Over the next several years, Ladera Ranch plans to develop an array of neighborhoods totalling 8,100 homes. In keeping with the goal for unity, a walkway called the "Spine Walk" will eventually connect all of the homes throughout the community. The buildings will include apartments, attached and detached homes, semi-custom homes, and estate-size custom homes.

The SPJ532-42F post fixture stands 10 feet tall and houses the 42-watt fluorescent lamp. The fixture head is 20" and has a hinged door for easy access. Special lenses and prisms were chosen to achieve the necessary lumen output. The posts were used around the pool area to enhance the water feature and add safety lighting.

Land Concern, Ltd., of Santa Ana, California, the site planner and Landscape Architect for the project, brought in SPJ Lighting of South El Monte, California, to discuss the possibilities of creating custom fixtures for the Oak Knoll Club and the Spine Walk. The lighting fixtures used for this portion of the project are a collaborative effort between the Land Concern, SPJ Lighting, and the key principles of the project, including: William Hezmelhalch Architectures of Irvine, the Architect on the project; EDAW, Inc., of Irvine, the Master Planner; LDB, Inc. of Irvine, the Lighting Designer; Style Interiors of Newport Beach, the Interior Designer; and The Ranch Mission Viejo Company, the developer of the site.

LDB, Inc. had a few specific goals throughout the development of Ladera Ranch. One such goal was that the company wanted the light fixtures to blend in naturally with the surrounding landscape during the day, while becoming a soft, yet secure, source of lighting at night. They estimated about 20,000 feet of electrical wiring would be used for the design of the Oak Knoll Club and its surrounding paths.

Many of the fixtures used for practical purposes at the site are also aesthetically pleasing. Using a combination of different lamps and fixtures enabled the team to highlight the unique diversity of the landscape. The use of 100 watt metal halide fixtures accented the broad trees, while the 90 watt incandescent spot fixtures were used to illuminate the tall palm trees.

The different lighting fixtures developed and used throughout the complex include column mounts, porte cochere, wall mounts, post fixtures, chandeliers, and interior wall mounts. Some of the highlights of the lighting which surrounds the Oak Knoll Club include column mounts, wall mounts, and post fixtures.

Wall mounts were made of solid brass. A number of exterior wall mounts were provided on the club and throughout the pool area.

The column mounts that were used are made of solid brass material with a chemically treated bronze rubbed finish and a stained glass honey swirl. The entrance to the Oak Knoll Club contains a large pilaster with a sloped cap. Spanning 36" square at the roof, this fixture also had to accommodate for the slight slope of the pilaster. Extra deep bases were fabricated along with a bottom flange, which was attached to the pilaster. A 42-watt long-life fluorescent lamp was used to avoid maintenance issues. Additionally, 24" versions were provided to add a variety of pilasters around the club itself.

Wall Mounts

The wall mounts were made of solid brass material. A number of exterior wall mounts were provided at the club and throughout the pool area. Measuring 7", one of the challenges of this fixture was incorporating ballast into the unit to provide energy efficiency. According to SPJ Lighting, special back plates were constructed for ballast housing and to accommodate slope of the shingles on the club. A 26-watt fluorescent was chosen due to the small size of the fixtures.

The post fixtures are a prominent part of the lighting design for the area. The development of the street post creates an opportunity to provide a decorative look, along with being functional. All street lamp fixtures had to be tooled and designed for both a high pressure sodium and fluorescent lamp source. These fixtures range from ten feet in overall height to sixteen feet, Foot candle minimum's had to be met in the parking lot for safety and aesthetic purposes.

All fixture heads were made of cast aluminum and all posts were made of square aluminum tubing. The SPJ532-42F post fixture stands 10 feet tall and houses the 42-watt florescent lamp. The fixture head is 20" and also has an easy access hinged door. Special lenses and prisms were chosen to achieve the necessary lumen output. According to SPJ Lighting, these fixtures posed the greatest challenge. LCM

The SPJ532 post fixture stands 16 feet tall and houses a 100-watt high-pressure sodium lamp. The fixture is 24" square and has a hinged door for easy maintenance. These fixtures were placed in the parking lot of the club.