Working closely with the Headwater People, Floisand architects intended to preserve as much of the historic Totem House as they could. In 1939, this six beam Haida house served as a Native American curio shop, then repurposed as the Totem House restaurant in 1945. Almost directly across from the entry to the Seattle Locks, Seattle’s newest Pagliacci Pizza location honors the original structure, as well as the band of Duwamish people who originally called this area home. Pagliacci Šilšul is aptly named. Šilšul translates to “threading through”, referring to the waterway which connects the Salish Sea with Salmon Bay.
Resolute worked closely with Floisand Studio to develop five distinct custom light fixtures, as well as two signage elements for the space. The first challenge was to incorporate a basket sourced by Floisand into six pendant fixtures above a bar against the south windows. These baskets reference fishing baskets used by native peoples. They are anointed with a brass stylized “weight” detail, and Pagliacci red cord. They are illuminated by a Tala high-CRI filament bulb. These cord and cable hung pendants are the most visible in the space, and are one of the main design features.
Two black powder coated cable suspended beams hang over the pizza slices display and register. Each has a Pagliacci red cloth covered cord, and four Purity 225 down-facing fixture heads, each equipped with a SORAA 90 CRI GU10 base MR16 lamp with a 36º beam spread, spaced for full coverage illumination of the surfaces below.
Transitioning from the cashier’s station to the dining area is the pizza pick up station, delineated by its own aura of light from above. This station is defined from a single Purity 225, equipped with the same 36º SORAA lamp as the Purity beams.
Moving from back of the house toward the front, there is a row of fixtures designed exclusively for Pagliacci. A truncated version of Resolute’s Sturgis fixture, this four inch diameter cylinder with tank rolled ends is a mere five and one half inches tall, and yet provides both direct up and down illumination from two separate sources. The 831 source lumen 90 CRI driver on board modules allow for a small platform because there is no LED driver to hide. They are also installable anywhere due to a lack of remote driver requirements. The fixture is universal voltage, with 10% dimming at 120 volts. This hang straight rigid stem fixture with gold leafing over matte black powder is ideal to highlight this sloped roof location.
Moving on towards the baskets is a row of the Vanity gold leafed version of Resolute’s Utility fixture, once again with red cloth covered cord. These employ the same LED module as the Sturgis fixtures, but in a down lighting capacity only.
Two signs round off Resolute’s role in this project. An outward facing “SLICES” sign and a “PICKUP” sign located at the pizza pick up station. Both made of blackened steel, each playing a vital roll in the delivery of pizza to hungry mouths. The PICKUP sign flaunts a down pointing arrow, text and graphic backlit in Pagliacci red, whereas the SLICES sign (also with back lighting) helps delineate the text with brass mesh behind the lettering.
Working directly with the architect to contribute directly to the atmosphere of a historically significant project was both a way for the architect to achieve exactly the effect they were trying to achieve, as well as a tremendous experience.
Related products: Sturgis, Vanity
