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THREE, TWO, ONE... LIFT OFF Focus Lighting is currently developing an architectural lighting design for the California Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Los Angeles. The project’s centrepiece is the iconic Space Shuttle Endeavour, which was awarded to the California Science Center Foundation by NASA in 2011. Endeavour will be displayed vertically, mounted to an external tank (which held propellants for the three main engines) and two solid rocket boosters, in a configuration referred to as the shuttle stack. It will tower over visitors at 185ft. The lighting design process began with an
in-depth study of the primary viewpoints from which Endeavour will be viewed. The team focused on the first view a guest will get of Endeavour, aiming to make the shuttle’s first impression a powerful one. Focus Lighting next built a detailed physical scale model of Endeavour and set it up in their light lab. The team experimented with multiple lighting angles and techniques to determine the best way to light the shuttle stack. After analysing many iterations, it was decided to light the Endeavour much like a photographer might use light in a portrait studio. The lighting design includes a
combination of high intensity key lights and contrasting fill lights to reveal Endeavour’s curves, texture and form. The lighting will let visitors appreciate Endeavour’s overall scale and grandeur while also allowing them to see the details of her intricate machinery and textures. Ultimately the design team’s goal is to leave visitors with a lasting impression of the complexity, strength, and beauty of one of the most iconic artifacts in the history of human space exploration. www.focuslighting.com