ATP lights up the Luis A. Ferré Center for Fine Arts in San Juan, Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO —1/3/2024— The Luis A. Ferré Center for Fine Arts, an emblematic multipurpose venue in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been for decades a reference point for culturally significant events in the region. With a history dating back to its construction in 1981 and a reputation that includes hosting prestigious international events such as the Casals Festival, founded in 1957 by the famous cellist, composer, and conductor Pablo Casals, this center is a symbol of Puerto Rico's rich cultural life. 

In recent years, following a considerable renovation to refurbish and update the building, the center's administration made the decision to modernize its lighting system, recognizing the importance of improving light quality and luminaire durability. One of the main concerns of the institution was corrosion caused by proximity to the sea, which had deteriorated the original lighting fixtures, impairing their performance and detracting from the aesthetics of the center's surroundings. 

With the aim of ensuring immunity to corrosion and long-lasting light performance, the center's administration opted for ATP lighting fixtures made of technical engineering polymers, whose weather resistance and stable light efficiency over time had already been tested in other areas of the island. The Pescador model was chosen for installation at two heights, mounted on Atlas columns, to meet the special lighting needs of the Center for Fine Arts. 

Maintaining the traditional aesthetics of the venue and avoiding over-illumination were two other priorities. Therefore, 55-watt luminaires at 3000 K were selected, a color temperature that combines a warm and welcoming tone with a high color rendering index (CRI), thanks to which the colors of the landscaped area are displayed naturally and vividly. Likewise, the new luminaires were equipped with Comfort Diffuser®, a patented innovation by ATP designed to reduce LED glare and provide soft, uniform, and eye-friendly lighting for users of the area. 

The result of this installation has been an elegant and functional outdoor lighting system, resistant to degradation from weathering and vandalism. Additionally, the energy efficiency of the installation has improved by more than 70% thanks to the use of LED luminaires with precise powers and distributions that ensure rational lighting. Likewise, power control and optics, together with the use of a warm color temperature with a moderate percentage of blue component in its spectral radiance, have contributed to reducing light pollution in the area. 

Overall, the Luis A. Ferré Center for Fine Arts has not only achieved energy savings and improved its aesthetics with the new lighting but has also reinforced its position as a cultural landmark in Puerto Rico. Quality lighting is a fundamental value for enhancing the surroundings of a building of this center's caliber, and it is an invaluable resource for strengthening the institution's reputation and importance in Puerto Rico and around the world.