Gabriel Mackinnon designed a feature chandelier to anchor an extension of Calgary’s premier shopping destination, the Chinook Centre. The crystal icicles are a playful take on the winter phenomenon of the chinook. The chandeliers are programmed to slowly and subtly sparkle with crisp white light, periodically running a faster animation to add excitement and dynamism.
Each icicle is composed of 4 crystals of varying lengths, each triangular in profile and internally illuminated from an LED point source within the metal cap. The end of each crystal rod is sheared off at a 45 degree angle, providing a sparkling face onto with the light refracts. Each of the 4 lights in each icicle is individually controlled, creating a delightful shimmer effect.
The 1000 channels and resulting multiple DMX universes in each fixture made this project an interesting foray into programming dynamic lighting, and the exclusive use of white light keeps the animation classic and elegant.
The lighting of the court area of the mall surrounding the chandeliers was also designed by Gabriel Mackinnon, with a series of cool white oval coves providing a dramatic frame for the two sparkling crystal chandeliers.