Built in 1921, Hobey Baker Memorial Rink is the second oldest NCAA hockey arena in the US. With its prominent iron truss roof structure and stone walls, its stance and presence on Princeton University’s campus is known by many. Through the years it has been updated to adapt to the needs of the current day and we were excited to be hired to provide a new lighting upgrade that not only improved the building but reiterated its position as one of the best hockey arenas to play in.
Through an extensive process of design, sampling and identifying lighting options to meet the client’s basis of design, we identified the best sports lighting system that gave the players an improved playing experience, reduced overall maintenance, saved energy and threw in the wow factor. The new lighting incorporates RGBW features and a controls interface that allows for special effects and full spectrum color. To highlight just some of the features; Princeton goals are celebrated with flashing lights similar to camera strobes, player warmups occur under chasing orange light, intermission events are highlighted with rainbow effects and the US and Canadian respected colors are illuminated on the ice during each of their anthems.
The new lighting is expected to save substantial energy with a payback of less than 4 years. An increase in top talent player recruitment is possible and the fan experience has been elevated to an NHL level.
