Illuminating the Beloved Paramount Studio Water Tower

Less than 10 miles from the Warner Brothers water tower on the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles is another iconic water tower. Standing at an impressive height of 41 m (133 ft) tall, this tower features the Paramount logo and is a beloved icon in the community. Water towers are a great source of community pride, bringing humor and neighborhood flavor.

Since its lighting makeover in 2018, the Paramount Studios water tower shines as bright as ever in the Los Angeles skyline.

The project utilized Color Kinetics ReachElite High Punch Powercore luminaires. ReachElite High Punch features a 3° native beam illuminating structures over 1,000 ft. The intentional design of these luminaires makes them perfect as long-distance spotlights bringing emphasis to the side of a tank where a town name or logo might appear, much like this one. The ability for these luminaires to produce saturated color helps companies produce memorable moments like supporting causes or promoting new movies.

When lighting any iconic structure, it is it is quite literally paramount to plan the lighting design with mock-ups. This is especially true for important water towers, while they may sometimes be seen as an eye sore, light is a way to transform them into true icons. This is no easy task as the average water tower is above 100 feet tall! Their tanks also vary in size, shape and circumference making planning a vital part of the process.