A dive into the world of aquarium lighting
by Theo Zucker
Essential to our role as lighting designers is the ability of the Lightswitch team to move deftly between varying project types. This requires a good deal of balance and logistical strategy, no matter the client. But the field we have found to be one of the most unique, challenging, and ultimately rewarding is that of aquarium lighting. Every experience at an aquarium teaches us something new. In working so closely with animals, we have learned valuable lessons from them – and we’ve been delighted to find that these lessons often correlate closely with our professional philosophy.
A lesson from the penguins: Always begin with thorough research
Every aquarium lighting project begins with research. While the aesthetic of a design is important, the safety and health of the resident animals is paramount. Lightswitch often starts by consulting organizations such as the Zoological Lighting Institute, seeking out articles and papers related to the behavior and needs of the species we will be lighting, and, perhaps most importantly, consulting animal care specialists on-location.
An aquarium’s animal care specialists are some of our most valued resources during the research stage and beyond. These professionals spend every day with the creatures of the aquarium, understand them deeply, and will always advocate what’s best for them. Most helpfully, these specialists are able to gauge how the lighting affects the animals in their care.
The importance of thorough research was exemplified during our work with the majestic emperor penguins of SeaWorld San Diego. Working with the penguins required our team to meticulously investigate the animals’ native habitat and lifestyle. We found it was especially important to calculate the amount of UV light received by penguins in the wild during the days-long dark periods at the South Pole – and to provide corresponding light levels in their SeaWorld home. If the penguins’ light levels are not ideal, they may begin to lose their feathers or even cease reproducing. For the health of these incredible birds, we carefully calculated the number of footcandles to use for their “summer” months versus their “winter” ones.
A lesson from the dolphins: Always communicate clearly and honestly
In addition to conversations with lighting professionals and animal care specialists, we also find ourselves communicating with the most important stakeholders in aquarium projects: the animals themselves.
In design situations that call for colorful lighting, it must be done gently, giving the animals time to adjust. Luckily, marine animals are happy to share their thoughts about the process with us.
Perhaps the most intriguing example of this animal-human relationship we’ve observed was during the choreography of Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium dolphin presentation, after the client asked for moving lights and gobos on the water during the program. Dolphins, we now know, are fairly accommodating when it comes to lighting changes – however, they will always assume that a beam of light is solid until they learn otherwise. This means they must be introduced slowly to each new element. This process can seem tedious, but it is always rewarding. Dolphins are incredibly curious animals, and they want to explore these new elements in their environment. Kristen Neria, Director of Exhibit Services at the Shedd, affirms, “They respond to what we’re doing. It adds enrichment to their day.”
However, these educational presentations at Shedd involve more than just dolphins. Our team has worked to light beluga whales, otters, and more. The biggest lesson we’ve learned from the animal care specialists is how to respect the animals’ wishes. Their well-being is prioritized in these situations, and if they communicate that they don’t want to be a part of the current activities, we will always listen.
Additionally, for the safety of all involved – animal and human – many precautions are put in place when our team works above the water. Sometimes, even reaching the lights in the first place is difficult, especially when they are located over a 30-foot deep, cold-water habitat.
Lightswitch has worked with clients to develop a range of solutions to meet this challenge. Catwalks are often expensive and invasive to install, so other methods must sometimes be employed, such as large carts that extend team members over the water. During these installations, all animals are relocated to other habitats, a mesh grid is installed above the water to mitigate the risk of tools falling in, and industrial- strength vacuums are utilized to eliminate dust that could contaminate the area. Finally, Shedd divers comb the water for one last safety check before any animals return.
A lesson from the jellyfish: Embrace your creativity
In recent years, many aquariums have incorporated large and showy jellyfish exhibits into their facilities. These creatures can make for quite an eye-catching display, with their ethereal movements and diaphanous bodies. In our travels, we have seen a wide range of approaches to jellyfish exhibits, including Monterey Bay’s elegant, monochromatic displays and Tokyo Skytree Town’s Sumida Aquarium’s bright and saturated lighting.
The process of creating an engaging jellyfish display often starts the same no matter the location: a narrow exhibit with slow, circling water that continually moves the fish. We’ve found that these habitats usually come with pre-programmed lighting. However, our team at Lightswitch often opts to rewrite these remotely controlled systems in favor of a manual system that’s verified to be healthy for the animals.
