Lighting Plan to Illuminate Ottawa’s Parliamentary Precinct

March 3 2016

The Parliamentary Precinct, which includes the Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the commercial Sparks Street, and the Confederation Boulevard, will be brought to light by an exterior lighting master plan created by Lemay and Lightemotion. The plan will enrich and enhance the experience of night time pedestrians within 20 years from now.

Drawing its inspiration from the image of a diamond, the “Jewel in the Night” concept combines frontal and detail lighting to give the impression that the illuminations are outlined against a black sky. In certain locations, the play of shadow and light will bring out the dramatic and mysterious aspects of the Gothic Revival buildings on Parliament Hill, thus emphasizing the contrasts and the tensions in the landscape in the chiaroscuro style. Distributed according to four hierarchical levels of light, the illumination will reveal and reinforce the comparative prominence of the various buildings in the Parliamentary Precinct.

The main objective of this lighting master plan is to tell a story and offer night time pedestrians a stimulating view that contrasts from the one offered by day. Thus, certain areas have subdued lighting to set off the bright jewels of Parliament Hill. Other areas seek to show respect for the natural or heritage aspects of the site.

Imagine a walk through the illuminated precinct, where the visitor’s experience is presented as a narrative set to the beat of the site’s spirit. At the end of the walk, the climax of the show will be revealed on the Peace Tower and the Parliamentary Library, with a luminous, dynamic display that rolls through various scenes to suggest the beating of the nation’s heart.

The vision

The vision developed for the Lighting Plan aims to enrich and enhance the nighttime experience of the symbolic, environmental and heritage primacy of the site. Fourteen guiding principles, developed by the landscape architects in collaboration with Lightemotion, support this vision: respect, symbolic primacy, security and accessibility, preserving the heritage, adaptability, creativity and innovation, operations, stewardship, partnerships, hierarchy, viewing points, the visitor experience, sustainable development and balance.

The technological revolution in lighting

LED technology offers the opportunity to produce unique, high quality backdrops at low cost, controlled by computers via a DMX system. As a result, illumination will be balanced throughout the implementation of the numerous projects, so that the hierarchy within the precinct remains obvious at all times.

About Lemay

Founded in 1957 as an architectural firm, Lemay is an integrated environmental design firm, combining architecture, urban design, interior design, landscape architecture, structural engineering and branding. Now well established in Canada, United States, China, Algeria, Costa Rica, in the Caribbean and the Middle East, Lemay brings together nearly 350 professionals who offer their creativity to support their clients’ business strategies.

Lemay has been the driving force behind several landmark projects that have garnered attention here and abroad. Montreal projects include the STM Stinson transport centre, historic Place d’Armes, Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Astral Head Office and the Centre Bell (in consortium). Find out more: http://www.lemay.qc.ca.

About Lightemotion

Founded in 2002 by Francois Roupinian, Lightemotion is an independent global lighting design consultancy. As creative director, Roupinian has directed over 60 projects in five continents, collaborating with award-winning firms in architecture, interior design and exhibit design within the cultural, retail, institutional, civic, master planning and hospitality sectors. Find out more: http://www.lightemotion.ca.