Some lighting projects illuminate architecture. Others help people find their way.
The newly expanded California Firefighters Memorial in Sacramento serves a higher purpose. It honors more than 1,500 firefighters who have died in the line of duty while providing families with a place to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The recent renovation also prepares the memorial to recognize future generations of fallen firefighters, addressing the unfortunate reality that the original memorial had run out of space for additional names.
For lighting designer Craig Oty, the project was unlike any other.
“It was an honor to work on this job,” Craig explained. “Regardless of our fee, we felt it was important enough to provide as much service as we could for the sake of the firefighters.”
Although Oty is the only dedicated lighting designer at the 60-person electrical engineering firm, The Engineering Enterprise, projects focused exclusively on lighting design are relatively uncommon. So when California’s Department of General Services invited the firm to participate in the memorial project because of its work on the nearby Capitol Annex, Craig eagerly accepted.
A Memorial Designed for Reflection
The renovation was led by sculptor Adan Romo of Romo Studios, whose father created the original bronze sculptures decades earlier. Rather than simply expanding the memorial wall, the redesign creates a ceremonial landscape that guides visitors through a sequence of spaces centered around remembrance.
The centerpiece remains the powerful bronze sculpture “Hold the Line,” depicting firefighters advancing through danger. Around it are new granite walls that provide room for future engraved names, bronze replicas of firefighters’ coats and helmets, and carefully integrated lighting that helps tell the story after sunset.
“Hold the Line” sculpture heroes ignore the fire all around them; corten steel lit with 2200K ingrade pucks to mimic spot fires. Photo Credit: Tim Maloney
Lighting That Carries Meaning
The project uses lighting not simply to illuminate the memorial but to reinforce its symbolism.
Warm 2700K directional luminaires model the firefighters’ faces and uniforms, revealing the texture and emotion of the bronze sculptures.
Perhaps the most striking detail is found at the base of the “Hold the Line” sculpture.
Rather than using colored LEDs, Oty specified 2200K B-K Lighting in-grade luminaires to illuminate corten steel elements surrounding the sculpture. The extremely warm color temperature creates the convincing appearance of glowing embers and spot fires.
“They wanted flames around the firefighters to show they were in danger,” Craig explained. “We did that with some 2200K B-K pucks to mimic the fire.”
The effect is subtle, yet remarkably effective, allowing visitors to immediately understand the peril the firefighters faced.
A Memorial That Changes When Duty Calls
The memorial contains one feature that few visitors will ever notice—until tragedy strikes.
The bronze “Fallen Brother” sculpture normally appears under white light. However, whenever another California firefighter dies in the line of duty, the sculpture can instantly transform into a vivid red beacon.
Colors of fallen brother
Remote DMX control allows “Fallen Brother” to be illuminated red when another firefighter is lost in the fight. Inset photo shows full saturation during mockup.
Photo Credit: Beth Young, Craig Oty
Using a remote cellular connection, California fire officials activate Targetti. RGBW luminaires that completely saturate the sculpture in red from their headquarters.
“When there is another firefighter who dies fighting fires in California, they have the ability to saturate this sculpture red,” Oty said.
The color change serves as an immediate visual signal that another name will soon be added to the memorial. During commissioning, Oty requested permission to test the effect.
“The whole point was for it to be red,” he said.
The remote DMX system allows the memorial to respond instantly without requiring anyone to travel to the site.
Commissioning Matters
Although the design process lasted approximately 18 months, Craig emphasized that finishing the project required several trips from his home in Portland to Sacramento.
Commissioning involved far more than aiming luminaires.
“It’s not only aiming,” he explained. “It’s balancing.”
Using a central dimming cabinet, each lighting scene was adjusted until the memorial achieved the intended nighttime appearance. Oty personally returned several times to fine-tune the installation, despite living hundreds of miles away.
More Than Illumination
The expanded California Firefighters Memorial is open around the clock on the Capitol grounds, where California Highway Patrol officers regularly patrol the area on horseback. Families visit throughout the day to remember loved ones, while ceremonies continue to honor those who gave their lives protecting others.
For Craig, this project will always stand apart from the many engineering assignments that fill his calendar.
“It’s really an honor to work on this job,” he said. Some lighting projects showcase beautiful architecture. Others remind us why lighting matters.
This one does both.
Cover Image: Lighting is applied to sculptural elements for focus and destination wayfinding. Photo Credit: Tim maloney