The Adams County Veterans Memorial honors each military branch & local service members, providing a place for rest & reflection. Uniquely, it invites active use by the community, balancing memorial, playground, & pier within a regional park. The centerpiece is a near life-size scale model of the WWII battleship USS Colorado. The lighting strategy needed to be flexible, controllable, & easily maintainable to serve a variety of intended uses.

On the ship, creative fixture selection matched the aesthetic of a real ship with flood lights & red & green aircraft wing lights. Integrated step lighting ensures safe travel & color-changing fixtures on the bow allow special event customization. Maintenance is simplified with access to remote power supplies through a single hatch.

Next to the ship is a memorial grotto featuring lighting-integrated public art. This area provides a quiet, contemplative contrast to the ship. A laser-cut column of the Navy Sailors Creed is lit from within, & glowing etched-glass panels commemorate each military branch. Concealed linear lighting highlights engraved quotes & enhances the stone texture of a mural depicting a soldier's life.

The project exceeds code requirements by 67% & allows individual control of floodlights, accent lights, dimmable wayfinding, & security lighting. Programmed scenes support lighting conditions for community events, fireworks, & festivals.

Client and Photo Credit: DMH Design
Photography Credit: The Unfound Door
Lighting Design, Memorial, Multi-Use, Public Art