New lighting was pivotal in the restoration of Central Park’s Belvedere Castle.  CBB’s solution highlights the beauty of the stone façade and wood pavilions in a manner that respects the site’s historic character.

The client’s brief required the lighting renovations to touch the landmark 1870’s structure as minimally as possible. The solution was to illuminate the castle using floodlights, mounted on poles that raise the lighting above surrounding foliage that might otherwise shroud these fixtures.

Inside the castle, we specified low-voltage cable systems with 3000K LED lamps – a solution that eliminates all surface conduits. The louvered fixtures’ minimal appearance puts the primary focus on the architecture.

The openness of the adjacent wood pavilion is a counterpoint to the stone castle’s solidity. The pavilion is lit from within, using indirect lighting reflected off the ceilings. This scheme allows this structure’s details to read clearly without the sources of light being visible.

Thoughtful lighting design gives this celebrated visitor destination a renewed sense of place.