Large-scale, shared community light experience brings the brand to life across Georgia.

Tasked with illuminating 32 outdoor locations on an accelerated timeline, Atlanta-based event production company Technical Elements (TE) relied on nearly 800 IP-rated Elation luminaires to deliver Emory Healthcare's brand refresh across metro Atlanta and Central Georgia. The large-scale lighting installation, called City Pulse, was a one-night, region-wide activation that brought the new brand to life through coordinated architectural illumination.

The lighting package consisted of 95% Elation lights, including 396 PALADIN, 298 SIXPAR 200 IP, 55 SIXPAR 200, and 42 PROTEUS EXCALIBUR, selected for their output, color ability, and durability.

Innovative Green
To mark the launch on January 21, Emory Healthcare hospitals, clinics, and regional landmarks glowed in 'innovative green,' a color representing life, healing, renewal, and hope, creating a unified and highly visible presence across the region. The new shade of green is a key element of the refreshed identity.

"Innovative green represents the forward momentum of Emory Healthcare," says Molly Biwer, chief marketing officer for Emory Healthcare. "It complements our longstanding blue and white-honoring our legacy while signaling our commitment to progress and innovation. This is an evolution, not a departure."

The brand refresh reflects Emory Healthcare's academic strength, human-centered care, and forward-looking vision, with City Pulse as an expression of its ethos of discovery, innovation, and community connection.

"Green is one of the harder colors to reproduce," said Jake Wright, Lighting Lead at Technical Elements and lighting designer on the project. "The PALADINs and SIXPARs were able to dial in the shade we needed while maintaining a consistent wash across every location, and the EXCALIBUR fixtures added dramatic aerial effects at flagship sites and other locations."

Also launching January 21 and glowing green from Elation SIXPAR fixtures were Aurora Portals, circular installations placed in high-visibility community locations. Each portal featured a scannable QR code linking to stories of innovation and discovery, with the circular form symbolizing Emory Healthcare's commitment to care at every stage of life and inviting visitors to experience a unique event space.

Large-Scale Outdoor Lighting on a Timeline
Technical Elements served as the lighting provider, coordinating logistics, installation, and execution without disrupting operations at each site. Emory engaged marketing activation firm Ideas United to manage the campaign, which in turn brought on Technical Elements, a frequent collaborator on their projects.

Wright faced an unusually compressed timeline for such a large project, essentially executing architectural lighting on the fly. "The project came in over Christmas, so we had about a two-and-a-half to three-week turnaround," he said, "which is extremely short for something this size."

Locking in Gear Before the Design
The fully outdoor project ran continuously for 12 hours overnight, requiring IP-rated luminaires designed to withstand all weather conditions and extended overnight use. With time at a premium and no opportunity for fixture demos, Wright leaned on TE's long-standing relationship with Christie Lites, working closely with account representative Charlie Pike, who recommended Elation for their IP-rated wash fixtures. Much of the gear was sourced from Christie's Las Vegas and Nashville locations, including PALADINs recently used at the Formula 1 race in Las Vegas.

"It was an unconventional approach," Wright explained. "We locked in the gear first and then started designing. Normally, you design first and choose fixtures later, but the schedule demanded the opposite. We had to make some quick decisions."

PALADIN
Wright selected PALADINs as the main architectural wash, an IP65-rated luminaire with RGBW LEDs, motorized zoom, and manual tilt for flexible on-site adjustment. "I knew a small PAR wouldn't cut it for our primary wash light. The PALADINs gave us the punch we needed, with diffusion available for my onsite techs to use as an option, which really made the buildings look beautiful."

SIXPAR, EXCALIBUR
SIXPAR fixtures, with their multi-color LED chips, were used for accents on columns, pillars, pedestrian bridges, and other architectural details, while powerful PROTEUS EXCALIBUR beam moving heads, another recommendation from Christie Lites, were deployed at flagship locations and Aurora Portal sites to create eye-catching, searchlight-type beams in the sky.

