Columbia center - seattle, USA - 2015
Role: Architectural Designer at ESI Design
Client: Beacon Capital Partners
Scope: Visual Re-branding, External Building Lighting, Interior Architectural Renovation Throughout, Signage & Wayfinding Throughout, and Construction Administration
Consultants: Tube Art Displays, IC Technologies, Full Flood
Details: Columbia Center is the tallest building in Seattle and with the new renovations it now stands out in the iconic Seattle skyline. Interventions by the team at ESI Design include new crown lighting, signage, and a series of three animated light sculptures in its lobby.
The new crown lighting on top of each of the three towers gives the property a new identity. The LEDs are programmed to celebrate local and national events as well as respond to real-time sporting events at Century Field. The lights chime on the hour to serve as a timepiece for the city, and a default color changes each month according to the seasons. Much like the Empire State Building in NYC, Columbia Center tweets out the colors of the day every morning.
The updated building monument features an LED strip that mimics the crown’s animations at street level. Inside the main lobby, three different light sculptures, or “Skylights,” change color and pattern based on local weather, the location of the sun, and wind movement. Nearby tablets show people how to interpret the sculpture’s color movement.
In the lobby and atrium, new media signage dynamically displays local events, building amenities, and fun facts about the Columbia Center.