Custom Case Studies
The Burlington Lofts
Location: 900 NW Lovejoy, Portland, OR 97209
Architect: Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, Portland, OR
Engineer: Kramer Gehlen and Associates, Vancouver, WA
Landscape Architect: Steven E. Koch
This project was built on a site that was formerly part of the Burlington Rail Yards, inspiring the design team toward a railroad theme and the posh Art Deco styling of the Burlington’s famous Zephyr streamliner fleet. Eleek was brought in early in the planning process and was asked to design a logo for the project as well as six large exterior light fixtures. As the design process progressed, Eleek was also commissioned to create a series of bronze sculptures to go around the base of the building, handsome sconces to adorn the main entrance, large bronze door handles for all exterior doors and miscellaneous interior hardware.
In the end, Eleek created five unique designs for this project, including the following:
- Large exterior Gatsby sconce (6)
- Exterior Zelda sconce (12)
- Bronze railroad sculpture (3)
- Bronze door handle (16)
- Bronze pocket door pulls (2)
Gatsby
Exterior Sconce
H: 34 3/8″ W: 27″ D: 33 5/8″
100% recycled cast aluminum with powdercoat finish, laser-cut aluminum detail, white polycarbonate lenses, steel inner structure, and high efficiency compact fluorescent lamps.
Gatsby sconces installed at the front entrance of the Burlington lofts
Gatsby cast pieces after finishing
The Gatsby pattern ready for the foundry
Zelda
Exterior Sconces
H: 26 1/2″ W: 27″ D: 3″
100% recycled cast aluminum with powdercoat finish, white polycarbonate lens, high-efficiency compact fluorescent lamp. A dozen of these luminaires are mounted at pedestrian level around the exterior of the Burlington.
Castings are cleaned by hand
Signature details on castings
A sconce installed on the exterior of the Burlington
Art Deco Door Pulls
H: 23″ W: 2 3/8″ D: 2 3/4″
Each pull is a single casting made from bronze that is at least 90% recycled. Installed on all of the Burlington’s exterior doors, this is generally the first physical contact one makes with the building.
The handles in production
Master pattern and mold
The handles installed
Train
Exterior Sculpture, one of three
H: 1′ W: 8′
90% recycled cast bronze; located on the southfacing wall of building. The Train sculptures pay homage to the Burlington Railroad’s beloved Pioneer Zephyr streamlined passenger fleet which went into service in 1934.
Sculpture installed in a niche at the foot of the building
A raw bronze casting ready for cleanup and finishing
Installation of a sculpture
The pattern is carefully hand-worked
The Elizabeth Lofts
Location: 333 NW 9th, Portland, OR 97209
Architecht: Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, Portland, OR
Engineer: Kramer Gehlen and Associates, Vancouver, WA
Landscape Architect: W & H Pacific
This award-winning project combines high-rise luxury condominiums and street-level retail. Eleek was brought in early in the planning and was asked to design an interior light fixture to fit with the Charles Rennie Macintosh-inspired feel of the building. Working closely with the project’s design team, Eleek was gradually entrusted with more and more of the custom decorative accent work for this building. In the end, Eleek created eleven unique designs for The Elizabeth, totaling 463 pieces.
"Going from early concept sketch idea, to mock-up, down to final delivery and installation, Eleek was there all along the way. Interaction with Eleek improved our early design ideas and helped make the project truly something special. Developing custom or unique pieces for any project certainly has become much more reachable since we discovered this unique resource!"
–Gunnar Langhus (Associate, Ankrom Moisan Architects)
Three Spoons Sconce
Interior Sconce
H: 33″ W: 6 1/2″
Oil rubbed 90% recycled bronze; glass lens with seashell finish; three 20w bi-pin halogen with reflectors behind.
The Elizabeth lobby features Eleek’s 3 Spoons sconces.
Shield Sconce
Exterior Sconce
H: 5′ W: 21″
100% recycled cast aluminum base; rolled aluminum face; laser-cut "rose" emblem is rolled to match curve of face; low-energy fluorescent lamping.
Shield sconce surrounded by cast steel “spoon” details on the exterior of the Elizabeth
Spoon Pendant
Interior Pendant
H: 11 11/16″ W: 2 1/16″
90% recycled oil rubbed cast bronze; glass lens with sea shell finish; 12v 20w bi-pin halogen.
