Burton Tower Lighting Implementation

Key challenges included:

• Maintaining uninterrupted building operations and campus activity
• Preserving the tower’s historic materials, including brick, tile, and limestone
• Working within extremely tight, vertical spaces with limited access
• Eliminating safety risks for both workers and pedestrians in a highly trafficked campus setting

Inside the bell chamber, installation complexity increased due to the confined structure and the presence of the carillon system, leaving little room for conventional construction methods.

HVE partnered closely with the University and design team, including Philadelphia-based The Lighting Practice (TLP), known for projects such as the Empire State Building and the U.S. Capitol Dome, to implement a fully integrated lighting system designed to bring the tower to life.

The system included:

• Linear color-changing LED fixtures within the bell chamber to illuminate the carillon bells, including more than 1,200 individual LEDs installed within the chamber
• Additional lighting at the attic level to enhance upper window visibility
• A continuous perimeter lighting system around the copper roof, creating a halo effect

The entire system is controlled through a theatrical lighting controller, local interface, or remotely via the University’s building automation system, with 16 preprogrammed light shows and the ability to create custom displays, enabling a full spectrum of colors, theatrical effects, and animated lighting sequences.

To support the installation, HVE routed new electrical infrastructure from the basement to the 10th-floor lighting panel through existing building chases, minimizing disruption to the structure.

The project demanded precision, creativity, and coordination at every step. One of the most complex challenges was access to the bell chamber. Traditional scaffolding methods would have required lifting large components through exterior openings, creating significant safety risks.

HVE and the project team rethought the approach entirely, identifying a modular scaffolding system that could be transported through the building in smaller sections. This eliminated overhead hazards and reduced risk to both workers and pedestrians.

To preserve the tower’s historic fabric:

• Lighting systems were designed to clamp onto existing structures rather than drilling or welding
• Conduit routes were carefully coordinated to avoid damage to original materials
• Additional routing optimizations reduced the need for demolition and restoration

All work was carefully sequenced and coordinated to minimize disruption to students, faculty, and daily campus operations.

The result is a lighting system that transforms Burton Tower from a dimly lit structure into a dynamic visual landmark, replacing exterior floodlighting with an internally illuminated system that creates a subtle glow highlighting the carillon bells and upper tower openings.

• Fully integrated, programmable lighting system with remote control capabilities
• Zero disruption to building operations throughout construction
• Preservation of the tower’s historic architecture with no invasive modifications
• Enhanced campus identity through a visually striking nighttime presence

The tower now serves as both a functional space and a visual centerpiece, capable of displaying custom light shows for events while maintaining its historic significance.

What was once unevenly lit and largely overlooked at night is now a defining visual element of the University of Michigan campus.