22 Apr

Good for You and Me!

  • Location
  • Time Period
    • April 20, 2012 through April 22, 2012
  • Size
    • 6’0”x8’0”
  • Fulfilling Organization
    • Artistic Collaboration
  • Client
    • The Public
  • Scope
    • Artist Installation
  • Team
    • Cat Pino - Artistic Direction
    • Brady Villadsen - Video Mapping and Content Production
    • Oliver Harwood - Carpentry
    • Michael Heid - Video Hardware Sponsorship
    • W2 Media Cafe - Site Sponsorship and Food Sponsorship
    • Karen McAthy - Food Coordination
    • Jen Castro - Site Coordination
    • Joffrey Middleton-Hope - Photography
    • Michael Fromberg - Videography
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - General Direction

A collaborative, environmentally friendly art-piece.

Pure, healthy, wholesome, delicious, iconic of knowledge.

Fresh apples, lights dimmed, video mapping.

Apples; the symbolic image of health is used in an art installation built in a billboard format to juxtapose social idealism with harmful reality. The same strategies used in advertisement to encourage one to buy and consume are used in this installation to raise  questions such as the importance of the superficial appearance of the apple compared with the serious health and environmental damage done to achieve it.

Is it the image of the apple we crave? The apple is a symbol for the lengths we have gone, and the harm we have caused, in order to achieve  a “good” life?

All components of this exhibit have been produced utilizing recycled materials that have been recycled again.

Materials used in this exhibit include:

  • 258 Apples
  • 25 Apple Dividers
  • 586 Screws
  • 2 Safety Chains
  • 1 Sheet of 4’0”x8’0” plywood
  • Video Playback Equipment

- Images courtesy of Joffrey Middleton-Hope.

02 Apr

World Autism Awareness Day - “Light It Up Blue” - @YVR

  • Location
  • Time Period
    • April 2, 2012
  • Size
    • 18 Stories Tall
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • Temporary Illumination of the YVR Control Tower.
  • Team
    • Justin Mastine-Frost - Stage Hand.
    • Darby Peterson - Stage Hand and Transportation.
    • Brady Villadsen- Stage Hand and Programming.
    • Joffrey Middleton-Hope - Stage Hand and Photography.
    • Merlyn Chipman - Stage Hand.
    • Michael Heid - Stage Hand, Transportation, and Programming.
    • Christopher Quigley - Production Assist and Client Relations.
    • Brenda Longland - Client and Production Supervision.
    • CD\m2 Lightworks - Endeavour Sponsor.
    • Epic Production Technologies - Endeavour Sponsor.
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - General Director.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. World Autism Awareness activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, World Autism Awareness Day celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe.

On this day, we participated in “Light It Up Blue”, at the Vancouver International Airport. A short time frame was the greatest challenge - with only one week to prepare, and occurring on the same weekend as the Juno’s, equipment procurement proved to be difficult, but not impossible. Integration was the following challenge, as equipment was required to be procured from multiple sources. A solid team of event professionals that included programming and integration specialists ensured that this production was a success.

- Images courtesy of Joffrey Middleton-Hope.

23 Mar

Granville Island Exterior Lighting Redesign

  • Location
  • Time Period
    • July 19, 2011 through March 31, 2012
  • Size
    • 14 Hectares
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • Exterior Lighting Design Services.
  • Team
    • Jen Castro - Graphic Design.
    • Andy Mahony - Interpolation of Values to Generate Gradients.
    • Gregory Clarke - Inventory and Site Condition Archiving.
    • Christopher Quigley - Custom Control Solutions Design.
    • Stantec Consulting
      • Nigel Hodgson - Project Management.
      • Ark Tsisserev - Code Compliance Consultation.
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Exterior Lighting and Control Design.

“Granville Island is a peninsula and shopping district inVancouver, British Columbia,Canada. It is located in False Creek directly across fromDowntown Vancouver’s peninsula, under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge.

The peninsula was once an industrial manufacturing area, but today it is now a major tourist destination and working neighbourhood. In 2004, Project for Public Spaces named Granville Island “One of the World’s Great Places”.[1]”
Full Story 

Above all else, we wish to keep the history alive and expressed by ensuring that finishes, lighting hardware, and building materials reflect the memories of the island. Ensuring that lighting hardware is appropriate for an application goes beyond calculations and lighting levels when aesthetics play a direct role in the identity of the past. Aesthetics can be cost effective; it simply means that thoughtful and intentional design skills are required.

The island’s design document included, beyond exterior lighting design services, an analyzation of current conditions of the island. After a review, we discovered that the Granville Island boasted 300% more lighting hardware components than were initially expected. We immediately challenged the issue and engaged measures to ensure the sheer mass of the project would be resolved through a carefully planned execution.

