Reimagine the Canals uses light as the catalyst to revitalize the distinctive heritage along New York’s Erie Canal-side communities. Landmark structures, including Verona Beach and Brewerton Lighthouses, Little Falls Lock E-17, and Fairport Bridge, are given new life with carefully crafted lighting schemes that celebrate local culture, honor the environment, and promote economic growth.
Verona Beach Lighthouse serves as a historic backdrop for visitors, where its new nighttime identity ripples to life as dusk settles. Exterior LED luminaires with gobos mimic the gentle rhythm of surrounding waters against its alabaster white surface. Ensuring comfort for surrounding residents, lighting was precisely aimed to prevent glare and spill light.
In contrast, Brewerton Lighthouse embodies a dark concrete construction. Its reimagined nighttime identity transforms its cold, heavy appearance into a warm candlelit glow with amber colored LEDs positioned around the base, exuding an antique aura that complements its sister lighthouse’s renewed identity.
The design for Little Falls Lock E-17 strategically focused lights with gobos to simulate a rippling water effect, while illuminating the lock volume itself with color changing LED floodlights in a soothing purple hue that accentuates its details and enhances the dramatic perspective.
Fairport’s lift bridge features amber-colored tones, echoing the neighborhood’s industrial character through linear and point source color changing LED luminaires. The dimming and color settings are carefully curated to gradually shift in 30-minute intervals, inspired by the gentle transitions of natural light.
All light fixtures utilize energy-efficient LED technology with minimal power consumption. To enhance long-lasting performance and lamp life, they have been programmed to operate at a maximum of 80% power. Full color changing capabilities, power adjustability and dimmability provide users with versatile functionality, while also being an environmentally sensitive solution during bird migration season.
The inherent nature of public projects often face delays, causing initially chosen fixtures to become outdated by time of installation. As a proactive strategy, lighting technology specifications were deliberately left open for updates until the projects were closer to being installed. This unconventional approach facilitated the incorporation of more efficient and high-performing lighting solutions that adhere to current industry standards. Furthermore, all lights are standardized rather than custom, ensuring them easily replaceable.
The Reimagine the Canals initiative aims to safeguard the historical heritage, foster a sense of community and commemorate the past for the residents and visitors of the quaint towns situated along New York’s Erie Canal. The lighting design contributions proudly breath new life into various original landmark structures bordering the waterway, promoting recreation, ecological conservation, and stimulating economic progress.
