Strange lights on buildings - what are they for? (Houston: hotels, homes)

[Lije Baley]

Hi, first post here. I've seen this forum appear in many google searches over the years looking for info on various subjects , so thought I would ask this question here.

I've always been interested in architecture and for several years now I have noticed some pretty interesting lighting at night on the group of buildings about a 1/4 mile north from the intersection of Westheimer and the Sam Houston Tollway.

One building has five thin "rods" on top, which look to be around six stories tall(!) and all are evenly lit along their entire length, as if they are enormous neon tubes. Another building has what looks like a parabolic dish (but it is rectangular i.e. it is flat on top & bottom) on the top floor and which faces the tollway; at the focus point is a column with a full length light source facing into the "dish" so at night it is softly but fully lit. There's other buildings I think with less strange lighting but those two are the highlights.

Anyone know what those lights may be for? Artisitic? Functional? Was the architect a big fan of Peru's Nazca Lines?

Thanks!

[Lije Baley]

Received a reputation comment remindining me of the huge multistory....thing....on top of Hermann Memorial Hospital that resembles a king's crown made of blue & green glass(?) panels and I think may be lit with LED technology because of its intense character. At night I've seen it shining as far away as Westheimer Parkway that goes through George Bush Park. That entire complex it is part of is lit with various lighting and is quite impressive to see at night when standing in the Memorial City mall parking lot, especially on the Sears end.

I have considered taking a photo of those buildings at Westhimer/Sam Houston Tollway, but the thought of having to explain doing so to an HPD officer is keeping me from doing so.

On a slightly different subject, while driving to Cactus Music on Portsmouth after hearing it had reopened (yes!!), I decided to take Richmond to get there (I live on the west side of Houston). After passing under the 610 loop all of a sudden I started seeing all kids of mid-century modern architecture! That is one of my favorite types of architecture and never expected to see that much of it, most of it well taken care of, in this city that demolishes anything seemingly older than 20 years. It's like I am in another decade for ten minutes while driving through that small stretch of boulevard.

[houstonfan]

THe lights you speak of are probably for esthetics, but that is purely my speculation. If you like midcentury homes, there are lots of them in Houston, you just have to know where to look. Check other threads.

[Lije Baley]

I actually like the use of lights on buildings, not just lighting that illuminates the outside but rather lights that are part of the architecture itself, so you're probably correct about the aesthetic issue. But it's the uniqueness of the lighting that has me curious. I do like what they've done, I was just wondering about the "why" of it.

Another building whose lighting that I like especially the angled portion on top, is located near the Galleria, a hotel called "Aloft" - here's a pic from their site of it at night.

I noticed the mid-century style has been retunring the past few years. I wonder if the TV show "Mad Men" has anything to do with that?

[houstonfan]

HoustonMod - Preserving Our Modern Legacy

[Lije Baley]

^ thanks for the link houstonfan!