In 1995, Denver-based Blue Moon Brewing Company got its start in the basement of Coors Field. More than 20 years later, the brand is a subsidiary of MillerCoors, but in a nod to its local, craft brewer roots, Blue Moon has opened its own brewery and restaurant in Denver’s River North neighborhood.
From a functional standpoint, the 30,000-square-foot standalone structure now provides what the space in the ballpark could not — dining and event space that also serves as a laboratory for research and development.
Aesthetically speaking, the design team literally looked to the moon for inspiration — conceiving large-scale circular elements to help fill the wide-open interior space.
The result are two 16-foot circles and twelve 6-foot diameter rings made out of iLight Plexineon LED fixtures. Suspended from the high ceilings, they create warm haloes of light.
Roth Sheppard Architects, LLP was responsible for the project’s design from conception through construction, including choosing all interior finishes and lighting. Adam Harding, Partner at Roth Sheppard Architects, selected Plexineon after seeing a product sample. He had never used Plexineon before but says, “Once I saw it, I thought it was spot-on for what I was looking for.”
Harding says one challenge was understanding how the spheres would be constructed. “It would be in sections, but we wanted it to appear as one solid ring,” he says. “I was concerned it would look distorted at the connection points.”
But once the product was received in the field, any concerns he had were quickly erased — the spheres were smooth and round.
“At night it definitely reminds me of a neon light. When people see it, they’re pretty taken aback. They ask what it is. The client loves the space.” – Adam Harding, Partner Roth Sheppard Architects, LLP.
In fact, installation was just as smooth, and the glowing rings of light have been a big hit since the brewery/restaurant opened. “At night it definitely reminds me of a neon light. When people see it, they’re pretty taken aback. They ask what it is,” Harding says.
“The client loves the space,” he adds.
Based on his first experience using Plexineon, Harding says he would absolutely specify the fixtures again. “The greatest advantage is the ability to create different shapes,” he says. “You’re not hindered by just 4-foot or 8-foot sections – you’re able to create something entirely new.”
