It’s difficult to pass through Center City Philadelphia after dusk without noticing the landmarked Lit Brothers Building. Whether it’s illuminated in white, adorned in red and green for the holiday season, or glowing pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the radiance of this complete block of Victorian commercial architecture has made it a city icon.
To bring the architecture to life, The Lighting Practice selected a color-changing LED lighting system and DMX controls that allow authorized employees to adjust the façade lighting remotely and at any time. TLP’s lighting design, which was reviewed and approved by the City of Philadelphia’s Historical Commission, incorporates low profile adjustable brackets strategically placed beneath each sill and additional LED uplights mounted to existing brackets. The result is a series of vertical columns of light along the façade. In 2016, the project earned TLP the honor of receiving an Award of Merit from the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and a Certificate of Merit from the Society’s Philadelphia Section.
Luminous Spec featured the Lit Brothers Building in its fall 2017 issue’s Project Spotlight. The article, which details The Lighting Practice’s dynamic lighting fixture choices, notes that, “The end result turned this historical building into a bold, new destination, and its reputation is expanding on social media reputation as visitors share pictures of this exquisite façade against the night sky.”
The Power to Rejuvenate an Icon
Luminous Spec | Fall 2017
Located in the bustling heart of Philadelphia, PA, the Lit Brothers building first opened as a department store in 1891 and remains a cultural landmark today. Recently, the building’s owner contacted local design firm, The Lighting Practice, (TLP) to visually showcase the building’s historic cast iron, marble and granite façade as part of an effort to revitalize commerce in and around the building. Although integrating a modern LED lighting system into the historic architecture was challenging, the team worked closely with Philips Lighting and the City of Philadelphia’s Historical Commission each step of the way to ensure a stunning result
