Popular Open-Air Shopping Center Shines

July 1, 2007
Architectural Area Lighting's Products Provide Versatility, Aesthetic Appeal at Mixed-Use Facility

For decades, indoor shopping malls have been popular attractions for consumers to shop, eat, and spend time with family and friends. But across the country, a new style of shopping center, one that centers on the airy outdoors, is quickly replacing the traditional indoor shopping mall. These days, the new "it" places to shop are open-air shopping centers, which are often integrated with residential complexes, creating a lifestyle center environment that makes living and shopping in the same place the new trend in modern urbanism.

One such open-air shopping center is Crocker Park, located just outside of Cleveland, OH. Located on 75 tree-lined and beautifully landscaped acres, Crocker Park encompasses 12 city blocks and features a mixture of internationally known retail stores, spacious office buildings, great restaurants, luxury apartments, and spectacular homes.  The facility, which exudes captivating charm and bustling energy, is a mirror image of the traditional downtown areas of America's past.

When planning for Crocker Park began in January 2000, it was important to the developer that the environment of the open-air shopping center be welcoming, warm, and appealing to consumers, not only in terms of the buildings and landscape, but also with regards to the outdoor lighting that would lend quite heavily to the facility's atmosphere.   

Identifying Lighting and Look
After meetings with Crocker Park's developer - Stark Enterprises - regarding their expected atmosphere for the lifestyle center, Horton Lees Brogden, the project's lighting design consultant, sought lighting products that would provide appropriate light levels, as well as offer the aesthetic appeal needed to complement Crocker Park's quaint architecture.  

It was also necessary that the company identified fixtures and lamps that addressed the issues of light trespass and light pollution. In a mixed-use facility such as Crocker Park, it is imperative that appropriate directional elements and lamps are used to meet the lighting needs of retailers and way finding for shoppers while providing privacy and security for residential tenants and homeowners.

"Properly lighting mixed-use facilities is quite challenging, as you typically have multiple worlds sharing one location," says Frank Gerardo, LC, and an associate at Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design.

Architectural Area Lighting Tandem Selected to Light Crocker Park
After investigating the offerings of a variety of lighting manufacturers, Horton Lees Brogden selected Architectural Area Lighting (AAL) as the lighting manufacturer of choice. Known as a leading provider of architectural outdoor fixtures for the commercial building market, AAL products are designed and manufactured to meet both the elegant aesthetic and superior performance needs of its audiences.

Due to its versatility and aesthetic appeal, AAL's Promenade SeriesTM was selected as Crocker Park's primary lighting fixture, while the company's Arts and Crafts fixture was chosen to complement the Promenade Series. Both from AAL's Period line, the tandem offers the look of antique elegance as well as lighting levels that provide safety for patrons and residents, plus the desired ambiance for the open-air shopping center's streetscape. Minor aesthetic modifications were developed by the design team, which AAL was very capable of providing. This enhanced the unique characteristics of the project and further complemented the architecture and landscaped surroundings.

"The Promenade Series state-of-the-art, focused optical system was a key element in our selection process. Promenade allowed us to precisely distribute the light, which resulted in smooth, even illumination of the center's public spaces. In addition, both the Promenade and Arts and Crafts lines were on target with the appropriate light levels and aesthetics sought by the developer," says Gerardo.

Horton Lees Brogden took Promenade's performance levels and visual appeal one step further - the lighting consultant adjusted the fixtures so they could house two lamps.  The second lamp was mounted vertically inside the center of the fixture to give off the appearance of a candle. This one-of-a-kind lighting design allows the first lamp - the primary light source - to light up during peak operating hours, while the second lamp is used as a decorative lighting feature that also provides adequate lighting during off-peak hours. 

"The custom candles in the Promenade Series create the feel of gaslights, while providing the functional lighting via a concealed lamp in the shroud of the fixture. This feature also lends itself well to buildings with residences above by avoiding horizontal light trespass into the windows facing the street," says Darryl Whitehead, Stark Enterprises' director of marketing.

Working in tandem with the Promenade Series, the Arts and Crafts fixtures added more graceful style and warmth to the architecture and design of the outdoor landscape.  Primarily located in the public gathering areas at Crocker Park, Arts and Crafts' pedestrian pole mounts, mounted wall fixtures, and decorative pendants provide detailed, effective lighting.

Crocker Park: Multiuse, Multilighting Solutions
Today, Crocker Park continues to serve as a popular outdoor shopping area with business and residential areas dotting the mixed-use facility's acreage. While developers like Stark Enterprises successfully balance retail, commercial, and residential development in one setting, companies like Architectural Area Lighting pioneer solutions to address the lighting and aesthetic needs for a variety of environments in one area.

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