Cathedral of the Holy Cross

The landmark Cathedral of the Holy Cross holds a venerated spot in the Boston civic imagination, and the imagination of the entire nation, as a place for those grieving the assassination of JFK and more recently, the vigil for the Boston Marathon Bombings with words from former President Barack Obama. Its history is a complex and important part of Boston's story.

 After over a century, the Cathedral underwent a top-to-bottom modernization refurbishment to reinvigorate the space, add more inclusive services, as well as to update its systems. For part of its interior lighting design, HDLC Architectural Lighting chose Lumenpulse luminaires to create a brighter, better lit space while also enhancing the beauty of the cathedral. The exterior of the cathedral was restored with new trim and Lumenfacade and Lumenbeam luminaires were both chosen to weather Boston's environment and provide the stately architectural lighting the iconic Cathedral needed.

To tastefully accent the arches ribbing the interior of the cathedral's main area of worship, as well as to provide general lighting to the apse and main alter, the precision optics (Narrow Spot, Very Narrow) of the Lumenbeam luminaires keep their light where it is aimed, reducing spill onto nearby areas. The arches are subtly enhanced, creating an otherworldly aura to the ceiling, while the apse and alter are made into a gentle focal point.

The exterior of the cathedral uses the Lumenpulse advantage of color-temperature, optics, and dependability to advocate for its architectural features without making a spectacle. The understated light and purposeful shadows (thanks to the well-defined light beams) brings the cathedral's architecture to the forefront of the night and surrounding buildings.

The overall impression of the new lighting scheme has been made with highly positive reviews while the parishioners and staff of this venerated place of worship have remarked on its renewed and enhanced spirit. The idea that such spaces are in themselves historied works of art is something that the lighting scheme and luminaires have clearly kept in mind and it shows in every ray of light.

EQUIPMENT SPECIFIED
31 x Lumenbeam XLarge (2700K, Narrow Spot)
2 x Lumenbeam Grande (3500K, Narrow Flood)
6 x Lumenbeam Grande (3000K, Very Narrow)
13 x Lumenbeam Large (3000K, Very Narrow)
112 x Lumenfacade Inground (48", 3000K, 60° x 60°)