The Commune
Austin, Texas
Designer
Alisha Tyler for NewGround
Lighting specifier
Alisha Tyler for NewGround
Client
U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Date of completion
Dec 17th, 2020
Background
NewGround’s partnership with U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union (FCU) includes four previous designs. The high profile Albuquerque branch, constructed to replace an outdated existing branch, was conceived to introduce digital innovation to unique branch architecture and streamlined project management. The 3,408 square foot branch was intended to serve as a prototype for new Eagle FCU branches.
“The design goal was to physically manifest our client’s brand, which is a stylized eagle, with a highly visible and instantly recognizable building that will serve as their new prototype branch.”
Goal
“The design goal was to physically manifest our client’s brand, which is a stylized eagle, with a highly visible and instantly recognizable building that will serve as their new prototype branch,” NewGround designer Alisha Tyler explained, adding that the lobby has a 22’ high curved ceiling designed to be “bright, open and lofty.” The lights, also suspended from the ceiling, can be left on to highlight the lobby at night.
Factors
This commercial space was designed to include a:
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Bar where FCU members can use technology
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Large-format video wall
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Suspended eagle facsimile to accentuate the credit union brand
A waiting area would afford both comfort and marketing. Design elements would create “unified branded space” and “set up the design framework for future branch projects.”
Challenge
NewGround’s Tyler reports that the “design of this building was ambitious and bold but it actually came together quite quickly with very few changes from the initial concept. Our biggest design challenges were trying to mitigate the difficulties around the amount of glazing—glare on any interior screens, heat gain, shading, etc. but our team worked together to find solutions that were in support of the initial vision.”
Two foundational principles of lighting design guide most designers and architects—the qualitative (or aesthetic) aspect and the quantitative (or engineering) aspect of light. Architectural lighting is concerned with the qualitative lighting experience. The qualitative pertains to ensuring that a space has a pleasing ambience. It is the artistic interspersing of shadows and light, darkness and illumination, highlighting certain figures and form.
Six-inch LED cylinder light
The commercial-grade 12301-6 LED 6 inch cylinder light fixture is ideal for medium to high ceilings and offers multiple mounting options. Its universal dimming system works with most 3-wire ELV, 2-wire Incandescent and 5-wire 0-10V fluorescent dimmers.
Shop Now >Six-inch LED cylinder light
The commercial-grade 12301-6 LED 6 inch cylinder light fixture is ideal for medium to high ceilings and offers multiple mounting options. Its universal dimming system works with most 3-wire ELV, 2-wire Incandescent and 5-wire 0-10V fluorescent dimmers.
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