View From Within: Out of the Shadows
City Filled With Light
The general plan of architectural illumination, originally developed by the Moscow Committee for Architecture in the 1980s, focused chiefly on illumination of streets and freeways, rather than public buildings. Nikolai Shchepetkov, chief of the design studio No. 9 responsible for architectural illumination at the state-run Mosproyekt-3 company, has reported that the city government still has not adopted any regulations governing outdoor illumination by night.
However, the city halls had developed a set of rules on architectural illumination of facades and guidelines for designers, listing requirements and procedures for lighting solutions. The key criterion for selecting buildings worthy of night illumination is their place and role within the city and its history. In November 1995 the Moscow City Expert Examination Committee (Mosgosekspertiza) and the Moscow Committee for Architecture initiated a mayor’s decree obliging developers and designers to provide for architectural illumination for all projects under development and reconstruction in the city center and historic parts of the city, and for projects of high urban significance.
In line with that decree the above-mentioned guidelines were adopted, with top priority being given to illumination of architectural monuments and historic buildings within historic parts of the city, followed by monuments and projects of urban significance in other districts across the capital. Shchepetkov noted that developers do not always comply with the provisions of the decree, even where permission for construction is issued on condition providing for architectural illumination of the future building. Moscow’s General Plan for Urban Development contains sections on comprehensive development and design of urban environment where architectural lighting plays a significant role. But the document gives no answer to the question as to who is responsible for implementation and financing of those works.
Standing Out Against Background
Skillful illumination of buildings has both commercial and aesthetic significance. Boris Knyazev, general director at the Center for Illumination Design (Illuminator Group) notes that light – both natural and artificial – may alter perception of the property. There is not much you can do about sunshine or moonlight but artificial lighting is fully under control of a designer and can work wonders.
Andrei Vozzhov, project architect at Forum Properties, has reported that modern illumination techniques play the same role as scale, proportions, form and composition of the property. Light filters make it possible to change the color of the property every day, making the exterior of the building even more striking at night than by day. For example, if the fa?ade is relatively small and has no special features it does not stand out against other buildings by day, while by night it may be enhanced through artificial lighting.
While a multi-storied office building dominates the skyline during the day hours and requires no artificial lighting the designer has to make sure that it does not plunge into darkness by nightfall. Architectural illumination can even enhance the role of the building at night, Nikolai Shchepetkov agrees.
Yanis Zhukov, head of residential real estate at RIGroup, notes that in addition to its aesthetic role illumination also provides additional marketing advantages, which affects the property value. “An interesting illumination solution may attract more attention to the building and the offices on its premises,” he explains. Irina Zharova-Right, managing partner at Nordblom Group, says that a winning illumination design solution is one of the secrets of success. “As a result of professional illumination designers’ efforts rental rates can grow 20 to 30 percent,” she says.
Commercial property experts at Blackwood report that exterior illumination may improve security at entrances and in parking areas, making the development more appealing to would-be tenants. “The higher the building is rated the more is the developer willing to accentuate it through fa?ade illumination,” says Nikolai Rezvyakov, head of design department at KomStrin. Natalia Zharenova, head of commercial real estate at Russky Dom Nedvizhimosti (Russian Realty House), adds that beautiful light design has a positive impact on the corporate image and reputation of tenants.
Marina Gubanova, head of non-residential property management department at MIAN-Development, says that class A office buildings are illuminated almost always while illumination of class B offices depends on location and developers’ wishes. In older office buildings, rated as class C, architectural illumination is rare with only entrances and exits lighted by night.
A project for architectural illumination at the class A office complex Aurora Business Park where tenancies are held by major international and Russian firms has been developed by Popov and Architects and Svezz Group, Andrei Vozzhov has reported. The designers have placed emphasis on volume rendering and structure of each of the buildings within the compound. Windows and the silhouette of the glazed building are accentuated through lighting; the fa?ade of the historic building is lighted, too.
