Lighting engineer on board architect project team

Lights - more than just lamps and bulbs - are core elements for many of today's design teams.

Light + Space, a Reno architectural lighting design firm, likes to be part of the team from the get-go, says its owner, Lee Harris.

"The architectural process runs from programming to schematic design to design development to construction drawing," she says,"and then to construction administration - which is basically being available for things that happen in the field, because things don't always go as planned."

Coming into a lighting project at the beginning gives her time to look at the use of space and aesthetics, or functionality and fun.

Harris is often brought on board during the request for qualifications process to work with the core team of mechanical, electrical and structural engineers.

Typically, her first task is to convince them that she's not an interior designer.

"My background in electrical engineering has helped with that as far as working on commercial work," she says,"and there's a confidence that I'm not just worried about the aesthetics and how it's going to look."

Harris spent six years with Sierra Pacific Power Co.,working as an engineer in efficiency, helping customers lower their bills.

She moved from there into mining, testing relays in the field, and was wooed back to Sierra Pacific as its lighting resource in Customer Technical Services.

She made the move from the technical side so she could get more involved in aesthetics.

From there she worked as a lighting representative setting up specification support for engineers and architects with products of 80 manufacturers before she went out on her own, familiar with thousands of lighting manufacturers and with all the resources available to do good lighting design a combination of technology, business needs and design beauty.

"It's a good balance and helps give other consultants the confidence that I'm going to be a help rather than a hindrance to that project, that I'll add value rather than just add cost and time," she says.

Even though her focus is always on the one aspect of lighting,Harris' input to a project is driven by varying business and aesthetic needs.

Beauty drove Harris' lighting design for the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church designed by HMC Architects and under construction at McCarran and Pyramid in Sparks.

To make the most of the space and create a beautiful place in the church's clerestory awe-inspiring but not overwhelming Harris avoided breaking up the arches and open spaces.

She worked with the architect, using light wood and direct lights reflected off the ceiling to create a feeling of warmth from above, like the sky just after sunset.

Technology stepped in to create flexibility in controls so the church can light anything from weddings to funerals with one touch rather than by hiring a lighting expert.

Safety drove Harris' lighting design of the University of Nevada, Reno parking garage.

The university wanted a nondescript building which the architect feared would border on ugly, so Harris worked with lighting to mix safety with beautiful exteriors and a lit elevator tower of concrete and glass panels.

To achieve a pleasing end result, everything mattered, from landscaping around a lit walking path to paint colors and reflected light off the paint.

Business needs drove Harris' contribution to a project at the Reno City Council chambers.

Meetings in the chambers are broadcast, so the space can't have hot spots or places where people can't be seen.

Harris worked to ensure a balance between technical and aesthetic needs to make people's faces visible, the background behind the city council look good, and the whole room function for presentations, low light videos, and broadcasting.

Commercial projects are a chance to have some fun, says Harris, as well as to really think about the functionality of the space.