Palisades Village
A lot of people say to us “Lighting is the most important thing. It can make or break the project.” Of course, we agree, but it’s the client, and the client’s vision that drives the project. And this collaboration is what makes or breaks the project.
One of the best parts about working on Palisade’s Village was working with our client Rick Caruso. His passion for design is clear in the unique experiences of his “Main Street” shopping areas and in his personal interests, like his incredible car collection.
In the face of declining brick and mortar retail Rick Caruso is building some of the most high-end retail properties in the country, and they are packed. When we were first introduced to the project, Rick stated he wanted Palisades Village to feel like Nantucket but to be deeply rooted in California. The heart of the project is a classic art deco movie theater he reconstructed, which included real neon (we LOVE neon). The rest of the project is designed to connect areas of the existing neighborhood. It wasn’t easy, and there was resistance by the community. But the team focused intently on Ricks vision of an inviting retail center that feels more like the downtown to the rest of the community and blends seamlessly within the existing architectural and textural vernacular.
Every detail of the lighting was scrutinized. The type of glass on the decorative lamps to the finials on fixtures. Glare, color temperature and mounting heights were considered so that the lighting felt integral and like it had always been there. Every light pole was custom made. Retrofit LED lamps in the style of a heritage incandescent were used in the posts where visible while hidden LED boards inside the fixtures provide the real light output. Most fixtures were modified in some way to be more natural looking. Every sconce on the store fronts is different so they look more personalized as if the shopkeepers bought them. Some were chosen to bring out the textures of the brick facades while others create pools of light on pathways. There are a few gas lamps in the mix too.
Surrounding streets are darker, less activated to blend in with the surrounding residential areas. As the streets and pathways lead to the center of the district, towards the movie theater, the light levels increase with more streetlights, façade up lighting, and additional decorative wall mount fixtures. As the light increases, the activity does as well. It was truly a passionate project in which everyone was invested in every aspect of the lighting, especially the client.
Caruso, Elkus Manfredi Architects and Gensler
Location, Pacific Palisades, California
All images used with permission from Caruso
