Hat factory becomes creative headquarters
Pentagon Design wears many hats, specializing in the innovative creation and reimagining of everyday products for large and mid-sized corporations. Fittingly, the Helsinki, Finland-based agency decided to move their premises to an old hat factory, which was simultaneously undergoing renovation to better represent Helsinki's role as 2012's World Design Capital (WDC). The move provided a prime opportunity for the agency's interior designers to capitalize on Helsinki's new WDC responsibilities, which included promoting the use of design to spur social, economic, and cultural development around the world. "Because the premises were converted from an empty studio to offices, it gave us the freedom to use completely new lighting design concepts and solutions," Anu Latvala, one of the designers, explained. In order to capture the unique architectural features of the converted factory's open floor plan and to provide the quality of light necessary to invigorate the creative process, Latvala's team turned to Color Kinetics LED lighting solutions.
The designers used Color Kinetics eW Blast Powercore luminaires to illuminate the office's dramatic ceilings and signature room details. The luminaires' 4000 K color temperature now produces an even wash of white across the high ceiling space, creating an immaculate environment to showcase the furniture, surfaces, and fittings within the office.
The powerful Color Kinetics luminaires are part of an affordable, comprehensive Color Kinetics LED lighting solution that also includes versatile Celino LED and LumiStone fixtures. "Because the space is used for different purposes, the lighting had to be adaptable," said Toni Flinck, electrical engineer and project manager for DELTA-KN, the electrical design and consulting firm hired for the project. "Color Kinetics solutions met the requirements for creating an integrated environment."
The complete solution also provided the functionality and ease of use needed to fuel the prolific design team during its hectic year supporting Helsinki in its WDC endeavors. "Good lighting is vital in all our design work," Latvala said. "Visitors and users alike are impressed by the lighting solutions on the premises. We also find that the flexibility and simplicity of the solutions make them very user friendly."
