1986-1992
project list
RAY index



1
St. Luke's International Hospital
Nissay Training Center
Showa Memorial Park
The Gate, Yokohama Exotic Showcase '89
Meguro Gajoen: the Invitation Gate
Meguro Gajoen: Restoration of Japanese-style Banquet Halls
Meguro Gajoen: the Atrium

RAY index back to index next previous news release project list 1986-1992 1993-1995 1996-1998 1999-2002 2003-2005
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St. Luke's
International Hospital


Architect: Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
Construction completed: 1992

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A gigantic, standardized hospital is just a maze for patients. Sometimes we lost the way and miss the doctor.

While planning illumination for St. Luke's International Hospital, the first priority is given to the point of making every place distinguishable by the space's shape and light that fills it. For example, the main corridor's ceiling has a special shape that tells where he or she is to a patient. The east-west corridor is featured with vault-shaped ceiling, while the elevator hall in the center has cross-vault ceiling. Indirect lighting tenderly makes the space bright.

Second priority is placed on the sufficient luminance in which even seniors can read books. At the lobby, 3000K incandescent-color fluorescent lamps and warm-color metal halide lamps are used to make warm atmosphere and achieve cost efficiency. In the outpatients' lobbies on the second and third floor, 70W warm-color metal halide lamps provide sufficient luminance. Considering patients carried on stretchers through hallways nearby, pinhole-type fixtures are selected to save glare from the lamps. The reception's walls are contrasted with fluorescent wall washers in order to put visual brightness and indicate where the reception is.

Calm and warm lights relieve patients of their anxiety. Arranged with the shape of space, the lighting became a sign of directions even seniors with difficulties in vision can easily understand.
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Nissay
Training Center


Architect: Kume Architects & Engineers.
Construction completed: 1989


Nissay Training Center
This building is a training center for the staff of Nippon Life Insurance Company, mainly saleswomen, from all over the country. It has, as a special feature, an interior garden with a toplight called the "Grand Lobby" which connects a training building, a dormitory, and auditorium, and a meeting building.

The Grand Lobby, as large as height 15m x width 38m x depth 34m, is the core of the building designed to be a place where the company's identity is expressed, while trainees can get acquainted taking a walk. In daytime, the lobby is an open forum with a flood of sunshine from the toplight.

At night, low garden lights, small lamps reflected on the water and custom-made pole lamps in the cafe terrace shine and make quiet atmosphere on the ground.

From the atrium ceiling, eight 400W metal halide lamps wash trees and walls, while eight 500W halogen lamps brightly focus on the cafe terrace.

Heart-warming atmosphere will surely make training efficient.
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Showa Memorial Park:
Sakura Light Up


Construction completed: 1988

Showa Memorial Park
There remains Japanese strong affection towards nature, especially in its seasonal changes, so sincerely expressed in hanami parties under full-bloomed cherry trees. Indeed, cherry blossoms strongly attract Japanese as a flower telling the end of winter and the beginning of spring, a season to bring something new.

The concept aims at expressing emotions of Japanese people towards cherry trees.
Expectations for spring: Horizontal illumination by thirty-six 250W halogen floodlights.
Brilliance: Soft overall illumination by two hundred and eight 60W top mirror incandescent lamps hung from each tree with milky-white plastic guard.
Tenderness: Tender ambience embracing people with thirty-six 40W incandescent garden lights on the lawns.
Adoration: Strong accent with three 400W metal halide spotlights with color filter, onto the big tree in front of the stage.
Quietness: Straightforward vertical illumination from below by sixteen 100W metal halide lamps.
Farewell: Only the garden lights to illuminate the lawns remained at the closing time.

Fixtures are only used during festival to protect the park's trees and lawn, so they are designed considering easy replacing for annual use. Power is supplied from another garden nearby. For cost-efficiency, selected fixtures are durable for another ten years. The greatest difficulty, in addition, was to decide the best light level for full blossom while the trees were still bare during preparation.

Elegant and dramatic effect more than expected is achieved.
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The Gate, Yokohama
Exotic Showcase '89


Architect: GK Sekkei Architectural & Environmental Design
Construction completed: 1989

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The exhibition "Yokohama Exotic Showcase" opened on March 26, 1989 and closed in October. Its aim was to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Yokohama City and the quadricentennial of its port. The showcase's theme was hata hata, vivid sounds and colors of sails and flags in the sea wind. In accordance to the theme, exhibitors competed in expressing the city's ever-changing environment and people's life style.

Four entrance gates have translucent silhouette against the sky, made of the same material and structure, but are different in their shapes. To welcome people expecting something exotic like a night circus, the lighting plan is made with following features:
(1) Every gate has four 25-meter-tall "light columns" with six 400W metal halide lamps in each column. The columns are the entrance sign and a landmark.
(2) The 12-meter-tall wavy translucent tent is lit from beneath with eighty 250W halogen lamps, just like floating in the sky.
(3) Sharp supporting structures are highlighted in contrast to the soft texture of the tent.

Visitors will feel like sailing into the space.
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Meguro Gajoen:
the Invitation Gate


Architect: Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
Architect & Interior Design: Atelier M
Construction completed: 1991

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1992 IIDA / Award of Merit
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The "Invitation Gate" of Meguro Gajoen is an entrance to the hotel section and banquet halls built in another large hall. The aim of the lighting plan is to make people gradually intoxicated while walking looking forward to coming merriment.

Due to the site's landform, the approach connecting the gate with the hotel and banquet halls was a little too long. However, lighting changed its meaning drastically to a fascinating hanamichi, actor's bridge to kabukistages. While corridor curves, illumination leads the guests to the Invitation Gate with its reflection in dark, serene water. People feel the moment coming, and seen beyond the gate is a clear bright space.

Lights in the water show the edges of the path. Two metal halide downlights and two embedded halogen spotlights are only fixtures installed in the ceiling, which in the dark contrast the massive roof and golden sculptures of the gate.

With a dramatic rhythm of light and dark, a lengthy approach turned into a passage of cheerful longing.
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Meguro Gajoen:
Restoration of Japanese-style Banquet Halls

Architect: Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
Architect & Interior Design: Atelier M
Construction completed: 1991

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1992 IIDA / Award of Merit
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The original building of Meguro Gajoen was famous with its collection of art. People called it Ryugujo, a submarine utopia. On this occasion of rebuilding, total restoration of Japanese traditional banquet halls was carried out.

Before arrangement, lighting was simply dark, so it needed complete re-design. The designer paid best attention to (a) showing the artwork effectively in an attractive atmosphere of traditional Japan, while (b) protecting the artwork. On painted wooden relieves in the ceiling and walls, glass-fiber wall washers are used contrasting them in shadows, while protecting those sculptures from heat and ultra violet (UV). On paintings, halogen downlights with UV-proof frosted filters and glass-covered dichroic-mirrored halogen spotlights are used.

Some rooms have ceiling covered with artwork, hindering from installing fixtures within. Instead, the designer created a custom pendant fixture with three functions combined; light from the fixture shines on the ceiling upward and tables downward, while spotlighting on the walls.

Splendid artwork revived in bright atmosphere. Through careful lighting arrangement, Meguro Gajoen was restored as an extraordinary sight-to-see in Tokyo.
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Meguro Gajoen: the Atrium

Architect : Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
Architect & Interior Design: Atelier M
Construction completed: 1991

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1992 IIDA / Award of Merit
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