Illuminart, a division of Peter Basso Associates, was recently honored with a 2017 Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Award of Merit for the lighting design of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Beverly Hills, MI.
The existing 1960's era church was fitted with classic Atomic Age decorative pendants that were dim, difficult to maintain and utilized a significant amount of energy. Illuminart was tasked with increasing light levels in the church and improving visual comfort.
Refurbishing the existing pendants was explored but they had suffered damage over the years and were not beloved by the parish. The decision was made to incorporate new luminaires. At the time, there were limited options for high quality dimmable LED pendants. However, after thorough vetting, Illuminart found a perfect match from a proven manufacturer.
In addition, Illuminart incorporated monorail track lights to light stained glass windows, limestone mullions and other feature elements like the Stations of the Cross.
To avoid possible damage to the ceiling, new recessed adjustable downlights were installed in the attic above requiring little repair work to the plaster textured ceiling.
The lighting renovation dramatically reduced energy use for the church, brightened and improved visibility for patrons and brought new life to a classic example of modern church architecture.
