What's immediately evident upon entering this optometry office is the captivating cascading lantern feature that descends proudly, projecting itself within the curvilinear two storey space creating a dazzling architectural depth of field.
Inspired by the mechanics of the eye and in particular, depth of field, the cascading lantern feature is made up of a series of undulating curvilinear shaped disks with a mirror at its end reflecting an image of the retail space below. White and RGB LED lights wrap continuously around each level of the curved disks providing lighting to the space below and to the disk above. The view of the lantern from below is read as a palette of layered light. The lantern plays on both natural and artificial light as natural light is cast onto the lantern and from inside artificial light.
The design challenges of the 325 m2 one story optometry office and the two story optical retail space were two fold. Firstly; the careful composition and proportional placement of the cascading lantern within its relationship to the space as a whole revealed the complexity of the various three dimensional spatial elements. Considerations of how it projected from below and from the exterior public street were also important. Secondly; the way in which the eye glasses were displayed was a critical factor in ensuring the successful implementation of the retail component of the optometry office. A minimalist, integrated approach was developed for the eye glasses display cases and millwork that worked as white backdrops showcasing the various styles and colours of the product.
The continuous expansive band of glazing from the upper portion of the 2 storey space provides an abundance of natural light creating a dynamic ambiance of the optical space below. The natural light during the day means a significant reduction of artificial light and energy
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