Mirax Group, involved in the development landmark Federatsia (Federation) complex within the Moskva City Business Center, has hired the Center for Illumination Design to oversee organization, control, technical maintenance and legal consulting for the architectural illumination project on the site. One of the key criteria by which the proposals submitted for the tender will be judged is the use of innovative lighting technologies. “We welcome projects featuring light-emitting diodes,” says Boris Knyazev. “A light-emitting diode is a source of light of the future. In some 3 to 5 years most illumination projects will use those technologies and our task is to make sure that our illumination solutions for the Federatsia complex do not grow obsolete after those years.” A spokesperson for Mirax Group has reported that the key requirements set for the project are user-friendly maintenance, long service life, conformity to international energy-saving standards, minimum light pollution, environmental control, and cost effectiveness.
Yelena Kravtsova, head of office real estate department at Capital Group, noted that not all business developments require bright illumination by night. What matters is the location of the building, and architectural design of the fa?ade. For example, the Capital Tower office complex developed by Capital Group on Brestskaya Street has only top floors illuminated. “Given all-round panoramic glazing of the building, the light coming from the windows is seen from the outside and no extra illumination is required,” she explains.
Nikolai Shchepetkov agrees that the degree of light intensity depends on location of the building. While a centrally located building on a brightly-lit square in downtown is one thing, a business center in a poorly lit zone is quite another matter. In such cases, higher light intensity may be even hazardous as “the property hurts the eyes.” Shchepetkov explains that all properties within the city limits fall into three categories – buildings of urban significance, district and local significance. The degree of illumination of depends on the category of the building. “Moscow by night would look ridiculous and tasteless should that harmony be destroyed,” Shchepetkov says.
In the opinion of illumination designers polled by Vedomosti, selective approach is the key principle of artificial lighting. Illumination is required for worthy projects, which are rare on the outskirts. Designers also attach importance to taste. The city center abounds with multi-colored architecture that is why white-light illumination is enough there, while in more remote areas dominated by gray panel houses multi-color illumination is more appropriate. Natalia Zharenova notes the role of lighting for the company’s shield, necessary to attract attention to the office. Besides, it is worth accentuating decorative features of the exterior.
Secrets of Architectural Illumination
Architecture seeks harmony with nature, Nikolai Shchepetkov says. Traditional construction materials such as steel, concrete, brick and glass make the task difficult to achieve but light may offer a solution. While natural light is constantly changing artificial illumination may be controlled. Boris Knyazev explains that there are a variety of approaches towards light design, multitude of techniques and secrets, which make it possible to create images and accentuate certain features of the exterior.
Especially widespread in Moscow is the so-called local floodlight illumination whereby luminaries are installed on the building itself. One of the reasons is that obtaining permission from various government bodies to use those is fairly easy. First and foremost, designers have to make sure that the highlighted building does not fall into a plentitude of illuminated spots, Knyazev believes. To that end it is necessary to provide general illumination as a background, whereupon it is important to accentuate the silhouette of the building by highlighting its cornices, columns and pilasters. Images generated by lighting equipment may be either of static or dynamic nature, Igor Galitsyn, general director at Becar Commercial Property, reports. Illumination is used to highlight entire facades or individual elements.
The first lighting equipment for generating dynamic illumination images was installed in Moscow at the North River Port building. Projectors installed on the spire issued a pulsating ray of red light, creating semblance with the moving light of a lighthouse. Special equipment is installed on the fa?ade of the Moscow main city traffic police directorate. Five groups of projectors are responsible for interchanging patterns of red, yellow and green lighting.
To a certain degree, architectural specifics of the fa?ade determine the choice of illumination. Lighting patterns for classical buildings usually involve highlighting of columns or areas behind columns so as to accentuate the volume. Special emphasis is usually placed on entrances and roof vaults, Blackwood reports. That produces an effect of spaciousness and clarity.
The higher is the class of a building the more important is the first impression produced by its exterior, Igor Galitsyn notes. Illumination design makes it possible to stress the beauty of the development and quality of construction materials. Marina Gubanova agrees. She cites an example of the Severnoye Siyaniye (Northern Lights) business center on Pravda Street, illuminated evenly all around its fa?ade, with each window highlighted. Yanis Zhukov adds that atriums require special illumination features, as well.
Firms that have special corporate colors should use them in illumination design. There are no restrictions as regards the choice of color, says Nikolai Shchepetkov. What is necessary is a sense of proportion. “The choice of lighting decoration depends on the specifics of location, neighboring facilities, the color of the fa?ade, etc,” he says. Experts attach great significance to the stage of construction, at which illumination works are carried out. A completed building imposes certain restrictions. Designers have to see to it that projectors do not spoil the view of the building, lay power lines so as to ensure user-friendly maintenance. These problems are easier to tackle during construction stags, especially where lighting designers work in close contact with architects.
