Lighteam: Exploring Light, Color and Space

Gustavo Avilés, founder and conceptual lighting designer of lighting design firm Lighteam of Mexico City, has completed some exceptionally enchanting residential lighting designs using Martin Architectural lighting. Eucaliptos and Casa Cubos, both located in Mexico City, are two such installations, unique explorations of light, color and space. Lighting supply for both projects was by Luminance.

Eucaliptos
Architect: Miguel Ángel Aragonés,
Lighting designers: Gustavo Avilés
Collaborator: Verónica Ramírez
Programmer: Javier Ramírez
Engineering: Carlos Avilés

“The original concept of the house was respected, but light helped us recover the shapes and corners of the original design,” says lighting designer Gustavo Avilés whose integration of color in this domestic space gives the atmosphere a unique personality. “When we introduced light and color, the project was transformed into a new dimension.”

Various fixtures have been installed inside and outside the house, new combinations that give each room and garden a novel atmosphere. Among them are Martin Exterior 200 color changers in the garden and Martin RoboColor color changers in the interior living room. The fixtures help recreate the colors of nature - the oranges and yellows of a sunset and the bright blues of sunrise.

According to Gustavo Avilés the Martin fixtures were chosen because of their high quality and efficiency, their variety of color tones and their capacity to transform the atmosphere. “Martin fixtures have a discreet presence and a powerful, constant and clean projection of light,” he says. Specific features he finds useful include the possibility to control lights with the dimmer and combine them with other features to create new effects. He also appreciates their ability to integrate with different automation systems.

Casa Cubos
Architect: Miguel Ángel Aragonés
Lighting designers: Gustavo Avilés
Collaborator: Jorge Estrada
Programmer: Marco Antonio Carvajal
DMX Programmer: Marco Antonio Carvajal

The lighting brief for Casa Cubos was “to explore the relation between light, color and space as central elements in the creation of unique atmospheres and infinite possibilities.” The result was to give the construction another atmosphere.

Martin Exterior 200s helped to transform the Casa Cubos exterior. “The white surface changed into an infinite space where colors have no limitation and illusions are easily created,” Gustavo Avilés comments.

Besides being chosen for their quality and durability, Gustavo liked the Martin fixtures for their ability to achieve the perfect color for the space through a combination of lenses which he finds easy to manipulate.

“The light reflects off an external wall, creating an interior color changing ambience,” he explains. “The challenge was to find the perfect angle for the projection without creating unnecessary shadows.”