Schermerhorn Symphony Center

In 2005, Crenshaw was awarded the contract to provide the decorative lighting for the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The vision shared by the design architect, David M. Schwarz Architects,  Architect of record ESa, and the lighting designer, Susan Brady Lighting Design, was to create a state-of-the-art concert hall of exceptional beauty and world class acoustic performance. The symphony center is a prominent example of neoclassical architecture and was a finalist in the Urban Land Institute’s 2009 Awards for Excellence.

The vision for the decorative lighting was to combine classical and contemporary design elements. A multi-textured nickel finish and warm crackly glass were selected early as essential aesthetic features. The intricate design evolved quickly around an Art Deco motif and would require a high-precision manufacturing process with unusually narrow tolerances. An exhaustive search was undertaken to find a source for the glass to produce just the right warm, sparkly effect.

The results can be seen on display at the Symphony Center, which is held in trust as a public resource and made available to the public for many types of uses. Tours are offered regularly free of charge by an enthusiastic staff who make clear that for them this space is a labor of love.