Spectrum Neon Company’s role in helping to revitalize this downtown jewel included design, engineering and building the Westin’s new signs. The scope of this historic project included almost three thousand interior signs spanning 31 floors. A variety of materials and sign types were produced to Westin’s exacting standards for quality.

ADA and directional, aluminum and stainless steel water-jet cut letters and etched plaques were produced beautifully and on budget. Exterior signs consisted of two sets of 6’ high individual channel letters using .090 aluminum backs and returns w/ 1/4” Lexan faces that were overlaid with 3M Dual Color film that gives a black opaque look for daytime and brilliant white at night. The even illumination is provided by 4 rows of Tri Phosphor Neon and with perfectly balanced transformers, can provide decades of maintenance free operation with surprisingly low power consumption. Finally, 80 ft. cranes were brought in to hang the signs six stories high at the corner of Washington and State Street.

Interior Signs: If there was ever an argument for strong design when it comes to interior branding, the folks at Westin did a great job at choosing colors and materials. The guest room ID and directionals made use of a custom dyed 3/8” acrylic piece with polished edges to mimic glass. Contrasting inserts and copy provided a rich contemporary look and feel. To protect wall coverings, we used aluminum shim plates screwed to the wall to provide a solid base to adhere the sign to.

Canopy Halo Signs: With just a few weeks left before to the Grand Opening, we were asked to construct two hanging Halo lit canopy signs. By working with the architect we accomplished the task in record time. We problem-solved and built the hanging brackets as the canopy was being constructed. We matched colors and incorporated Westin’s strong branding while ensuring that the overall look blended well with the faithfully recreated canopy. Neon was used for the Halo effect of the letters ensuring years of trouble free maintenance.

As with any job of this scale, keeping open communication with the customer is critical. As changes were made and new signage was added, Spectrum Neon Co. kept pace and delivered on time for the Westin Book Cadillac’s Grand Opening.

These lighting types have been used for decades to express and provide color, visual interest and a viable use of soft task and ambient indoor lighting.

Outline lighting which is typically accomplished through the use of neon tubing, can be seen ranging from small convenience store window decoration to architectural building outline lighting 30 stories above ground.  Outline lighting is used to accent the architectural lines of the structure it is applied to.  This type of lighting can produce a striking nighttime image of the building, bridge or structures form; which may otherwise be lost in the night sky.

Indirect or cove lighting can also be used to accent an architectural detail, an example of this would be halo or back lighting of an architectural shape suspended from a ceiling interior.

Other uses of indirect lighting would be to provide ambient and task light without the use of spot lighting which can at times provide harsh shadows.  Indirect lighting is usually accomplished by reflecting light off adjacent surfaces with a light source not directly visible — such as placing the light source in an overhead cove and reflecting the light off of the walls or ceiling.  Indirect lighting sources can range from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent lamps, LEDs and neon and cold cathode lighting.

Fluorescent, incandescent and LED lighting are typically available in pre-determined sizes, lengths and colors.  Fluorescent lighting although bright is provided in certain standard sizes and colors which may not lend itself to the size or shape of the cove or the specific color requirements of the architect or lighting designer.  Even as advances are made in its’ technology the lamps require regular replacement which may not be practical in difficult access areas. Incandescent lighting although warm in color is limited in it’s color palette and requires regular bulb changes along with higher energy consumption.  LEDs which are relatively new have limited light output with limited color palette and can become quite expensive for this application.
Two lighting sources that are becoming increasingly popular are Neon and Cold Cathode lighting. The innate advantages to this tubular light source lend itself very well to this application.  Because neon and cold cathode lighting are custom bent “light tubes” they can be crafted to conform to any shape or size, straight or curved.  This type of lighting has been in existence for decades and can be manufactured in a multitude of colors, sizes and shapes to accommodate any design.

Because neon and cold cathode lighting are tubular in cross section, light emanates in all directions along the length of the tube, avoiding hot spots.  Many options are available for light output or intensity ranging from 30 milliamp power supplies for accent lighting to 200 milliamp power supplies for larger diameter cold cathode lighting used for room lighting.

The operating principal for this lighting relies on cold ignition which creates an extremely long life span.  Some lamps we have removed from cathedrals for re-working were still operative after 30 years.  This lifespan becomes very favorable when lighting has to be installed in areas which have difficult access after initial installation.

Newer advanced solid state power supplies have also made neon and cold cathode lighting very efficient.  It is important to note, light should be measured in lumens (a measure of light intensity) per watt of power consumed.  When a light source is said to require low wattage, care must be taken to evaluate how much light is being generated “per watt”.  For instance, a light on a child’s toy may consume very little energy but its also not producing much light.

Along with an expanded color palette and shape versatility, this light source has a favorable high lumen per watt ratio which makes it very efficient.  When designing your next lighting project, consider the benefits of neon and cold cathode lighting as a versatile energy efficient lighting source for many architectural lighting needs.