Week 7: Architecture and Lights at the Spectrum

I visited The Irvine Spectrum over the weekend and I purposefully took photos of the area that was least decorated for Christmas. I wanted to capture the lighting and understand the essence of the Spectrum on any regular night. The first thing I noticed in the main walkway was the overhead lamp fixtures that were strung between palm trees. Since the lamps were scattered between the trees, there were shadowy areas where light wasn’t directly above me. The palm trees also had lights surrounding their trunks. Much of the surrounding light was spilled over from restaurants and the movie theater. I think the lighting for the walkway was designed in a simplistic manner so as not to drown out the space with too much light. Since much of the colored lights from nearby restaurants and stores poured out into the walkway, the lamps added a calmness to the chaotic lights around the edges. I think choosing simple, white light fixtures scattered throughout the area was a successful approach to lighting an otherwise chaotic, overwhelming atmosphere.

As I searched for a store with successful lighting, I was immediately drawn to Casey’s Cupcakes. As I glanced up at the Hollywood style sign, the pink and white glowing stripes on the face of the sign seemed to compliment the amber bulbs around the outside. This design was captured within the store by the pink walls and Hollywood-esque lighting fixtures. I thought the vanity style bulbs surrounding the back wall complemented the classic chandeliers. The styling choices of the hanging lamps, vanity bulbs, and chandeliers created a classic atmosphere. I didn’t notice the circular ceiling fixtures when I first admired the store, however, I now wonder how the lighting would have changed without them.

In search of a store with unsuccessful lighting, I noticed the bright, obnoxious lights streaming out from the window of American Apparel. When I walked inside the store, I wondered if the reason I had never entered this store before was because of the bland, overly washed out atmosphere. With the combination of the all white walls, industrial ceiling, and lined white lamps, the store came off as bland, bright, and unwelcoming. I think the purpose of the lights was to contribute to the industrial architecture of the store, but the quantity and color of the lights was too strong. The store seemed uninviting and the lights didn’t complement the presentation of the clothes.