Lighting of Most Holy Trinity Church -Wallingford, CT

Most Holy Trinity Church Wallingford, CT

Project: Most Holy Trinity Church Wallingford, CT

Lighting Designer:

Installer: Ray Lighting + Design Studios

Location: Wallingford, CT

Project Duration:

Project Goals: This historic 1857 Catholic Church undertook multiple renovations with one of the first being a full lighting and electrical renovation that Ray and his team implemented. Working with the building committee, architect, and electrical engineer the lighting designer spent over two years designing the project. With a number of project challenges such as minimizing change to historic lighting fixtures and navigating the electrical wiring through historical architecture, Ray and his team where able to meet all of the project goals creating a stunning change in this historic renovation. The project goals in order of importance:

• Make existing wiring safe

• Increase light levels

• Light round murals, ceiling

• Make controls simple for all users

• Minimize lamp changes

• Make Altar dramatic

• Add dimming

• Reduce energy usage

Before Ray Lighting Holy Trinity Church Wallingford, CT

After Ray Lighting Holy Trinity Church Wallingford, CT

Before Ray Lighting Holy Trinity Church Wallingford, CT

All fixtures are LED, most 2700K. Original load 9,348 watts, new load 5,587 watts (including adding 272 up-lighting fixtures). A total of 26 different lighting zones were used that allow for unlimited combinations of zones and light levels; all are dimmable. Little maintenance is required except for dusting.

CONTROLS: Left side scenes for regular activities. Right side specialty scenes. Stand alone or can add/subtract them from other scenes.

Existing vintage fixtures rewired, refinished, re-lamped with dimmable LEDs brighter than original. Altar, Transepts lit from above columns and behind Apse with LED directional fixtures. Custom linear up-lighting fixtures added inside custom-made enclosures on top of columns and wall shelves light previously unlit murals and ceiling. Lighting added to highlight speakers and Altar table from front.

Apse, Altar, Crucifix presented a unique opportunity to create dramatic yet different scenes. 8 zones used with a variety of fixtures. The 5’ tall hanging Crucifix was never lit. Incredible is detail now revealed and a historic, Biblical scene with shadows created (Crucifix scene). Owner’s, user’s favorite scene.

CRUCIFIX: Crucifix featured, shadows revealed. “Luke 23:33 …they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.”

BEFORE MASS: Dramatic scene Apse up-lights only. 2700K linear to light wall, 3000k 10 degree to light painted mural.

ALTAR, PULPIT, CRUCIFIX, BEFORE MASS: 4 zones fully light the Altar space from right to left.

LENT: Stations of the Cross only. Hidden MR16 LED fixtures above columns light each Station. Other zones can be turned on if desired.

14 Stations of the Cross had spooky, cool white fluorescent up-lighting. New LED MR16 spot lighting from above better illuminates them.

CONTROLS: Left side scenes for regular activities. Right side specialty scenes. Stand alone or can add/subtract them from other scenes.

Previously circuit breakers were used to control the lighting. Now 2 12-button keypads are used and clearly labelled so anyone can turn the lights on, off or dim with ease. Scenes created with input from users allow for daily activities as well as special occasions. Additional controls available through Smartphone App.