CREJ

/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / MARCH 2017

Our lighting expertise moved front and center when it was

discovered that the removal of the panels covering the con-

cealed skylights reduced the number of available light fix-

ture openings by half. To keep the building's historic in-

tegrity intact, our lighting designers worked diligently to

maintain pre-restoration light levels without adding any

new fixture openings.

“Because our objective was to reopen the skylights, hid-

den behind the false, drop ceiling installed in the ’50s,

and restore the historic grandeur to this beautiful space,”

shared Bryan Jass, project manager at AE Design, “we need-

ed to upgrade and add the appropriate level of lighting

without taking away from the beauty of the original sky-

lights.”

“Because this was an important historic restoration for

the state, we were not allowed to touch the original fabric,”

explained Vannessa Pederson, the project’s lighting de-

signer. “That not only applied to the skylight restorations,

but the work surfaces below them as well.”

The two 50-foot-tall chandeliers, which originally were

gas powered, were also found to be in great disrepair and

out of compliance with modern day UL-listed electrical

code. So we sourced a restoration company in St. Louis,

where the huge chandeliers were completely dissembled.

The fixtures were retrofitted with modern light bulbs, and

most of the original glass globes were custom recreated.

According to the historical architects at Anderson Hal-

las, one of the original chandelier globes, beautifully

etched with the state seal, was rescued from a secondhand

shop by a state employee and used as a model. While the

budget did not allow for the added embellishment and

expense of etching, the designers were able to create re-

placement globes that closely matched the shape, translu-

cence and beauty of the original globes.

Our firm also was tasked with replacing all down-light-

ing. Because the chambers’ ceilings are concrete, the team

was not allowed to drill cores for new fixtures, so to pro-

vide lighting that equaled the previous level of foot can-

dles, we used bright, highly efficient, precisely directed

fixtures to update the original 1950s-era lighting.

The fascinating story of the restoration of Colorado’s

State Capitol House and Senate Chambers would not be

complete, however, without emphasizing the role crafts-

manship had in bringing this extraordinary rehabilitation

to life. Over 50 individuals worked as dedicated craftsmen

on site, including nearly half of Spectrum General Con-

tractors’ project team as well as other specialized subcon-

tractors that provided unique craft services like custom

metalwork, chandelier restoration, stained glass resto-

ration and stencil art.

The project was also supported by 37 subcontractors and

46 companies working as suppliers, or offering services on

behalf of the project, with a total of more than 75 person-

nel on site to make this historic restoration a reality.

“This very challenging undertaking by the design, con-

sulting and construction teams resulted in the success of

this very unique project,” said Jessica Bohl, assistant project

manager of Spectrum General Contractors. “The restored

chambers are a beautiful example of technical and craft

expertise coming together for a stunning result.”

/ Peeling Back the Layers /