Further, seasonal lighting expenses are quite high for the island, and our design integrates seasonal lighting capabilities into the Island’s general lighting systems. This provides the client with the flexibility that other venues such as BC Place and Science World have come to know and enjoy. The annual seasonal budget, using this method, would result in seasonal lighting budgets being reduced to zero, or a fractional amount could be specifically assigned to large, impactful feature installations rather than stringing holiday lights along the architecture.

Overall Safety and Securty of the Island has been addressed as well. We have included comments from visiting patrons, bikers, residents of the island, and the Vancouver Police Department, which have all provided us the ability to mark every reported theft, assault, or other criminal activity between dusk and dawn, when artificial lighting is the only lighting source. This information assists us in drawing conclusions about how lighting levels on the island are impacting crime in general, or certain types of crime. Community involvement allows the client base of Granville Island to feel heard and considered throughout the process. Although a formal polling process was not exercised, throughout the site evaluations, the public was generally interested in the work we were doing while on-site.

The lighting and electrical hardware on the island is more than two decades beyond its’ useful life, and has begun degrading to the point that the hardware fills with water, posing electrical hazards that need attention as quickly as possible. The improvements to the Island have been placed on a fast-track to ensure the most degraded of the hardware is replaced first. A full review of the island for conformance to canadian electrical code standards would identify a variety of issues that will need to be addressed, above and beyond the many concerns that the Design Document resolves.

Once the improvements are completed, the island would be more visible, dark corners will not exist to the degree they do today, parking routes to event venues will be better lit, and the island will also be able to provide seasonal lighting effects and patterns utilizing the general illumination hardware that has been specified in the design document.

Looking into the future, a draft Lighting Ordinance has also been provided, to ensure that tenant spaces are aware of the general Granville Island Lighting Aesthetic, and any renovation or new tenant would be requested to conform to those ordinances. Some other areas of development with similar policies include Whistler Village.

- Images courtesy of Global Air Photos.

08 Feb

Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre

  • Location
  • Time Period
    • July 1, 2008 through February 8, 2012
  • Size
    • 2,800 Square Metres
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • Museum Lighting Design.
    • Theatre Lighting Design.
    • Lighting Hardware Acquisition.
    • Museum and Theatre Lighting Installation.
    • Ongoing Maintenance and Modification of the Lighting System.
    • Lighting Controls Programming and Custom Modifications.
  • Team
    • Eos Lightmedia- Lighting Site Crew.
      • Bobby Baines - Installation Project Manager.
      • Douglas Welch - Lighting Design.
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Lighting Controls Programmer.

This establishment is designed to embody the architectural influences of the Squamish Nation Longhouse and the Lil’Wat Istken (Pit House). A space for celebration of collaboration between two nations, consistently preserving the two cultures. A monumental Great Hall, two additional rare exhibit galleries, a theatre, a gallery, and a gift shop are the main uses of the space.

The lighting system is fully controllable by staff, with multiple lighting levels and settings to accomodate daylight harvesting, mobile artefacts, and events in the space. During installation, it became apparent that the hardware was not capable of performing to the requirements of the space, and instead of replacing the equipment, we opted to modify existing equipment within acceptance by the manufacturer, to ensure it communicated with a variety of systems.

An innovative control system allows maintenance and lighting control from a technician’s remote location. Reducing site visits for minor modifications has ensured low upkeep costs for the client. This feature also reflects the goals of the facility to be sustainable and energy efficient.

The project has continued to remain active, because of our continued participation in the maintenance of the facility, although infrequent.

- Images courtesy of Eos Lightmedia.

16 Jan

Lynden Pindling International Airport Redevelopment

The innovative design is inspired by the Bahamian islands, seas and sunny skies. As the front door to the Bahamas, it is an expression of the island communities it serves, while delivering a level of efficiency and service consistent with 21st century international standards.

Stantec provided full architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, lighting design, and engineering services on the project that has transformed Nassau’s aging Lynden Pindling International Airport into an efficient, attractive 21st century airport terminal that captures the essence and experience of the Bahamian Islands.

Due to a variety of energy, maintenance, and sustainability concerns, lighting for art and features were designed to balance solar lighting levels rather than try to create ten times the level of direct sunlight, which would essentially create a massive energy bill due to Nassau’s exceptionally high energy rates. The lighting provided prominent feature lighting levels when compared to the overall morning and evening solar lighting levels.

Astronomically Timed Controls, as well as occupancy and manual controls, allowed the feature lighting system to become an integrated part of the airport, but separate from general illumination lighting, so the feature lighting could be turned off during periods of low occupancy.

