Header: Gabriel Konrath
Lotus Atlantida is a residential condominium in Atlântida Beach, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, completed in August 2024. The lighting design for its leisure areas was developed by Studio FOS Iluminação, with Marilia Saccaro as lead designer, having been awarded the Exterior Architectural Illumination category at the LIT Lighting Design Awards. The architecture was done by Stemmer Rodrigues, the interiors by Zeca Amaral and the landscape project by Tellini Vontobel.
The goal
The award-winning lighting design was applied to the leisure spaces of the Lótus condominium, including Clube da Ilha, which is surrounded by a lake. The club has a contemporary style defined by large cantilevered concrete planes, used to reference the petals of a lotus flower, so the team worked towards defining and bringing attention to it.
Lighting up the cantilevered cement
The main task of the lighting design was to show the shape of the Club clearly at night while ensuring a clean look. The designers worked with the concrete planes as the main surfaces, having added recessed luminaires set into the ground to light them up. This kept the equipment out of sight as much as possible.
The positioning of the recessed fittings was carefully planned so that the cantilevered concrete petals receive light in a homogeneous and soft way. The light is spread across the concrete surfaces to bring out their size and profile without creating contrasts, ensuring an even glow.
A warm colour temperature of 2700K was chosen for the project to give the concrete a warmer appearance. The use of warm light also shapes the character of the leisure areas around the club, helping create an atmosphere that feels welcoming and light.
Visual interference was one of the main concerns in the process, having been addressed first through the use of recessed luminaires and then through the way the light was controlled. Anti-glare lighting fixtures were used to reduce direct brightness and make the light more comfortable when seen at close range. This decision also affected how the building is perceived from farther away: with glare reduced, the architecture can be seen more clearly.
Sustainability approach
The project uses LED lighting fixtures, which reduce energy use compared with older lamp types. The lighting is also programmed through hourly switching, so the system operates according to a set schedule rather than running continuously without control. In this case, efficiency comes from both the choice of light source and the way the system is managed over time.
Project Information
Prize: Winners in Exterior Architectural Illumination at the LIT Lighting Design Awards
Lighting Design Company: Studio Fos Iluminação
Lead Designer: Marilia Saccaro
Other Designers’ Names: Marina Frigeri, Leilana Ferreira dos Santos, Marla Ecker
Architecture Company: Stemmer Rodrigues
Interior Design Company: Zeca Amaral
Client: SVBPAR Incorporations and Wagnerpar Urbanism
Landscape Project: Tellini Vontobel
Completion Date: August of 2024
Project Location: Atlantida Beach, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
