Last night I found myself near Lincoln Center, so I decided to saunter over and snap a few photos of the Fashion Week festivities, focusing on the lighting in the new Diller Scofidio + Renfro interventions around the plaza. According to Lincoln Center's fact sheets, these include "informational LED text" in the treads of the seven stairs of the 170-foot-wide Grand Stair, "sleek glass canopies" that flank the stairs and are uplit with strip lighting set into the ramps, and a reconfigured Revson Fountain "enhanced with new lighting."
The canopies (above) act like an illuminated overhead plane from the uplighting that can be seen at the base of the railings on either side. Yet, the glass cover is not opaque, as the large cylindrical chandelier of the Koch Theater can be glimpsed above the uprights.
From across Columbus Avenue (above), the overall impression is a mix of old and new lighting, be it large fixtures, downlights, or the new LED ticker-tapes in the treads of the Grand Stair.
Getting closer to the steps (above and below), the text notifies passersby of current and upcoming events, among other things. The LEDs certainly activate the stairs, even if people pay scant attention to what they say. The night I was there, an increased police presence due to the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks meant the white LEDs mixed with flickering red siren lights, perceptible slightly below and more so on the right side of the above photo.
The reconfigured fountain (below) was quite a popular place on Friday night. The uplit ring seems to hover above and around the water feature, and the people sitting upon it were doing the same, with their feet dangling above the paving.
It should be mentioned that Tillotson Design Associates is the lighting designer for the plaza (as well as the Columbus Avenue portion of Lincoln Center), and they have received numerous awards for their contribution.
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