A bold structure clad in terracotta, glass and sandstone houses the Ross School of Business. Rich and unusual materials and strong geometries are expressively rendered with integrated, seemingly invisible lighting hardware.

“The purity of the lighting design perfectly reflects the architecture, while activating volumes and surfaces through graceful gestures,” commented one awards judge. “The design team carried a clear vision throughout the building without resorting to repetitive or overly simplistic lighting moves.”

The most energy-efficient light sources (high-performance T8 and compact fluorescents, metal halides, LEDs, and only a handful of halogen sources) are used in the project, but it is the exacting hardware integration, sensible lighting of surfaces, daylight-responsive switching and dimming, occupant controllability, and occupancy sensors located virtually everywhere that account for the impressive energy efficiency of this LEED Silver project.