push the panels apart.
• Printed glass can be highly translucent, with great risk of hot and cold spots appearing on the surface (regardless of what type of lighting you use). Check with your glass manufacturer to see if they can treat the back surface of the glass with texture or diffusion layers – or make sure your lighting manufacturer can provide the appropriate diffusing panels.

See the final project images >

Thank you to all those who visited the GPI Design/Marlite booth at Neocon 2010 in Chicago.  Aside from getting many project leads, it was truly rewarding to see the excitement and positive feedback from those who are just learning about us for the first time.  Some memorable quotes from our booth visitors:

"I've been walking around getting all these great creative ideas but not sure how to bring it all together. This is so great!"

"Is that stone real?!"

"Your stones are like using mother nature as art pieces."

"I'd like to use this on my next project, my client wants me to 'pimp his space'!"

"What a great idea! How did you invent this system?" To which we explained that we didn't stumble into this business overnight, we evolved from standard natural stone supply to exotic stone supply to complete integrated systems of surface, structure, and light.

And... the greatest finale was getting a hug and a knuckle pound from two very excited designers who were drawn into our booth just before we began disassembly!

If you missed the show or are back at your office needing inspiration, here is a photographic recap:

Thanks to all of our booth visitors for their positive energy and engaging conversations. See you next year!

Leather Wall Panels

Leather is no longer relegated to overstuffed couches in dimly lit, den-like spaces. With a luxurious aesthetic and sense of permanence, leather panels are moving into primary spaces as interior wall panels and flooring.

    
 (Above left: leather wall panels by Studioart, above right: from InteriorDesignTutor.net)

Qualities: luxurious, textured, tactile, sound absorbent

Appearance: uniform surface color in deep natural tones, optional geometric patterns, soft texture becomes more expressed as the leather ages

Found in: class A offices, high-end formal spaces

Design tip for stone: The deep natural tones found in leather and stone are complementary. To showcase the stone,  choose a leather that has a natural uniform surface and keep the leather panel sizes consistent. If leather is the main focal point, choose a stone with minimal veining and minimal color contrast.

Design tip for alternative surface: Backlit glass panels will lighten up the heavy aesthetic of leather panels while maintaining the sense of high-end luxury. Non-textured glass looks best with bold geometric leather panels.  Large expanses of backlit glass surfaces will relieve a busy pattern of small leather panels.

With Neocon 2010 fast approaching, your head is surely spinning with creative ideas and your desk will soon be filled with samples and swatches. How to bring them all together in a space? That’s the challenge.

GPI will be reviewing new innovative materials in the design world and giving ideas about how ato integrate these materials with our stone finishes. To kick off, we explore carved MDF panels. GPI will be investigating new interior material trends, so stayed tuned through the end of June. 

Carved MDF panels

    
(above images: Volta™ artistic dimensional panels courtesy of Marlite, Inc.)

Qualities: modern, creative, bold, fluid

Appearance: fluid lines, but in a more prominent and geometric pattern than found in stone.  Carvings and surface relief create pronounced shadows, while stone has a flat surface with the depth and layers being brought out when backlit. Carved MDF panels are often lit with grazers to highlight and shadow, while translucent stone and resin have the most pleasing aesthetic when evenly backlit.

Found in: lobbies, feature walls, reception desks, restaurants

Design tip for stone: Choose a more "modern" stone with uninterrupted surface. Distinct veins will compete with the sculptural MDF panels.  Keep both surfaces in the same color scheme or keep the stone to a neutral/white palette.

Design tip for alternative surface: Backlit resins are often well-suited for use adjacent to sculptural MDF panels.  The saturated color and uniform surface match the streamlined aesthetic, while the lightweight nature of resin allows for minimal structure, much like the MDF panels themselves.

Know of a product you’d like us to feature? Send material suggestions to info@gpidesign.com.