As part of the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, the Lazaridis Institute supports high-growth technology companies through research, programming, and education.
The circa 1900 building was the former home of a manufacturer of wooden seats for theaters and arenas. Exposed wood ceilings, structures and columns formed the foundation for what was to become an upscale office and event space.
The Institute moved into a turn of the century building in Kitchener as the base for its new Executive Development Center. Dfy Studio was hired to transform the facility from old to new, and Eureka Lighting’s lighting system, Arena, was selected to illuminate the space.
“We had beautiful bones to work with,” said Tahani Gunal, senior designer at Dfy. “We wanted the elements of the lighting and walls to create a clean, crisp, and vibrant environment.”
According to the design team, the exposed ceiling in the main event room posed a challenge for lighting. Fixtures needed to hold their own in a space with open beams, pipes and duct work.
The designers needed a fixture that would not only provide versatile lighting for varied functions, but would be dynamic enough to add the “wow” factor they wanted to achieve for the space.
Twelve Arena fixtures were arranged across the industrial ceiling. Its seamless circular profile has a discreet, low-power ring and instant magnetic connections that allows light sources to be placed without tools anywhere along the ring.
Three Slice luminaires are attached with magnets across the 54” diameter of each Arena. Slice features an 8W LED linear light engine with a custom-engineered acrylic diffuser, which can be rotated 180° on-site.
The institute has the option to angle the diffusers down to provide direct illumination to a meeting table set-up below, or it can turn them upwards to provide dramatic indirect illumination to the wooden ceiling above for a reception or more informal atmosphere.
Each Slice can be arranged, and re-arranged, in multiple configurations to suit the event. The luminaires can be placed 360° around the Arena, they can be flipped between upper and lower positions within the ring, and they can also be overlapped to create patterns.
“Arena’s size was the right fit for the large event space,” said Gunal. “And Slice adds style and uniqueness to enhance its surroundings. Together they add to the appeal of the space without taking away from its original beauty.”
Wilfrid Laurier University and the Lazaridis Institute love the look and feel of the new space, as does the designer.