- Images courtesy of Stantec Consulting.

15 Jan

Lights of Hope

  • Location
  • Time Period
    • June 1, 2011 through January 15, 2012
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • Interactive Integration Consultation.
    • Interactive Component Sponsorship Acquisition.
    • Interactive Component Acquisitions.
    • Show Control and Playback.
    • Interactivity and Show Control Programming.
    • Installation, Maintenance, and Tear-down of Control System.
  • Team
    • Michael Heid - Programmer and Installation Technician.
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Interactivity Consultant and Installation.

St. Paul’s Lights of Hope is a tradition in Vancouver that has lasted for over fifteen years. Every year, the Foundation raises funds towards patient care and research at St. Paul’s Hospital. In 2011, for example, the Foundation raised 2.27 million dollars!

Our installation allowed the public to stand in front of the display and activate sponsor stars and a variety of shows when they were standing on top of a decal that was applied to the sidewalk.

This interactivity was achieved utilizing a combination of laser sensors, distance motion sensors, and algorithms to compensate for vandalism and equipment malfunctions. The display would continue to operate, even in the case that part of the system was vandalized or otherwise damaged.

The scale of the display, the amount of power required to be controlled, as well as the number of individually controllable objects, were some of the challenges of this project which we overcame and provided innovative solutions for.

- Images courtesy of Joffrey Middleton-Hope

04 Jun

Mini Yaletown - Specialty Lighting and Energy Retrofit

  • Location
    • Mini Yaletown
    • 1039 Hamilton Street
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Time Period
    • September 30, 2010 through June 4, 2011
  • Size
    • 1,100 Square Metres
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • BC Hydro Energy Incentive Program - Funding Acquisition.
    • Custom Lighting Hardware Design.
    • Custom Lighting Control Design.
    • Custom Wiring and Infrastructure Design.
    • Custom Programming for LED Lighting Controls.
    • Lighting Hardware Acquisition.
    • Lighting Control Hardware Acquisition.
    • Electrical Hardware Acquisition.
    • Lighting, Rigging, Electrical, and Metalwork Labour.
  • Team
    • Andrew Azar - Electrical Site Crew.
    • James Howlin - Electrical Site Crew.
    • Gregory Clarke - Rigging Site Crew.
    • Anthony Azar - Human Resources.
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Project Management and Design.

After a move to a larger, new venue in 2010, Mini Yaletown experienced the challenge of being seen and recognized in their new location. In combination with strategic signage adjustments, we designed a highly visible public art installation on the facade of the Mini Yaletown building. 

During the design phase, it became apparent that the sales floor was quite dim, due to the previous tenant being a furniture sales company. An energy retrofit was designed, to both decrease energy consumption and increase lighting levels at the same time. 

Following the energy retrofit, poor energy quality caused a number of problems throughout the lighting system. Poor energy quality is often a factor in historic and older buildings. We designed and implemented energy isolation utilities to protect equipment from poor energy quality.

The installations continue to operate today, and we encourage you to visit the site some time soon!

12 Feb

Revolve-a-lution

  • Location
    • Yaletown
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Time Period
    • February 10, 2011 through February 12, 2011
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • Creative and Technical Direction.
    • Artist and Labour Rally.
    • Site Coordination for Installation Locations.
    • Hardware Load-in, Operations, and Load-out.
    • Hardware, Finance, and Labour Sponsorship Acquisitions.
    • Musical Performances.
    • Dance Performances.
    • Audio, Video, Lighting, and Interactive Exhibits.
    • Fire Performances and Licensing.
  • Team

- Images courtesy of ChrisMara Photography.

12 Feb

Revolve-a-lution - 2011 - Rahel Dance and Burn BC 

10 May

Southeast False Creek Energy Centre

  • Location
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Time Period
    • January 29, 2009 through May 10, 2010
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • Control System Design.
    • Control System Programming.
    • Hardware Acquisition.
  • Team
    • Eos Lightmedia
      • Shaun August - Control System Design & Programming.
    • CD\m2 Lightworks- Hardware Acquisition and Site Crew
      • Chris Pekar - Control System Design and Programming.
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Control System Design & Programming.

Southeast False Creek Energy Centre is the first utility in North America to use waste heat recovery produced from untreated urban waste water. As part of Vancouver’s effort to provide new, more sustainable heating, it provides repurposed heat and hot water to all of False Creek area residents.

