O.C. Tanner Flagship Store

First opened as the city’s public library in 1905, and then home to the Hasen Planetarium from the late sixties until 2003, this landmark building was later purchased by the O.C. Tanner Company after nearly five years of vacancy. Restoration began in 2008 to create a flagship store for this jewelry retailer that preserved the structure’s historical features, yet contextually complemented the diamonds and gems with a new modern interior.

The lighting scheme for this three-story gallery needed to capture the elegance and rarity of the collection during both day and sundown hours while competing with varying intensities of natural light streaming through the full frontal glass curtain wall. Metal halide and halogen multi-circuit downlights string the ceiling in a large circular pattern to offset the influx of daylight during sales hours and provide clarity and intensity to the merchandise. For evening events, metal halide sources are turned off to provide rich sparkle and a warm ambiance.

Within the vitrines, an array of cool and warm LEDs line the perimeter to ensure color unification throughout the cases without compromising the dynamic color and sparkle of the assorted precious materials.