“Unfortunately, we still have to deal with projects where design works have already been completed and construction launched or even where facades have been fitted out,” Nikolai Shchepetkov says. “If the walls have already been plastered the task is easier, as it is still possible to lay a cable. With ventilated facades the task is more complicated as we do not know what lies beneath…”
Experts agree that highlighting glazed facades with floodlight luminaries is not effective as glass either admits light into the building or reflects the sky. For such facades different equipment is used, as, for example, exterior lighting systems installed inside the building on suspended ceilings, over stained-glass windows and on windowsills. Such technologies work well provided the tenant controls its operations. Otherwise developers reject such projects.
Nikolai Shchepetkov reported that his studio has developed several projects of such kind, including the building of the Vsevolod Meyerkhold Theater Centre near the Mendeleyevskaya metro station. But later the developer rejected the project because properties within the complex were rented out without final fittings, i.e. without suspended ceilings or windowsills, where the luminaries were to be installed in line with the plan. “Each tenant makes improvements to suit his own requirements, hence, it is impossible to control operation of the system,” says Shchepetkov.
Cost of Illumination
“Lighting itself is part of the architectural concept of the building, therefore the cost of illumination varies depending on complexity of design,” says Yelena Kravtsova. Marina Gubanova says that illumination is the cheapest part of construction. “The cost of architectural illumination design depends on the size of the fa?ade and may fluctuate between 200,000 and 1 million rubles,” says Nikolai Shchepetnkov. Blackwood analysts explain that the cost of the project depends also on the type of lighting, the cost of installation and luminaries used thereby. The higher is the class of the building the higher is the price of luminaries and illumination equipment used, Yanis Zhukov says.
Boris Knyazev puts the cost of architectural illumination of a small building at $50,000 to $200,000; for larger properties the costs may run as high as $500,000, and even exceed $1 million. The total cost including the cost of design, obtaining permission, delivery and installation of lighting units, may run into $22 to $25 per 1sqm, says Andrei Vozzhov. Landlords will also have to take into account the cost of maintenance. Yevgeny Shlemenkov, head of property maintenance service at Novaya Ploshchad, reported that the system requires regular overhaul once in every five years, worn-out lamps and fittings need to be replaced.
The price of lamps may run as high as $100 per unit, fittings $300 per unit. Given their long service life light-emitting diodes do not require replacement, notes Boris Knyazev. It is also necessary to take the height of the building into account. “If to change lamps you have to call in rope-access workers costs increase,” he adds. Igor Galitsyn says the cost of maintenance depends on complexity of the system. Reprogramming computers is more costly than wiping off dust from filters and replacing bulbs. On average, the annual cost may make up 10 percent of the cost of equipment, says Nikolai Rezvyakov. Becar’s analysts put that figure at $5,000 to $20,000 a year.
Matter of Taste
As an example of successful illumination project, Natalia Zharenova cites the Riverside Towers office compound. “It looks as a real island.” Yanis Zhukov mentioned the complex of building on Sadovnicheskaya Embankment, in particular, the head office of Societe Generale Vostok. The only project marked out by Boris Knyazev is Bashnya-2000 (Tower 2000). Nikolai Shchepetkov has praised the lighting solution designed by his studio for the Central Bank office on Neglinnaya Street. The complex comprises two building – a 19th century low-rise and a cluster of 1920s-built high-rises. “Lighting solution has made it possible to create an image of a diamond casket in a golden box,” he says.
On the whole, experts are not satisfied with the quality of illumination in Moscow. Most put that down to lack of experienced staff. “Illumination must create a correct architectural image and accentuate special features, instead of scaring local residents and pedestrians,” says Irina Zharova-Right. Light designers believe that illumination alone is not always to blame. There is no way to improve the exterior of dull, poorly built boxes. Besides, developers sometimes fail to take into account urban environment. “What is needed is a general concept of illumination for the entire street, with the degree of lighting intensity determined by the building’s urban and historic role. Otherwise, illumination is unlikely to improve the city’s image,” says Shchepetkov.