Opening to Light

We bring light into spaces in unexpected ways. Sometimes it shines from above, or we may introduce light obliquely, or through elements that create a rhythm of solid and void.

At 21c Bentonville, a scalloped wall alternates between solid and glass to rake a gallery space with dramatic light. See the project

Our best projects collapse an exterior idea with interior spaces to make a rich and complex whole. Views and natural light are key ingredients for us. Something transformative happens when you design with light.

Ameet Hiremath, Senior Principal

A clerestory window suffuses daylight into a private viewing room at the Marianne Boesky Gallery. See the project

In one of our early projects, for Box Studios, we made natural light the organizing idea for the building. Spaces requiring light, such as presentation rooms and offices, were located around a skylight that travels vertically through the building. The retouching studio, which requires darkened spaces, resides at the rear of the building.

A central light shaft, cut through a tranformed warehouse, organizes Box Studios. See the project

As dusk becomes night, the “light box” at Irwin Union Bank becomes a beacon. See the project

We delight in how natural light changes throughout the day and from day to night. Changes revealed in the turning of the seasons are another source of daylighting inspiration.

During the day, sunlight filters through the “light box” overhead in the main banking hall at Irwin Union Bank. See the project

Shade is an important counterpoint to light — there can be too much of a good thing. We modulate light and create layered experiences between inside and out. This may be in response to climate and local particularities of site and orientation.

At the Pilgrim Road House, acid-etched glass separates the kitchen from entry way while allowing light and space to flow freely. See the project

Double-height open work and social spaces at Cummins Indy provide employees with light-filled places for solitary and collaborative work. The daylight is carefully mediated with shading and orientation to control glare and maintain energy efficiency. See the project