Lighting designers, Cooley Monato, choose Aculux® fixtures for exclusive One Madison building

The work of architects CetraRudy, this stunning 60-story, luxury condo building is situated
in the dynamic Madison Square Park area where the Flatiron, Gramercy, and NoMad neighborhoods intersect.

One Madison is, arguably, New York City's most exclusive address. The work of architects CetraRudy, this stunning 60-story, luxury condo building is situated in the dynamic Madison Square Park area where the Flatiron, Gramercy, and NoMad neighborhoods intersect. Completed in 2014, condo units offer breathtaking, panoramic views of Manhattan through floor to ceiling windows.

 

The opulent building amenities were created by renowned interior designers, Yabu Pushelberg, and include 10,000 square feet of dramatic space devoted to the comfort and convenience of the residents. The soaring entryway features unique Italian marble, rich wood finishes, and site-specific commissioned artwork. A swimming pool area with a curved ceiling and marble walls offers views of Madison Avenue. The spa incorporates a glass-enclosed steam room that looks out onto Madison Square Park. Other facilities include a spectacular great room, lounge, screening room, game room, kids room, and fitness center.
 
Yabu Pushelberg knew that lighting would be crucial to the ambiance and functionality of the amenity areas and entrusted this aspect of the project to lighting designers, Cooley Monato Studio. The interior design philosophy dictated that the recessed lighting be capable of accenting artwork and architectural features, while providing sufficient ambient illumination for residents, yet be so unobtrusive as to virtually disappear into the ceilings. The lighting had to be code-compliant as well. After thoroughly evaluating the offerings from various manufacturers, Cooley Monato chose Aculux-brand, 3-1/4" LED precision luminaires from Juno Lighting Group for the recessed lighting applications.

 

The Aculux luminaires were specified with square apertures and deeply regressed, pinhole trims. By selecting the flush-mount option, the luminaires appeared to be trimless, integrating seamlessly into ceilings. The luminaires were positioned on an "only where needed" basis near perimeter walls, avoiding a uniform grid layout that tends to call unwanted attention to the lighting. Nonetheless, luminaire placement was painstakingly designed so as not to look haphazard. 

 

 

The building entry and lobby were a special challenge, having artwork, large expanses of wood, a counter-height work surface, and architectural features in need of illumination. Gear-driven, precision adjustability combined with high-quality LED light made Aculux luminaires the perfect solution for this environment. The highly advanced optic package eliminated the potential of distracting multiple shadows, while the deeply regressed light source resulted in glare-free, quiet ceilings. The feeling created is one of calm and clarity.

 

Another interesting challenge involved the installation of recessed lighting in the various wood and metal ceilings incorporated into the interior design of One Madison. While Aculux flush-mount trim worked superbly in materials such as plaster or wallboard, it wasn't originally intended for use with wood or metal. So the Cooley Monato staff worked closely with Juno Lighting Group engineers to develop special adapters that enabled the flush-mount trims to blend perfectly with these alternative ceiling materials. This was a crucial step in executing the lighting design because it was essential that all the building's fixtures exhibit a totally integrated look. Custom trim colors were also created to match the various wood and metal finishes.

 

 

In the swimming pool area, New York City codes required very high levels of illumination. However, for aesthetic reasons, Cooley Monato wanted to minimize the number of fixtures as much as possible. Fortunately, the 1,000 lumen output of the 20-watt Aculux LED luminaires combined with exceptionally accurate beam control enabled code requirements to be met with the least number of luminaires. They also met requirements for corrosion resistance related to indoor pool environments.

 

Dimming capability was another important consideration that led to the selection of Aculux LED luminaires. Numerous dimming options were available, including the 1% dimming Cooley Monato required. The luminaires were specified with Lutron® LED drivers and were fully compatible with the Lutron lighting control system selected for this project.

 

In addition to their exceptional performance and peerless aesthetics, Aculux LED precision luminaires consume just one-fourth the energy of comparable halogen fixtures and last up to 20-times longer. Plus LEDs are the most eco-friendly light source available, containing no lead, mercury or other hazardous toxins and producing no IR or UV emissions. Energy efficiency and responsible environmental stewardship are of interest to everyone and have proven to have universal appeal in marketing One Madison to prospective condo owners.

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