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Show and Tell–Accent Lighting

Show and Tell—Accent Lighting

Outdoor accent lighting showcases a building’s unique architectural features. Rather than explain how accent lighting works, this article will show you a few impressive accent lighting applications. Professional lighting designers and some of our Application Engineers created the plans for these applications and Ruud Lighting provided the fixtures.

Call Ruud Lighting Application Engineering (800) 236-7000 to find out how you can successfully complete an accent lighting project.

Kohl Center

The Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin is a multipurpose arena primarily used as home of the Wisconsin Badgers’ basketball and hockey teams. Pictured is the Kohl Center’s 87' outdoor pavilion. When the Kohl Center was built, there were concerns about lighting the pavilion. Had lights been installed on the ground, pedestrian traffic might have damaged or obstructed the fixtures. So building officials decided to illuminate the unique surface from above.

Ruud’s Rectangular Series Medium Parabolic floodlight was used to accomplish this task. The optical system, along with 175 watts of crisp metal halide light (10' fixture spacing and 5' setback) illuminates the wall, creating a view many students and fans have enjoyed for the past decade.

Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church

With its unique, saucer-like design, Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church is a beautiful landmark in Racine, Wisconsin. The church has an unconventional, contemporary design which includes extended roof beams representing a “crown of thorns.” The lower portion of the church exterior is dramatically illuminated using Parking/Roadway area lights with 400-watt metal halide lamps. This optical system provides narrow vertical and wide horizontal distribution. The landscaped grounds, walkways and entrances are illuminated with Ruud’s Prismatic Area Light with 100-watt metal halide lamps. The fixtures are a decorative, yet efficient choice for pathways and entryways. The church’s high steeple is lit with roof-mounted 16''sq. Parabolic Narrow Floodlights. The narrow beam distribution, with 250-watt metal halide lamp, provides a perfect accent for this tall structure.

St. Peter’s Basilica

After hundreds of years of use, the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy was recently restored. As part of the restoration project, the area was illuminated by 260 Ruud Lighting fixtures. Warm white light was needed to highlight chromatic contrasts, particularly the dome configurations. Designers chose a variety of Ruud floodlights with metal halide lamps (35 to 100 watts), and 250-watt wall packs to achieve this effect. The new lights accent the architectural details of the basilica beautifully, transforming it into a sparkling jewel in the Roman night sky.

Tevere Bridges

The historic Tevere Bridges in Rome, Italy are illuminated with fixtures installed on the docks. The lights are equipped with anti-glare shields to prevent glare from distracting drivers and pedestrians walking on the bridge sidewalks. Fixtures are also located in the lower interior of the arches. These fixtures throw light along the walls and enhance the curved image of the arches. Two Ruud lights were used to make this project possible: The W Optic Wallpack-Signlight and the FS Optic Standard Flood.

If you have an interesting or unusual project where you've installed Ruud Lighting products to solve a problem, let us know at e-luminations@ruudlighting.com. We may feature it in an upcoming issue of E-luminations.