Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design: Projects, Connecticut Science Center, Hartford, CT

This recently-completed, 154,000 sq. ft. science museum and educational facility redefines the Hartford skyline and is expected to generate a new level of activity in the downtown waterfront district. A wavy “magic carpet” roof floats above a light-filled, 143-ft.-high central atrium: Uplit at night, this unique element creates the building’s signature feature. Exhibit galleries, a multi-purpose theater, a café and offices are housed in volumes to either side of the atrium, while a Science Discovery Center is located within the building’s base. The use of energy-efficient ceramic metal halide and T5 fluorescent sources, and a control system that enables daylight harvesting, were key factors in the Center’s achieving LEED® Gold certification.