Interior Lighting Design at Laie Hawaii Temple
Interior Lighting Design at Laie Hawaii Temple
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Laie, HI
The first LDS temple built outside the continental United States (ded.1919), the building needed upgrading and expansion for the growing Mormon population of the Hawaiian Islands. Lighting was one of the elements addressed during this program.
Rambusch worked in cooperation with the design team to develop families of fixtures responding to the varied hierarchical rooms and derived from the historic fixtures first used in the building. During the collaborative process, the preferred designs and elements emerged. The materials of metal and glass became a thread of design authenticity that flowed throughout the fixture families. The use of unique fluorescent lamp platforms provided quality of light as well as quantity.
Design-assist services were provided to control budget through design economy, simplify restorations, understand light quality, and communicate the message of the LDS. In all cases, custom glass bowls help diffuse and obscure the lamp images from the patrons who visit the temple, allowing the beauty of the space to be fully appreciated.
To recapture the historical glow, diffusers were made of opal glass, resulting in fixtures that were both decorative and functional. At the architect’s direction, Rambusch produced a styled family of referential fixtures for the LDS in cast, extruded, and spun brass, unified by patina, polish and detail.