Researching this has been a rewarding and fascinating experience, with benefits for the jellyfish and the aquarium visitors. We study which frequencies of light illuminate the jellyfish best (as well as being most supportive of their health and well-being). Taking this a step further, which frequencies make them disappear entirely? This knowledge helps us design the most dynamic lighting possible for these exhibits.
Beyond the focus on displaying jellyfish or other specific creatures at their best, there are other goals to inspire creativity in habitat design and lighting. As Neria states, “Guests should feel like they are immersed in an underwater environment.” As designers, we employ strategies to make sure the guests never see themselves reflected in the glass – only the watery world beyond.
To create the illusion of depth and boundlessness, lighting is directed towards the front of the exhibit, essentially eliminating the perception of the back wall. We have worked with aquariums who favor the use of timing technology to mimic the natural course of daylight. Others will opt for a more “cinematic” approach to lighting that makes the underwater scene look the way it would in a movie.
In the case of events such as the dolphin presentation that involve dynamic movement both above and below the water, all lighting must also work above and below the water. When collaborating closely with animal care specialists on these exhibits, we’ve asked them to dive beneath the water with the dolphins to observe how the light will appear to the animals, as well as to the audience viewing it through the observation glass. Through these exercises, we’ve calculated underwater light loss to be about nine times greater than that of air, depending on the time of day and the movement of the water – knowledge we now take with us into each new project.
A lesson from the sea lions: Respect your coworkers
Many marine animals are highly intelligent, and they have no qualms about making their needs known. This is especially true of sea lions, who are some of the most vocal among our animal colleagues. These huge creatures will absolutely communicate when they’re enjoying themselves – or when they’re not – usually by splashing and barking. It’s part of our team’s job to heed them when this happens.
We consider it part of our job to bring fresh eyes and a fresh perspective to every aquarium environment and every project. The way something has been done in the past may not be the most efficient path today, nor is it always best for the animals involved. Part of our role is to identify and address outdated methods and share the experience and perspective we have gained. We take pride in our ability to bring constructive questions to the table.
There are many practical issues with lighting as well as those of aesthetics and well-being. Simple quandaries, such as how fixtures will be maintained in the future, can tend to be overlooked in favor of solutions that are more immediate but offer less longevity. “I think this is one of the things that really sets our company apart,” says Lightswitch Principal Warren Kong, “We are always ready and willing to dive into the granular questions that will extend the lifetime of fixtures to the maximum.” We don’t believe we’re ever simply hired for the project at hand: we are also responsible for what the client will need in 10 years or more. This mindset goes a long way in satisfying the client’s needs in the long run – but also in addressing potential short-term issues.
“We strive to be good client advocates,” says Lightswitch Director Tammy Smith, who has worked on projects with the Shedd Aquarium for a decade. “We spend the client’s budget like it’s our own.” It all comes back to respect. Our team must remain observant, in case the sea lions tell us they’re ready to be done for the day – and we must also keep an eye out for long-term concerns being communicated by the fixtures themselves. In this way, we are truly listening to the humans, the animals, and the space itself.
Always learning, always growing
At Lightswitch, we pride ourselves on our multifaceted approach and our multi-talented designers, who are able to adapt to a range of project-specific challenges. We are always open to learning and sharing the benefits of what we’ve learned with our clients. Even with our team’s extensive history in the lighting industry, we have found the experience of lighting for aquariums to be deeply educational. Not only have we learned the pitfalls and best practices alongside our business clients, we’ve absorbed so many lessons from the animals with whom we’ve shared the space. Their communication and boundary-setting skills are often more honed than those of our human peers. These creatures inspire us to be better communicators ourselves, bolstering our professionalism and challenging us to reach new levels of interpersonal skill. Lightswitch is grateful to have found our place in the aquarium lighting industry: a unique and adventurous world full of compassion and wonder for the animals who reside there. •
Theo has worked as a professional writer for eight years and has spent the past four establishing a home in the world of freelance copywriting. Primarily writing social media content and short-form pieces,Theo prioritizes proactive communication, collaboration, and positivity in their work. When they are not writing for freelance clients,Theo is a fiction author and actor in Chicago’s vibrant theater scene.They draw upon this love of art and performance in their day- to-day copywriting work, treating every project as a creative pursuit.
