Sometimes, big things come from humble beginnings. For Fraser Mills, Coquitlam’s first waterfront community, that humble beginning is an empty stretch of land that will be transformed, over the coming decades, into an immense 96-acre neighbourhood containing residences, shops, plazas, extensive green space, restaurants, and an aquatic and community centre. But, for now, there is nothing. No buildings. No roads. No sense of what is to come.
This presented a rare opportunity for lighting design: create a presentation centre that plants the flag and lets everyone know that something special is on the horizon. And like a flag, only a few key elements were needed: soffits to highlight the architect’s sweeping mass timber roof, surface luminaires to accent the glulam columns, and bollard lights to define the parking lot and provide safe wayfinding.
Strategically integrated lighting controls further enhance the presentation centre’s allure. By segregating lighting zones based on elevation, we achieved uniform brightness across surfaces while affording enhanced flexibility in ambiance. The downward-facing column lights establish a visual rhythm, seamlessly extending the design language from exterior to interior spaces. Meanwhile, the bollards in the lot unobtrusively provide the necessary illumination for parking.
Dark sky compliance was also imperative as it was necessary to ensure the migratory paths of birds were not disrupted. The simple and effective solution was to illuminate the front face of the building to minimize uplight, and use full cutoff bollards in the parking lot. The project was specified with 3000 Kelvin colour temperature to compliment the exterior wood finishes.
Our lighting design also complies with ASHRAE 90.1 standards, underscoring our dedication to industry best practices and regulatory requirements. As Fraser Mills emerges from its humble origins into a landmark community, our lighting narrative stands as a testament to the transformative power of illumination.