Southeast False Creek Energy Centre is also a celebration, and showcases the technology that makes this effort possible. It uses innovative architectural design – five, finger-like exhaust stacks – to act as eye-catching public artwork that reflects the energy consumption of the neighbourhood it serves. An energy-efficient LED lighting system changes colour to indicate energy demand. Right next to the gateway Cambie Street Bridge, this project provides a visual statement of Vancouver’s sustainability efforts.

- Images courtesy of Eos Lightmedia

08 May

City of Bhangra Festival - Grand Finale

  • Location
  • Time Period
    • May 8, 2010
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • LED Hardware Rentals.
    • LED Hardware Load-in, Operations, and Load-out
    • LED Video Controller Rental.
    • LED Video Controller Operations.
  • Team
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Programmer, Operator, and Stage Hand

Bhangra - Originating in India and Pakistan, it is an art form that encompasses expression, movement and dance. Once performed by Punjabi wheat farmers to pass time while working in the fields, today it is performed around the world as a celebratory event. An audience in Vancouver grooved together to a Bhangra beat at a sold-out performance of RePercussion at the Vogue Theatre on Granville Street. It was a symphony of world music with drumming and dance, and the event, which was hosted by the Dean of Music at Vancouver Community College Sal Ferreras, kept the audience dancing late into the night.

This talented group who played everything from a traditional tabla (an Indian percussion instrument) to Brazilian percussion, piano and taiko drums, the show was contemporary ethnic and genre bending fusion at its finest.

“It is our goal as Canadians and especially as Vancouverites to use this art form as a beacon and a siren to bring together people from all walks of life as one community in this beautiful city,” explained Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration (“VIBC”) Chair Mo Dhaliwal, before show.

 ”We want people to explore their city and celebrate culture and participate in the art form.”

- Images courtesy of Electrabelle Visual Effects

01 May

RePercussion

  • Location
  • Time Period
    • May 1, 2010
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Internal Scope
    • LED Hardware Rentals.
    • LED Hardware Load-in, Operations, and Load-out
    • LED Video Controller Rental.
    • LED Video Controller Operations.
  • Team
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Programmer, Operator, and Stage Hand

Bhangra - Originating in India and Pakistan, it is an art form that encompasses expression, movement and dance. Once performed by Punjabi wheat farmers to pass time while working in the fields, today it is performed around the world as a celebratory event. An audience in Vancouver grooved together to a Bhangra beat at a sold-out performance of RePercussion at the Vogue Theatre on Granville Street. It was a symphony of world music with drumming and dance, and the event, which was hosted by the Dean of Music at Vancouver Community College Sal Ferreras, kept the audience dancing late into the night.

This talented group who played everything from a traditional tabla (an Indian percussion instrument) to Brazilian percussion, piano and taiko drums, the show was contemporary ethnic and genre bending fusion at its finest.

“It is our goal as Canadians and especially as Vancouverites to use this art form as a beacon and a siren to bring together people from all walks of life as one community in this beautiful city,” explained Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration (“VIBC”) Chair Mo Dhaliwal, before show.

 ”We want people to explore their city and celebrate culture and participate in the art form.”

- Images courtesy of Electrabelle Visual Effects

01 May
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]

RePercussion

- Video courtesy of Electrabelle Visual Effects

01 May
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]

RePercussion

- Video courtesy of Electrabelle Visual Effects

24 Mar

King Abdullah’s University of Science and Technology
          - Museum of Science and Technology in Islam

  • Location
    • Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • Time Period
    • August 1, 2009 through March 24, 2010
  • Size
    • 275 Square Metres
  • Fulfilling Organization
  • Client
  • Scope
    • Lighting and Lighting Control Hardware Acquisition.
    • Lighting and Lighting Control International Shipping.
    • Lighting and Lighting Control Shipment Processing.
    • Lighting and Lighting Control Installation and Programming.
    • Manual, Timed and Interactive Exhibit Programming.
    • Lighting Design for Interactive Touch Screen Exhibits.
  • Team
    • Eos Lightmedia - Site Crew
      • Eugene Mendelev - Lighting Board Programmer
      • Bobby Baines- Site Crew Project Manager
      • Douglas Welch - Home Office Project Manager
    • Benjamin Feagin Jr. - Control System Programmer

The vision of the Museum of Science and Technology in Islam originated from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s initial vision of KAUST as a modern ‘House of Wisdom’ built to rekindle the great and noble virtue of learning. 

The installations at this site include moving flat screen televisions, interactive touch screens, flip books, automated scale models, interactive tactile exhibits, motion sensing exhibits, and complex custom programming for moving head luminaires and LED colour-changing lighting.

All of the technology is inter-connected via a complex control system; advanced programming techniques are utilized to communicate with all of the exhibits and lighting hardware to create an integrated approach to design and immersive experience for the patrons attending the museum. 

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