Housed in a midtown Manhattan office building, the two-floor design for this allied health teaching program is clean and modern. The lighting is a vital element that plays many roles in the design.

Throughout the project, the lighting signals the use of each space. In lounges, the lighting is purposefully decorative, often playful, and selected to reinforce the materials used. Often, it draws attention away from the open-ceiling construction.

In circulation areas, cove uplights blend seamlessly with the beams to which they are attached, providing a soft, ambient light. The spaces glow without the source of light being apparent.

The showpiece is the interconnecting stair. Challenged with creating a design to encourage interaction between floors, we transformed the stair into an exciting art piece that students and faculty enjoy using.

The lighting is a key project element that clarifies, sharpens and adds life to the design.