Choosing the right approach for planning and completing your project can have a major impact on your timeline, budget, and final results. In this article, we'll explain what the design-build approach is, explore its key benefits, and showcase real-world PORT Lighting projects that demonstrate how a single, collaborative team can bring a creative vision to life from concept to completion.
Every project begins with an important decision: determining the best way to bring your vision to life. Whether you are planning an architectural façade lighting project, a theatrical stage, or another type of installation, the approach you choose can shape the entire project.
For clients with flexibility, design-build can be an excellent option to consider. With this type of project, there is one point of contact throughout the entire process, with one main company handling everything from initial drawings to the final touches. Many consulting firms produce great drawings, but they aren't responsible for installing them. A design-build contractor is. The main benefits of a design-build project are cost, speed, and creative vision.
One of the top benefits of going for a design-build project is the speed at which that project can be completed. When there is one point of accountability, issues common with large projects (such as feasibility issues where drawing plans aren't necessarily physically plausible) can be solved easily as the team making the original drawings is the same team doing the installation.
Another benefit of a design-build project is a lower cost. This is possible because one company handling all project aspects centralizes all costs. Cost also coincides directly with speed. The fewer hours it takes to complete the project, the fewer hours are needed.
Working with one point of accountability ensures that your project doesn't stray from the original creative vision. Nothing is being lost in translation with a design-build approach.
The following completed projects demonstrate how our design-build approach brought each vision to life, from initial concept and system design through installation and final implementation.
An architectural project completed by PORT Lighting in Boston was the color-changing facade lighting for One Financial Center. PORT provided preliminary pricing and renderings for both the facade and the interior atrium, and the facade was chosen to be worked on first. The lobby as also completed recently. We collaborated closely with the electrician, which was vital to hitting the project's timelines. Overall, the approach emphasized seamless collaboration, cost-effective solutions, and meeting the client's timeline by integrating design, installation, and long-term service under one team.
Another architectural design-build project PORT completed was a color-changing LED control system for a corporation's pedestrian bridge connecting two buildings. The bridge was designed with both aesthetics and performance in mind. Color Kinetics linear fixtures were seamlessly integrated into the glass structure, with custom-painted metal light shields fabricated to conceal the fixtures from interior views while maintaining the bridge's clean, modern appearance. Controlled by a Pharos lighting system, the installation features a fully customized programming schedule developed in collaboration with the client, transitioning through five seasonal themes with dynamic and static light shows that begin 30 minutes before sunset. The result is a lighting solution that enhances the bridge year-round while remaining virtually invisible during the day.
The lighting upgrade at Gordon College's chapel was a comprehensive project aimed at transforming the space into a versatile, immersive environment. The team retrofitted existing house lights with full-color Canto and Chroma-Q fixtures and added a range of new LED fixtures, including powerful ETC Source Four Series 3 Luster LEDs and LED wash lights for stage illumination. To facilitate dynamic lighting effects, a truss was installed over the balcony for moving lights, along with additional movers over the stage. The design also incorporated uplighting on the columns and cyc lights at the top, enabling the entire room to be colorfully transformed or illuminated with warm white tones to highlight the architecture. Special attention was given to the areas beneath the balcony, where LED tape was installed in two coves to create subtle, customizable lighting accents. Overall, the upgraded system provides the flexibility to create vibrant, immersive environments or elegant, understated lighting to suit a wide range of gatherings.
At the Holiday Inn Portland, PORT Lighting was tasked with adding in a new lighting controls system for their ballroom. Everything from the system controls, touch screens, and cove lighting was handled by PORT, working closely with the client's electrician to ensure the project would be completed seamlessly and on-time. The cove lighting was color-changing as well.
All great projects start with the question, "what if?" At Port, we're dedicated to making your "what if?" come to life. With a specialization in design projects, we partner with you to create a system that fits your goals, budget, and schedule from day one. By combining design, engineering, installation, programming, and long-term service under one roof, we reduce risk, eliminate unnecessary complexity, and deliver a solution that's easier to build, operate, and maintain.
Whether we're leading the design or collaborating with your architect and consultant, our role is to ensure the system performs exactly as intended while maximizing value, reducing risk, and supporting it for years to come. Contact us today to see how we can complete your next project.
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