Embodying the rolling waves of light unfurling across San Diego Bay, the Luminous Wave offers a welcoming experience of arrival.
LUMINOUS WAVE FACADE
SAN DIEGO, USA
2024
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EARLY CONCEPTUAL STUDY
FACADE PAPER MOCK-UP
EARLY MATERIAL STUDY
EXPERIENTIAL LIGHT STUDY
EXPERIENTIAL LIGHT STUDY
COMPOSITE FACADE PANEL FABRICATION
THE FACADE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
COMPOSITE GLASS AND METAL PANELS ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE
COMPOSITE GLASS AND METAL PANELS ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE
THE FACADE FACES SAN DIEGO'S BAY, EMBODYING OCEAN SWELLS UNFOLDING UPON ITS SURFACE
Description
Drawing inspiration from San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, which sits just across from the San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 1, this artwork doubles as the façade of the terminal’s ticketing hall. The artwork is 800’ long, 33’ feet high, and features curved composite glass and metal panels that are each 14’ and 5’ tall. The design fulfills the need to maximize views and connection to the coastal city’s environmental characteristics while activating the diurnal and seasonal presence of light and shadows within the building.
The studio collaborated with Gensler and the wider team to ensure the façade performance and the artwork’s underlying conceptual goals were seamlessly integrated, utilizing sun studies, computer modeling, mock-ups and material studies. Celebrating the renewal of Terminal 1, the Luminous Wave’s rhythmic expression of light and shadow offers a uniquely local sense of arrival and departure.
Client: San Diego Airport Authority
Architect: Gensler