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A key fixture in the lighting and San Antonio community for the last 25 years, Lucifer Lighting’s new headquarters—a 13-acre site, formerly the Pace Picante production facility—blends thoughtful consideration of light and architecture, and provides forward thinking illumination to both interior and exterior spaces for office and factory alike. As chairman and CEO Gilbert Mathews explains, the company had outgrown its downtown location and was looking for the “ideal space” that would allow the company to unite its administrative offices with its factory and research and development studios, and “set them for a number of years.” The existing 60,000 square foot Pace factory has enabled Lucifer to double its existing footprint.
Owing to the company’s trademark attention to detail and thoroughness in problem solving, it is no surprise that the renovation of the facility took almost three years from initial concept to actual completion. As a lighting manufacturer, coupled with his experience of working with leading architects and lighting practitioners, Mathews knew the particular people he wanted to work with, and called on a group of top professionals (Benya Lighting Design, Atelier Lumiere, Jackson & Ryan Architects, and Gensler) to design an architectural space integrated with light and with the stunning surrounding natural landscape. But the project does not stop at excellence in design; it also represents the company’s commitment to sustainability and education. From the beginning, a significant amount of time has been spent researching the right “green design” features to incorporate into the renovated facility, such as the skylight and “green roof” system of the building’s factory area.
To that end, two consulting firms—San Antonio-based 3DI International and Eugene, Oregon Solarc have been brought on board to lend expertise in both the LEED process and integration of sustainable design features. Although the project is seeking a silver LEED certification, for Mathews the certification will be an extra bonus, but not what has motivated his decision to proceed on this course. While the facility does provide a showcase for the company’s own products, what the space really celebrates is light and lighting, and in turn the company’s philosophy of a clean modern aesthetic, and a responsible corporate citizen engaged with its community.
Lucifer Lighting’s new headquarters is one of the official AIA Convention Professional Tours. For more information, visit www.aia-convention.org.
PROJECT: Lucifer Lighting Company LOCATION: San Antonio, Texas ARCHITECT: Jackson & Ryan Architects, Houston INTERIOR ARCHITECT/DESIGNER: Gensler, Dallas LIGHTING DESIGNERS: Atelier Lumiere, New York and Benya Lighting Design, Portland, Oregon ADDITIONAL CONSULTANTS: 3DI International, San Antonio, Texas and Solarc, Eugene, Oregon PHOTOGRAPHER: Ross Muir, New York
