The Ray of Light project is a family-owned Columbarium that houses approximately 400 vaults of funerary urns. It is not just a resting place but a memorial where families come together to honor their loved ones for generations.
The lighting brief for this Columbarium was to reflect the family’s core values and legacy. Values of integrity, stability, and restraint, among others. Soft, solemn, quiet, and elegant lighting subtly conveys this message.
The façade of the Columbarium is evenly washed using asymmetrical wall washers that softly graze the entire structure’s travertine cladding, giving it a warm and soft glow.
The statue at the entrance becomes a central focal point drawing people into the Columbarium.
Small, glare-less recessed downlights spotlight with a very high CRI of 98 are focused on the statue, emphasizing this figure’s importance and eliminating the shadows from the inground up lights below.
In the soft interior, warm white 3000K light was carefully chosen to invoke the inviting, intimate, solemn ambiance.
Upon entry at the left side is a wall of flickering votive candles in red that invokes a unique spirituality and sense of place to the space. The altar table at the right, with a cross sculpture on the wall, is equally gently lit, and it is programmed and controlled to feature the priest and the eucharist whenever mass is held.
The Cove Lighting is the primary light source in this space, and it is intentionally installed in an inverted manner to cast a delicate glow on the upper portion of the wall and ceiling.
A row of oculus openings at the center brings in daylight during the day and, at night, is softly illuminated with carefully detailed linear Striplights so that one sees only the light but not the light source.
The face of the vaults and the walls with inscriptions are also lighted using adjustable glare-less recessed downlights focused on these vertical walls.
Using a simple control system, the lighting can create a variety of scenes ranging from a very bright and welcoming setting to receive the family members and guests to a muted, solemn, and quiet atmosphere conducive to reflection and prayer.
