Case Study: Joshua Schulman Lighting Design achieves an immersive, interactive "time spiral" that engaged 100,000 visitors with VectorWorks

A Philadelphia Problem Solver Carves Out Spaces to Light

Joshua Schulman Lighting Design was commissioned to create a 100‑foot “time spiral” installation for the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) 2013 at the Kimmel Center. The team needed a safe, walk‑through sculptural tube with projected video and motion‑sensing interactivity (including a 600‑crystal heartbeat-responsive field) while overcoming the site’s vaulted glass roof, variable daylight, tight tech windows and complex rigging constraints.

Schulman modeled and iterated the design in Vectorworks Spotlight with Renderworks to test sightlines, photometrics and equipment placement, then deployed fiber optics, iCOVE Powercore units, LED ribbons, projectors and sensors to realize the concept. The software-enabled previsualization sped decision‑making and installations, solved daylight/projection issues, reduced on‑site rework, and delivered an immersive, interactive experience enjoyed by an estimated 100,000 visitors.

Joshua Schulman Lighting Design

Joshua Schulman

Lighting Designer