Color Kinetics Inc. announced this week the unveiling of its latest landmark installation, encompassing more than 1,800 LED-based fixtures as part of a lighting renovation project for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Based on preliminary operation and testing, the LED-based system is expected to consume just 25% of the total energy drawn by the previous fixtures, while also reducing maintenance and cutting the number of electrical vendors required from six to two.
The project called for the replacement of five-year-old metal halide fixtures within 26 glass pylons leading to the airport’s entrance, known as the famed “LAX Gateway.” Ranging in height from 25 to 110 feet, the translucent pylons can now display custom-designed, color-changing effects that are seamlessly enabled by Chromacore® technology, as opposed to the use of glass filters, colored gels, and electro-mechanical color scrollers that were previously required. Color Kinetics’ ColorBlast® 12 Powercore fixture was used for the project, which, as a single-cable line voltage system, eliminated the need for numerous external power supplies.
“This landmark project demonstrates the exceptional flexibility that LED sources bring to retrofit installations–enabling highly customizable architectural structures without the complexities and long-term costs of traditional color lighting methods,” says Bill Sims, president & CEO, Color Kinetics. “We have enhanced the visual impact of LAX Gateway, while at the same time decreasing energy consumption and alleviating the maintenance costs and concerns of the past.”
The pylons of LAX Gateway are visible to airline passengers at 3,000 feet. A series of dynamic light shows was designed for the new LED-based installation, including a patriotic sequence of red, white, and blue to observe the anniversary of September 11, 2001. The distinctive, architectural structures were originally designed as part of a $112 million construction and landscaping program intended to make the airport more welcoming and convenient for more than 61 million passengers who use the airport annually. They have since become an iconic component of the Los Angeles cityscape for residents and visitors alike.
“Along with Hollywood Bowl, California Speedway, and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, we’re pleased to count LAX–a premier international travel hub–among our prominent Southern California installations,” said Sims.