Sky Motion Impact
TE teams used EXCALIBUR's Sky Motion system under manual control to create dramatic sky tracker effects. The system allows a single unit-or a group-to operate without a dedicated controller, with easily adjustable patterns for size, speed, and color. Elation's PROTEUS HYBRID MAX and ultra-long-throw PROTEUS ATLAS also include the Sky Motion system.

"Sky Motion really came in handy," Wright said. "It made setup easy, eased any worries, and the crew enjoyed using it. It really got people's attention and generated curiosity, encouraging people to see what it was all about."

Site Planning & Logistics
With only limited site visits possible, Wright relied on Google Maps, Street View, and photos to measure and plan fixture placement. To simplify logistics, fixtures were deployed at each site in increments of six, matching how PALADINs shipped from Christie Lites.

"I wanted to make it as easy as possible for the shop and logistics teams. There was definitely some guessing and hoping involved-it's not how I typically want to design a show-but it worked," Wright said, noting that sites continued to be added and cut up until the final day.

The load-in schedule was tight, with a few sites prepared the day prior and the majority handled on the day of the event. Another challenge, he explains, is that many sites had existing architectural lighting, which he needed to respect and avoid interfering with.

"The fixture side of this project was the easiest," Wright reflects. "But the logistics and project management were tough."

Coordinating 32 Sites Across Georgia
The 32 sites spanned metro Atlanta and into Central Georgia, including hospitals, clinics, pedestrian bridges, and non-Emory landmarks like water towers and the AT&T building in Atlanta, all bathed in 'innovation green' and sparking conversation and curiosity. While the portals remained in place for weeks, the Elation lighting activation itself was a one-night-only event.

Flagship locations-including Emory University Hospital Midtown, Emory University campus, and Emory Decatur Hospital-were staffed with dedicated lighting directors, LQs, and project managers. Five mobile crews handled smaller sites, each covering four to five locations in a single night.

Despite the scale and complexity, Wright says the gear performed well. "Christie does a great job QC'ing their equipment," he said. "I wasn't aware of any gear issues at all."

Drawing Attention, Generating Curiosity
The visual impact fueled curiosity, drawing attention across the city and sparking conversation both online and in the community. Social media lit up, and websites and community pages shared photos and experiences, exactly the intent behind City Pulse.

For Technical Elements, the project stood out as a unique challenge that combined technical expertise and creative problem-solving. "It was a fun, challenging, and unique project on a fast, tight timeline," Wright said. "And Christie was fantastic to work with. They worked just as hard on the back end as we did in the field, and their gear was exceptional."

Crew List
Account Manager: Dennis Frazier

Midtown Project
Project Manager/Lighting Programmer: Jake Wright
Lighting Tech: Fernando Garcia

EUH Campus
Project Manager: Kenneth Wright
Lighting Tech: Christopher Mckenna

Decatur Campus
Project Manager: Zach Sturino
Lighting Tech: Noah Lucas
Lighting Tech: Jackson Bodie

City Site Teams
Lighting Techs:
Jacquie O Rodrigeuz
Aymar Whistett
Samuel Sanchez
Bryce Anderson
Rashyn Washington
Ethan Mitcham
William "Rocky" Weakley
Courtney Brooks
Brady Henderson

Photos courtesy of Technical Elements

About Technical Elements
Technical Elements is a full-service event production company that provides professional-grade A/V services, custom event design, and comprehensive support for events of all sizes-from intimate gatherings to large-scale concerts and corporate conferences. Based in Atlanta, the company's team combines deep industry expertise with a meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of each event is flawlessly executed. The mission of Technical Elements is simple: to deliver event experiences that captivate audiences and exceed expectations. Recognizing that every event is unique, the team works closely with clients to understand their vision and transform it into a seamless, engaging experience. From initial planning through the final performance, Technical Elements ensures that every detail aligns perfectly with the client's goals.
www.teatlanta.com

About Emory Healthcare
Emory Healthcare is one of the largest academic health systems in Georgia, serving the Southeast through a network of hospitals around Atlanta, specialty centers, and clinics. As the clinical arm of Emory University, adjacent to the CDC campus, Emory Healthcare is nationally recognized for excellence in patient care, biomedical research, and medical education.