USTA Grandstand Stadium

To help usher the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) Flushing Meadows campus into a new age, architects at the Rossetti Firm installed semi-transparent mesh in leaf-like panels around the new Grandstand Stadium's exterior features, and a half-roof canopy using larger, more opaque fabric panels. The leaf-like panels were used to soften the sharp lines of the geometric stadium while also metaphorically evoking the illusion of peering through foliage. These panel materials play with opacity and translucence, offering glimpses in and out of the stadium, while the upper canopy shades spectators and adds to the organic feel of the stadium.

The porous, façade design and the lighting of the canopy presented a unique challenge for the lighting designers at SBLD Studio. Their search for versatile luminaires that would put the right amount of light exactly where they needed it, while lessening maintenance costs drastically, led them to Lumenpulse. SBLD Studio's choice luminaire for this project was the Lumenpulse Lumenbeam Grande and Large, which possessed the perfect performance attributes of customizable optics and mounting versatility to light both the semi-transparent panels and the opaque canopy. 

The varied angles and construction materials used in the stadium required a luminaire whose performance could be counted on to project beams where they were needed, as there could be no "standard" positioning of the luminaires. Some beams would need to travel farther than others, while also avoiding creating glare as spectators enjoyed the event. The Lumenbeam fixtures were able to make the panels and canopy float and glow, and to highlight the new stadium as a beacon on the campus, a sight in itself as seen from the adjacent roadway and throughout the campus.

The knowledgeable service Lumenpulse provided was essential throughout the project. "The hands-on service, having a Lumenpulse representative on-site to ease the installation, was indispensable," said Bruce Taylor, Senior Associate at SBLD Studio.

The organic glow of the stadium has already become iconic. The Grandstand Stadium, a fan-favorite due to its intimacy and proximity to the athletes, has kept its popularity thanks to the polished lighting of SBLD Studio and the natural echoes of Rossetti Firm's architectural design. 

The Lumenbeams have provided a much-needed relief to maintenance crews thanks to their longevity, warranty and ruggedness, while also providing the USTA with the option of elegant color-changing for special events and sponsor nights. It can safely be said that the choice of Lumenpulse luminaires is game, set, match.

EQUIPMENT SPECIFIED

26 x Lumenbeam Grande RGBW, 60° Wide Flood, DMX-RDM
63 x Lumenbeam Large RGBW, 60° Wide Flood, DMX-RDM
18 x Lumenfacade Horizontal, 4', 4000K, 10°x60°
1 x LumenID