Each year, the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Southern California plays host to the BNP Paribas Open, one of the largest tennis events in the world. The two-week event attracts thousands of attendees and is broadcast in high definition to millions across the globe. An event of that caliber requires a high standard of lighting. Glumac provided lighting design for the interiors and exteriors of the facility, meeting its unique aesthetic and technical needs.

The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is situated just outside Palm Springs, an area known as an Old Hollywood getaway, and features iconic architecture of that time period. The challenge for Glumac was to maintain that historic look while providing modern, energy-efficient solutions to meet strict high definition broadcasting standards. The ESPN standard for lighting demands high output levels, meeting at least 125 footcandles in the performance area. With Glumac’s help, the Tennis Garden was able to reach 180, providing a dynamic event space for this world-class venue. And while such output can lead to heavy energy usage, Glumac was able to help mitigate that issue by installing variable controls that not only allow the facility to present their events in a variety of ways, but also tamp down usage during low-traffic times to conserve energy.

To maintain the Tennis Garden’s historic look, Glumac up-lit many of the palm trees that line the venue’s walkways, providing a unique ambiance for attendees. After a large renovation, of which Glumac played an integral role, the Tennis Garden was named Facility of the Year by the United States Tennis Association.

Size: 174,240 square feet
Cost: Undisclosed
End Date: 2014
Architect: Keisker & Wiggle Architects, Inc.
Services: MEP Engineering, Technology Integration, Lighting Design, Commissioning

Images courtesy of Mark Cieslikowski