FEATURE ARTICLE

The Award-Winning Chrysler Technology Center

One of Stefan’s landmark lighting projects—and one of his favorites—is the Chrysler Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Mich. A state-of-the-art styling dome, the facility also incorporates 700,000 square feet of atriums, walkways and an office complex for the product development teams working on tomorrow’s transportation.

The styling dome simulates the sky, and mimics daylight as closely as possible. It also can convert into a show-lighting environment. Stefan and his partner on the project won the 1993 IILA Edwin F.Guth Memorial Award of Distinction for the achievement.

Audi “We had a great team of architects and owner’s reps to work with on that project, and we were real successful in improving the esthetics of the space and in reducing their costs,” he recalls.

Originally, the project had been designed by an architect and a group of consultants. Then budget cuts loomed, and so did the idea that lights should be eliminated. IlluminArt came in as “light knights.”

“We were brought in to give our suggestions, and we decreased construction costs significantly—between $80,000 and $100,000—and improved operating costs $25,000 to $30,000 a year. People don’t always understand lighting, but when you talk to them about numbers like that, they really understand,” Stefan says with a laugh.