Week 10: The Spectrum is a Spectacle

For my site specific blog I chose to write about my experience at the Irvine Spectrum. Recently I have used this outdoor mall as a  retreat from the rigors of my campus life. My senses are stimulated while walking, shopping, socializing and dining in its splendor. I specifically like going to The Spectrum at night because of the ambiance created by the lighting.I will discuss what I feel the lighting designers were trying to accomplish based on specific feelings the lighting design elicited from me. I will be specifically discussing the feelings I experience from the effect of the lighting during the evening since that is when I visit most often.  

When I first drive up to the Spectrum I get a feeling of excitement. It is not an overwhelming feeling of giddiness but a feeling of energy and joy due to the stimulus of color and vast amounts of light. The lighting of the movie theatre could be viewed as somewhat garish to some. However, I get a feeling of Hollywood ( lights,camera, action) and an explosion of excitement form the movie theater...Yes, the movie theater reminds me of an explosion of color that creates a feeling of jubilance. I am attracted to its opulence and shine. In my opinion,  the lighting designer made the movie theater the focal point of the mall. It is the point where the fire is ignited and metaphorically speaking the point where the fireworks originate. It appears as if the lighting designer wanted the lights to originate from the movie theater like an explosion and disperses like a firework display sprinkling down into the other locations of the mall.  

For example the Ferris Wheel is a big "dropping point" of light that creates of feeling of carnival while another "dropping point" is the Merry- Go- Round that creates a sense of childhood. Not all of the "dropping points" or larger spectacles of light were as high energy or "in your face." The lighting designer also created some more subdued, beautiful effects that I feel soothed me as a patron of the mall.  The tree lighted walkways gave me a feeling of serenity and awe. It seemed that the designer was thinking of couples who come to the mall and want a somewhat romantic experience. There are other calming moments like the lion head fountain that gives a feeling of relief from all of the visual stimulation.

In essence I think the lighting designers created an environment that excites those who want to be stimulated to shop, dine and entertained. In addition, they created moments of calm for those patrons who want a more relaxed mall experience. From my adventures
at the Irvine Spectrum I would definitely say that the lighting designers achieve their goal. They have created an environment that makes its patrons want to continually come back for more experiences and to spend their money.

A Dead Spot

Walking around the Irvine Spectrum usually brings me great joy however there are moments when I feel I walk into "dead zones."" Dead zones" to me are areas where there is no energy or life in the environment. The women's apparel store charlotte russe  had very little life due to flat, poor lighting. The theme of the store is fun, youthful women's apparel. The clothing worn by the mannequins in the window seemed hip and  geared toward a fashion conscious young woman. The display window had snowflakes and the phrase winter wonderland across it denoting bright, happy and joyous. Conversely, the feeling I got from the lighting was depressing and dismal. The lighting made me envision a lonely slushy winter. 

There was very little illumination outside of the store which created a dark, ominous feeling for me as a patron of the mall. The darkness gave me a feeling that something dangerous was lurking in the shadows ready to grab any passerby. I did not get an inviting felling from the store because the lack of illumination created a division between myself and the store that I didn't want to cross. I wouldn't normally go in there because its women's clothing but that is besides the point. Overall, I felt that lighting for charlotte russe contradicted the fun clothing inside the store. The lighting was not fun, inviting or wintery enough. On the contrary, the lighting or lack there of  created a dismal, dark, uninviting and scary feeling. I now see how bad lighting could equate to bad business.

The Store You Could Eat

I actually think the lighting for Casey's Cupcakes is even sweeter than the yummy desserts.  I love to look at this store. The viewer is enticed to enter the Parisian based cafe because it almost looks edible  due to the clarity of the lights.The theme of the store seems to be light, fun, and happy based on the feeling I get from the bright lighting design and color palette of the cupcake boutique. The soft white lighting accents the bright colors the store and the beauty of the cupcakes. The lighting in the cupcake case is somewhat cooler feeling and contrasts the warmth of the rest of the store. I got the sense that the lighting designer made the cupcakes the star of the show by contrasting the cool cupcakes with the warm environment. The warmth of the boutique gave me the sense of grandma's kitchen mixed with Barbie's Playhouse. This would make sense since the owner of the store looks like a Barbie but makes cupcakes like grandma. The use of chandeliers gives the cupcake boutique a feeling of Hollywood elegance. The lighting designer was effective in not only drawing me into the store to buy a cupcake ( or three) but captured the essence of the business, it's owner and made the product of primary focus. This cupcake store is a go to at The Irvine Spectrum but if you are on a diet I warn you to stay far away because the lighting  design  has a way of pulling you in.