Recap: After Dark Tour Series: Denver’s Union Station

DAF was delighted to announce our NEW After Dark architectural lighting tour series in partnership with the Illuminating Engineering Society. Great lighting design often goes unnoticed, making it one of the unsung heroes in many great buildings and landscapes. Good lighting is necessary to sustain human activity, of course, but great lighting can enhance way-finding, draw attention to or away from building features and even work in tandem with the circadian rhythm of humans. In this series we examined three iconic Denver buildings – Denver Union Station, Ellie Caulkins Opera House and STEAM on the Platte – from the perspective of lighting design. Tour guides discussed what makes for great lighting and why its significance in architecture should never be overlooked.  

About this tour: We explored how Clanton & Associates utilized lighting to help revitalize Denver Union Station. Participants toured both interior and exterior spaces to experience how lighting draws visitors through the station while creating comfortable gathering areas within this transient environment. The tour covered the recreation of the historic chandeliers, how luminaires were selected to emphasize the architecture and the lighting details that create subtle moments of joy within the layers of light. 

About the tour guide: Annie Kuczkowski, Senior Engineer at Clanton & Associates, has always been drawn to the emotion that lighting creates, from architectural emphasis to the health benefits that come from daylighting and appropriate electrical lighting. She believes in the careful application of light to create a sense of space in open, exterior environments.