Oversized Circular Chandeliers Engineered for a Flexible Event Venue
The Whistler Conference Centre revitalization had one clear challenge: the lighting needed to do more.
Tourism Whistler wanted a more flexible facility: one that could support large conferences, ballroom functions, specialty entertainment, and more intimate events without losing the warmth of the original architecture.
That gave the lighting a bigger role.
Lynn Rines Interior Design shaped the renewed interior around the centre’s West Coast character: heavy wood beams, wood ceilings, and large architectural volumes. Lighting consultant Margot Richards helped define the performance requirements behind that vision.
Karice was brought in to turn those requirements into buildable bespoke architectural lighting. That meant engineering, fabricating, and testing the fixtures until the lighting performance matched the flexibility the venue needed.
The result was a coordinated lighting package built around scale, flexibility, and control. Custom oversized pendant chandeliers, perimeter wall sconces, and flush-mounted ceiling fixtures were developed for a demanding multi-use venue.
Oversized Copper-Finished Circular Chandeliers
The main ballroom is defined by 9-foot pendant chandeliers finished in copper.
Each chandelier was engineered for serious output: more than 32,000 lumens of downlight, 16,000 lumens of uplight, and eight integrated spotlights delivering 1,800 lumens each.
Getting that range right took extensive testing, but that gave the venue the flexibility it needed.
- Bright, functional light for large gatherings.
- Softer, more controlled levels for formal events.
- Directional light where the programming called for it.
Furthermore, the lighting requirements called for more than basic dimming.
In coordination with the electrical engineer, Integral Group, we integrated a multi-channel DALI dimming system to support finer control across different event conditions.
Hoistable Suspended Lighting System
The conference centre also needed to host concerts and specialty events where rigging, speakers, and other AV equipment had to share the overhead space. That changed the fixture brief completely.
Working with the design team, we engineered each chandelier with an electric hoisting system, allowing the fixtures to be raised and lowered as needed.
This was a feat considering each chandelier weighs over 600 pounds. Thus, the suspension, structure, wiring, service access, and movement all had to be resolved together.
The hoist system solved two problems at once.
- It created clearance for show-specific AV equipment
- And it allowed the chandeliers to be lowered for floor-level maintenance
For a multi-use venue, that kind of practical flexibility matters as much as the visual design.
Custom Wall Sconces and Flush-Mounted Ceiling Lights
The lighting package extended beyond the large pendant chandeliers.
In the ballroom, twenty large 6-foot-high vertical wall sconces were placed around the perimeter walls. On the lower level, we carried the same material direction into 4-foot-diameter flush-mounted ceiling lighting.
Together, these supporting fixtures kept the lighting language consistent across the facility.
The chandeliers handled volume and flexibility. The wall sconces shaped the perimeter. The flush-mounted fixtures extended the same aesthetic into lower-ceiling conditions.
