Commercial Architecture April 2018 - 26

PROJECT

lighting
throughout the long lobby, from the sculptural 'pixel-like' Do Lo

ing with a four-story "sky-window" that became a defining ele-

Res sofas configured into sectionals, to shades of red on the stair-

ment on the Chicago skyline.

case accent wall.
515 North State was designed in the 1990s by Pritzker Prize-
winning Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, who topped the build-

1 NORTH DEARBORN

The centerpiece of the revived 1 North Dearborn facade is a largescale, infinity-effect digital light-art installation that spans 72 ft.
of street-level windows.
Built in 1905, 1 North Dearborn was the home of The Boston
Store in the 1940s, and served as home to Sears's flagship store from
2001 to 2014. The huge department store windows now glow with 52
different light animations, creating a striking impression and welcoming entrance.
To create a dynamic entry experience that makes the building
stand out in the busy neighborhood, the nearly 30,000 LED lights
are programmed in different modes to reflect the ebb and flow of
activity in the building. In one of six animation modes, silhouettes in the shape of people pulse toward the entry. In the evening,
the silhouettes appear to move away, following people as they depart. The window installation also acts as a clock, marking time
on the hour with special lighting effects. A bold, red canopy, featuring a new 1 North Dearborn logo designed by ESI Design,
frames and draws attention to the eye-catching windows.
"Playing off the building's past as a bustling department store,
we wanted to create a bright and illuminating entrance for 1
North Dearborn, turning the building into a focal point and creating an entry experience that wows," explained Emily Webster,
senior designer and AV technologist at ESI Design. "The interesting elements of this design are the lines of light and the infinite
mirror effect. We created this endless look using LEDs and mir-

Above. The street presence of 1 North Dearborn had been diminished in recent years by its neighbors. Beacon Capital Partners asked
ESI Design to devise a design approach that would strengthen the building's identity and curb appeal. Photo: Caleb Tkach
Below. The lobby of 1 North Dearborn, formerly the home of The Boston Store in the 1940s and Sears from 2001 to 2014, was upgraded
along with the façade. Photo: Josh Pabst

rored film with a gold tint. We then layered playful patterns and
animations in a range of styles from subtle and ambient to more
lively. They all work together to activate the façade of 1 North
Dearborn and create visual interest."
The updates at 515 North State and 1 North Dearborn are the
latest in a series of innovative designs that ESI Design has created
in Chicago for Beacon Capital Partners. Previous Chicago property renovations have included 180 North LaSalle, which uses 13
synchronized HD projectors to project content on its walls, and
300 South Wacker, which features a 40-story map of Chicago on
the exterior wall that is now a must-see landmark on city architectural boat tours. CA

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Watch a video on each project:
515 North State
1 North Dearborn

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE

APRIL 2018

commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture April 2018