2020 IES Illumination Awards: Boston Pro Shop

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) has recognized three Hartranft Lighting Design projects with National Awards of Merit as part of the 47th IES Illumination Awards program. The award for the BPHA Pro Shop at TD Garden Arena in Boston features the work of HLD designer Paula Ziegenbein.

(Above) Linear LED/acoustic baffle pendants and accents of color draw customers to a feature display prominently highlighted by a suspended, 16’ diameter LED ring.

HLD also received IES 2020 National Award of Merit for the Charlotte International Airport Concourse D Terminal and the Greater Rochester International Airport Entrance Canopy. 

Project Summary
Grit. Heart. Heritage. Authenticity. Principles guiding design for Boston Bruins and Celtics official team store. The goal? Seamlessly blending exposed ceilings, honest materials and retail merchandise with state-of-the-art audio-visual displays and digital signage, creating an immersive environment enhanced by multi-layered retail and entertainment lighting, featuring automated lighting shows. 

Individually, wirelessly addressable LED track lighting fulfills lighting power density and controls compliance, granular control and long-term flexibility. Furthermore, designers implemented a new technology of electronically adjustable beam spreads without lenses or filters, allowing ladder-free, fine-tuning of light distributions on merchandise displays. The retail scheme includes nuanced moments of architectural enhancement. 

This is a first ever installation combining 250+ track heads with dimming and beam shaping, initially necessitating two Bluetooth radios and two commissioning “apps” per fixture. Designers engaged with the LED manufacturer early. A Beta version interface combining these aspects was created based on the designers’ requirements. 

Wash lights and moving lights dynamically support team color and goal score light shows. Designers conferred with IT and arena operations to spec a lighting controller compatible with the arena’s largescale DMX based system, and capable of receiving triggers, dimming retail lighting and calling light shows. 

When concepts were presented to ownership and staff, there were concerns about ease of use. Staff wanted simple, time-based control, coordinated team-based color scenes and dynamic event-based shows. Timeclock-based events are automatic and simple point of use control via a custom Web interface is installed on staff’s smart phones. Training staff was easy and they appreciate the ability to override programmed shows if needed. 
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In summary, this thoughtful design and complex control system integrates multiple, wired and wireless protocols in a seamless lighting system; removing the burden of control from staff and facilitating a dynamic, immersive retail environment for fans, concert goers, attendees of other TD Garden events. 

Project Images

(Below) Window displays, backlighted graphic signage, internally lighted pedestals draw attention to the team store’s entries. Inside, gold or green colored lighting signify team game days.

(Below) A double-height, rotating display backlighted from floor to ceiling, automatically coordinated with team colors is front lit with variable beam LED t rack lights.

(Below) The queue area is identified by a video ticker tape. Colored lighting promotes circulation. Unobtrusive, narrow-beam LED cylinders and downlighting eliminate reflections on video screens.

(Below) 250+ addressable, wirelessly cont rollable LED t rack lights solve varying intensity, ceilings and mounting heights challenges. Beam shaping technology delivers precise accent without lenses or filters.

(Below) Designers developed a color coded, numerically sequenced “map” of the store’s lighting to facilitate commissioning of wireless LED track lights and LED cylinder luminaires.

(Below) Programmed light shows indicate 30 minutes to game time, half time, game over. Also, Goal Score during a hockey game. Inset shows custom Web interface.

(Below) LED shelf lighting on rotating hat displays and color-changing, LED lighting at toe kicks synched with colored themes and shows provide finishing touches.

​(Below) A future benefit? The wireless lighting broadcasts Bluetooth beacons which can be synced with Fan apps to further enhance the immersive experience.

About the IES Illumination Awards
The IES Illumination Awards program recognizes individuals for professionalism, ingenuity, and originality in lighting design based on the individual merit of each entry. Judges are selected from a broad professional spectrum, representing knowledge of lighting and design excellence. The judging system is entirely based on how well the lighting design meets the program criteria. The Illumination Awards program is not a competition. ​