Chapel of St. Lawrence

Indoor Lighting project of the Year 2011 in Finland /Vuoden sisävalaistuskohde 2011
The lighting design for the Chapel of St. Lawrence focuses primarily on supporting the architecture, the different chapel functions and the emotional needs of the people attending these life altering occasions. The chapel itself is specifically designed with the mourners in mind.
The Chapel of St. Lawrence is mainly used for burial services but more joyous festivities are also held, such as baptisms and Christmas celebrations. The lighting design was met with a wish from the user about the possibility of altering the lights in at least the larger chapel to adapt it to different functions. Therefore pre-programmed lighting scenes slightly deviating in dynamic were created into the larger chapel. Other service rooms (smaller chapel & area for receiving the urn) also have the possibility of adjusting the lighting level. During night-time the building resembles a lantern with the light emanating outwards from the inside. The façades were left entirely unlit.
The indoor lighting sought a more peaceful and soothing atmosphere. Soft but not monotonous, the lights still maintain a certain dynamic and variation. In the public rooms the lighting level was left reasonably dim so as to respect the personal and intimate nature of grief.
The lighting was achieved by using fluorescent, metal-halide and LED lamps, Xenon arc lamps, quartz iodine lamps and a select number of theatre spotlights. http://www.valosto.com/uutiskirje/8a895b5a7c5a99c688414b864bf1549f