The Gould Memorial Library rotunda, designed by McKim, Mead & White, draws inspiration from Rome’s Pantheon. Yet changes to its lighting over time had diminished the perception of its marble, sculpture, and ornamental detail.
Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design introduced a dimmable LED approach with a custom diffuser that creates the impression of light arriving from above. New illumination reveals surfaces that had receded into gray or yellowish tones.
The project demonstrates that restoration is not always about adding something new. Sometimes it is about enabling visitors to see what was there all along. Light, used with precision, becomes an instrument of architectural rediscovery.
LIT Lighting Design Awards 2025 — Winner in Cultural Building Lighting Design / Heritage Lighting Design
