Projects

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Architectural illumination

Illuminated sculpture

Enhancement of a work of art

Montreal, Québec, Canada, 2020

The prestigious work of art titled Espace Fractal created by sculptor Jean-Pierre Morin is located at the entrance to the BAnQ Grande Bibliothèque in Montreal.The sculpture was acquired through the Government of Quebec’s policy on integrating art into the architecture and environment of government and public buildings and sites. This policy stipulates that approximately 1% of the total construction budget of a public building or site is to be allocated to the creation of a work of art specifically designed for the venue. Espace Fractal is one of over 3,700 public artworks created since 1961 that have been incorporated into public spaces across Quebec to promote modern art in its various forms, taking into account the nature of the host building or site.

Made almost entirely of steel and aluminum, Espace Fractal embodies the luminous, radiant quality of the aluminum, glass and steel construction of the BAnQ building. The BAnQ hired XYZ Technologies to develop and set up a lighting system to showcase the sculpture which, surprisingly, had been unlit since its installation in 2005.

Description

To create the best lighting conditions that would enable passers-by to appreciate each and every detail of the sculpture, XYZ proposed installing two top-of-the-line Coemar projectors. Located at the base of the sculpture, these projectors are durable and weather-resistant, withstanding even the coldest winters and hottest summers.

One of the reasons for XYZ’s choice of this specific lighting system is that the ellipsoidal lights make it easy to control the luminous flux. This was important as special care was needed to minimize glare for people working in the adjacent offices. It was also essential to make sure that the lighting did not interfere with the clarity of the video projections behind the sculpture. XYZ’s architectural lighting solution gives the BAnQ the ability to light up Espace Fractal in one or two different colours to mark special occasions throughout the year.

Expertise

  • Lighting
  • Control systems

Mandate

Design
Equipment supply
Installation
Calibration and programming