Lighting the Future of Performance: Steinmetz Hall, Orlando

How Innovation in Light Helped Shape One of the World’s Most Advanced Performance Venues

When Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts opened Steinmetz Hall in 2023, it marked the completion of one of the most ambitious performing arts developments of the 21st century.

Designed by Barton Myers in collaboration with Theatre Projects, Stages Consultants, and Wenger/JR Clancy, Steinmetz Hall is celebrated as both a technological and acoustic masterpiece. Its innovative “cassette system” — a 1-million-pound movable structure — allows the venue to transform from an opera house to a concert hall or flat-floor cabaret in just a few hours.

Every detail was engineered for precision. The hall achieves an N1 acoustic rating, meaning it’s so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat. Inside, its architectural lighting plays a crucial role in adapting the atmosphere for each configuration and performance.

That’s where Aquarii Lighting comes in. Our Axceleron and Rheos LED downlights were specified for Steinmetz Hall’s ceiling design, chosen for their reliability, optical performance, and seamless integration within the hall’s complex, movable structure. The result is a space that glows with elegance, energy efficiency, and technical brilliance, enhancing the experience for audiences and performers alike.

We’re proud to see our fixtures illuminating one of the world’s most advanced and versatile performance spaces — a true example of what happens when architecture, engineering, and light come together.

Lighting innovation that moves with the performance.