Jardim Botânico is an upper class residential neighborhood in Curitiba, Brazil, that grew around the world-famous botanical garden, Jardim Botânico. This high-end neighborhood is home to many Brazilian celebrities, and is lined with many detached houses, which is very uncommon in the city.
As a popular destination in Curitiba, Jardim Botânico needed to enhance its limited and outdated lighting system. Luz Urbana lighting designers Paulo Candura and Plínio Godoy, architects Maria Emília, Juliana Rodrigues, Michelle Reple, and electrical contractor Engeluz Iluminação e Electricidade worked with Color Kinetics to fulfill a vision for the garden.
The goal of the project was to replace the previous lighting system with a more efficient solution, and redesign the lighting to highlight the main structure of the garden, the greenhouse, and the entire garden, including areas that previously had no lighting at all. This would help make the garden stand out at night and become more functional after dark. "The goal was to create a different perception of the Botanical Garden at night," said Silva. "The main objective for the lighting project was to highlight the architecture along the landscape, as well as make the garden a safe and interactive place to be at night."
The design team chose a lighting solution from Color Kinetics to meet all the goals for the project. iW Blast Powercore luminaires were used for functional lighting inside the greenhouse, as well as on pathways, arches, stairways, and vegetation throughout the garden. These luminaires were imbedded into the surrounding ground and worked well due to their small size, keeping them out of sight and reducing glare. More luminaires were also placed on 7 m (22.96 ft) poles surrounding the perimeters of the parking lot. iW Reach Powercore gen2 and ColorReach Powercore gen2 (now specified with
ReachElite) were used for accent lighting on the outside of the greenhouse to illuminate the façade of the building.
As a result, Jardim Botânico has become one of the main attractions of Curitiba. The lifespan of LED products and reduction of energy consumption were crucial to making this project a success. Jardim Botânico is now functional at night, and beautiful to visitors who stroll through the world-famous garden daily.
