Bayamon, Puerto Rico – Parking structures are frequently utilitarian buildings, with nary a thought cast to the aesthetics of the building itself. Too often, the visual character is cast in cold, unyielding cement. If exterior Iluminarc is considered, it is frequently a similarly no-frills affair with harsh and glaring sodium vapor lamps.
At the Hyatt Place Bayamón and El Tropical Casino, however, the opposite is true. “Boscaje Iluminarc”, a large-scale art project by designer Anaitté Vaccaro – artist, designer, content creator, producer, and programmer – adorns the multi-level parking structure of the property, enlivening the building and grounds around it. Successfully incorporating a large mural featuring indigenous art with a dynamic lighting show using Iluminarc exterior lighting fixtures, the installation rejects contemporary industrial-style facades in favor of an exciting, energetic large-scale visual.
Located in a particularly challenging environment vis-a-vis local weather conditions, Vaccaro knew a fixture that could withstand rain, humidity, and everything in between was essential, and was particularly pleased with the Iluminarc fixtures. “I am very happy with how the Iluminarc fixtures look, and how they withstand the weather conditions in Puerto Rico, where it is extremely humid and it rains a lot,” she said “They’ve continued to work every evening, since December — so far, so good.”
The designer placed sixteen Iluminarc lights along the facade of the structure, highlighting the artwork of the mural not only in crisp whites, but in deep saturated colors for certain parts of the performance, a feature the designer spoke highly of. “The fixtures give me every range of colors. It’s awesome to have just one light capable of such a broad color range” she said. Additional Iluminarc luminaires were placed at ground level to light up another portion of the angled, step-like facade. A large-scale LED wall incorporated into the mural displays various art with Puerto Rican themes, a visual motif carried over into the interior of the casino as well.
“From a technical and aesthetic angle, the Iluminarc lights covered everything I was looking for.” said Vaccaro. Manuel Torres, of Audio Visual Consultants, Inc., agrees. “I am very happy with the lights, and with their easiness to install and to program. I recommend Iluminarc to other customers I work with.” He also spoke of the fixture’s IP rating, critical in protecting the fixtures from the harsh outside elements.
“In Puerto Rico the humidity is very high. It rains almost every day, especially in May and June, and one of the reasons we chose these fixtures was their high IP rating. Actually, the entire installation was done under water, so to speak, because it rained every day while we installed them,” Torres said. “But everything went well from the very beginning, and right now the fixtures are working perfectly.”
The installation, “Boscaje Iluminarc” was designed exclusively by digital scenographer ANAITTÉ., for the Hyatt Place Bayamón & El Tropical Casino. Commissioned by PRISA Group, the initiative was awarded the “Seventh Annual Excellence in Live Design Award” 2014 in the architainment category by the readers of Live Design Online. The Iluminarc fixtures were supplied by Audio Visual Consultants, Inc. of Puerto Rico.