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Christ Church PhiladelphiaReflect. Historic.






The illumination of the Christ Church steeple marked the 250th anniversary of one of the nation’s oldest Anglican congregations where our forefathers worshipped

BEAM specified pin-point flood lighting installed on the roofs of the main chapel and the adjacent Neighborhood House to highlight the steeples’ unique corbels, shingled walls, exterior pediments and other unique architectural details. The un-lit cupola provided an excellent opportunity for illumination from within. The dual layers of interior illumination and floodlighting illuminates the steeple in a sensitive and simple manner, providing visual depth and a sophisticated appearance.

At the interior, BEAM developed a minimalist lighting scheme to properly illuminate the space as well as limit the physical impact on the historic fabric. Two former 60” diameter convection vents were retrofitted with a custom light fixture housing multiple lamp sources to better illuminate the altar, main seating area and organ loft and reduce glare.

Under the balconies, the 1950’s colonial revival chandeliers were restored, and an electrified reproduction wall candelabra was fabricated to illuminate the upper balconies. The original candelabra chandelier was modified with a sophisticated lift system to allow for daily access for changing out the many candles.

All controlled with a dimming system, also designed by BEAM, the church interior now glows monumentally.