The Elizabeth lobby’s concierge desk features Eleek’s elegant Spoon pendants.
Rain Scupper
Exterior Scupper
H: 23 7/8″ W: 6 7/8″ D: 6 7/8″
90% recycled cast bronze.
Bronze scuppers in production
Bronze scupper above the Elizabeth’s main entrance, accentuated by three Eleek cast bronze bricks
Interior signage
Variable Dimensions
Cast in-house from lead-free pewter, the numbers ride on laser-cut aluminum rails.
A patina was applied by hand.
Eleek created a complete signage system.
Custom cast numbers adorn every door at the Elizabeth.
Door Handle
H: 38″ W: 4 3/4″
90% recycled cast bronze.
Custom door handles grace the Elizabeth’s main entrance.
East Hills
Location: 3702 Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph, MO
Architect: Hollis and Miller
Eleek engineered and manufactured 135 decorative luminaires for this upscale shopping mall renovation project in St. Joseph, Missouri.
The most remarkable aspect of this project was the sheer range of fixture dimensions that Eleek fabricated, ranging from two foot cubes to an impressive 16 foot tall “pendant” with a weight of 2500 pounds. Prep work began Spring 2008 with fabrication and installation completed on schedule by August, 2009.
Eleek fabricated 135 fixtures of varying dimensions and outputs ranging from 40 watts to 2500 watts including:
- 46 Interior Pendants / Chandeliers
- 8 Pylon Fixtures (pillars)
- 12 Interior Pier Mounts
- 15 Exterior Pendants
- 34 Exterior Pier Mounts
- 20 Exterior Sconces
The Main Plaza Light Fixtures
Recycled Resin Panels, Aluminum + Interior Steel Frame
The exterior of the shopping center features 20 sconces and 34 pier mounts ranging in size from 2′ by 4′ to 5.5′ by 5.5′. At night, the luminous shapes appear to levitate both inside the main entry and out.
Pendants suspended above the East Hills front entrance
Children’s play area
recycled resin panels + aluminum
The expansive children’s play area called for the production of two sizes of lighting pendants.
Small play area pendants from
16″ x 60″, 12″ x 60″, 20″ x 84″.
Large play area pendants from 6′ x 8′ to 5 x 9′.
sunporch cafe
Recycled resin panels + Aluminum Pendants/Pillars
The shopping mall’s food court area is defined by many large luminaires. The largest one floats above a glass-enclosed fireplace.
Glass-enclosed fireplace
The Sunporch Cafe
The largest fixture during fabrication (and installed at right).
The Vancouver Hilton
Location: 301 W 6th Street, Vancouver WA, 98660
Architecht: Fletcher Farr Ayotte
Engineer: Kramer Gehlen and Associates, Vancouver WA
Lighting Designer: Zachary Suchara, Glumac International (except Valhalla sconce by Eric Kaster, Eleek, Inc.)
Hilton Hotels opened a $71.2 million, 225 room hotel and 30,000 square foot conference center across from downtown Vancouver’s Esther Short Park in 2005. Eleek was commissioned to engineer and build a total of 81 luminaires, some as large as 16 feet in diameter, for the new center. The Hilton Hotel and convention center is the first hotel in America to apply for Leed® certification. Eleek contributed to the environmental sustainability of the project by using recycled materials and low-energy lamping.
"The process of working with Eleek on the Vancouver Hilton Hotel was very positive. Eleek was able to take the conceptual sketches and technical requirements for the design of several unique light fixtures and aid the design team in turning these concepts into reality. Eleek’s attention to detail, use of quality materials and understanding of manufacturing techniques captured the design intent, and allowed the fixtures to integrate well into the architectural expression of the hotel. The artisans at Eleek demonstrated their ability to create beautiful light fixtures within the budget constraints of the project, and their knowledge of the construction process allowed the fixtures to be built, delivered and installed ahead of schedule. I am very grateful to Eleek for making a complicated design and construction process simple and enjoyable."
–Zachary Suchara, LC
Vallhalla
Exterior Sconce
H: 16″ W: 28″ D: 34″
A streamlined version of the Eleek Gatsby sconce made from 100% recycled cast aluminum and extruded aluminum, featuring energy-saving fluorescent lamping.
A streamlined version of the Eleek Gatsby sconce made from 100% recycled cast aluminum and extruded aluminum, featuring energy-saving fluorescent lamping.
Hilton Ballroom Chandeliers
H: 5′ W: 8′ D: 8′
These giant ceiling fixtures are painstakingly fabricated in-house using 100% recycled aluminum, custom aluminum extrusions, hand-blown glass balls, artist-tinted acrylic and energy-saving compact fluorescent lamping (as well as incandescent and halogen lamping, all with separate controls).
Aluminum framework assembly
Hand-blown glass balls
Hand strung glass balls adorn this festive ballroom luminaire.
H: 5′ W: 16′ D: 16′
Acrylic panels formed by hand
Eleek artisan finishes framework
The ballroom of the Vancouver Hilton glow with light from these giant chandeliers.
Hilton Lobby Chandeliers
Artist-tinted acrylic resin is softly drape-formed around fluorescent lamping to achieve the best of both worlds (soft warm light and energy savings) in these unusual chandeliers designed by Zachary Suchara, engineered and built by Eleek.
If you can imagine it, Eleek can build it. Here, the form is elongated to provide light over the length of the reception desk.
Riverscape
Riverscape is a large residential developement on Portland’s Northwest waterfront. Eleek was commissioned to design and produce all of the exterior lighting for this project, including hundreds of custom bollards and lampposts
Nightcap Bollard
H: 40″ Ø: 6″ Base Ø: 11″
100% recycled cast aluminum with powdercoat finish, steel tubing, Opal Acrylite® lens and high efficiency compact fluorescent lamps.
Nightcap bollards line the pathways throughout Riverscape.
Nightcap Lamppost
H: 16′ Ø: 8″ Base Ø:15″
100% recycled cast aluminum with galvanized finish, 100% recycled cast steel, 90% recycled cast bronze, spun steel cap, opal Acrylite® lens, and high efficiency compact fluorescent lamps.
Components ready for finishing
Lining a newly developed riverwalk, these towering fixtures mimic the pylons of nearby piers.
The Rose Garden Arena
Portland’s largest indoor venue is home to the Trail Blazers and plays host to most of the large national performance acts that come through Portland. We were delighted when we were asked to design and build a large luminaire to grace its spacious entry hall.
Calliope Chandelier
H: 42″ Ø: 33″
100% recycled cast aluminum and steel with art glass panels, slumped seeded glass and a frosted borosilicate glass lens within. We used art glass in shades of red and orange and purple to warm up the 70w metal halide lamp.
We love this luminaire! It reminds us of the brilliant film City of Lost Children in which every object feels both organic and mechanical at the same time (not to mention surreal). It makes us think of a flower bud about to bloom…or an alien starseed blowing across the galaxy in search of a fertile ground. This large and beautiful chandelier incorporates sheets of art glass “clipped” around a metal globe.
Calliope brings sparkle to the main entrance of the Rose Garden
Expertly assembled by hand
The Old Spaghetti Factory, Boise, ID
OSF asked us to design a large, ornate chandelier for their new Boise restaurant. They wanted something that would fit in with their festive, eclectic, antique-meets-carnival decorating scheme.
OSF also asked us to design a custom interior sconce mirroring the Deco theme of the building’s exterior. The result is the Swan sconce, combining recycled aluminum eco-chic with classic art deco styling. We like this one so much we’ve added it to our regular lighting line and added other material options (bronze) and other lighting options (CFL and LED in addition to incandescent).
Carousel Chandelier
H: 5′ Ø: 7′
Seven feet in diameter and five feet high, the Carousel is constructed of recycled aluminum extrusions and castings, artist-tinted faux alabaster acrylic panels, and 3-Form recycled plastic panels. The “spider” details are made of 90% recycled cast bronze. As with all Eleek products, this intricate fixture was designed by Eric Kaster, our founder, designer and manufacturing expert.
Swan Sconce
H: 19" W: 17" D: 5"
Combining classic art deco styling with recycled materials and flexible lamping options, Swan is one graceful, magnificent creature. Specify recycled aluminum or bronze.
