Whether it’s the Fourth of July, the World Series, or Pride Month, all Philadelphians are familiar with the bright LEDs that light up our city’s skyline to commemorate holidays and other special events. Several buildings in Center City feature these color-changing lights, but perhaps the most visually unique is the FMC Tower at Cira Centre South, just south of the 30^th Street Station in University City. The skyscraper, featuring a distinctive all-glass façade, contains hundreds of hidden LEDs that light up the sky each night. More inquisitive residents may have wondered: who is in charge of choosing the colors and patterns that decorate the FMC Tower nightly, and how are they coordinated with the other skyscrapers that light the night sky in the city?

To provide some background: FMC Tower was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, the architectural firm created by the legendary César Pelli. Some of Pelli’s most famous designs include the World Financial Center in Manhattan as well as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, which were the tallest buildings in the world from their completion in 1998 until 2004. Pelli’s work on Cira Centre South, where FMC Tower is located, began in 2013 and was completed in 2016. He also designed the original Cira Centre, which was completed in 2006. Pelli’s firm was also involved in the design of a few other buildings in Philadelphia, including the Roberts Center for Pediatric Research and the Buerger Center Advanced Pediatric Care. Pelli passed away in 2019, though his firm still remains active.

The LED lighting that FMC Tower is known for was designed by Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design, which was founded in 1985 with the mission of “enhancing the grace, utility, and comfort of architectural spaces through the use of light.” The design firm has won dozens of awards in its field and has worked on famous projects such as the National Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan, Yale Sterling Memorial Library in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in Manhattan. The specific lights used in the design of FMC Tower are beveled LEDs created by USAI Lighting; these were chosen for their flat form factor, making them easy to conceal within the tower’s glass surface, and ensuring that they are only visible when lit. The sustainable design of the LEDs allowed FMC Tower to receive a LEED Gold certification for energy efficiency and environmental design.

The building managers of FMC Tower are responsible for choosing the colors and patterns that light up the skyscraper each night. However, the managers often coordinate with their counterparts at other Center City buildings through the Building Owners and Managers Association of Philadelphia (BOMA). On BOMA’s website at bomaphila.com, a request form is provided for individuals and organizations to request specific lighting colors to commemorate special events. The most well-known themes are red for the Phillies and green for the Eagles, but many other organizations and events are recognized by BOMA. For example, the various buildings will be lit up pink on the first three days of October to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Some of the other Center City buildings which participate in this coordination process are One Liberty Place, Two Liberty Place, and the BNY Mellon Center.

To submit an illumination request to BOMA, you can visit their website or send an email to [email protected], at least three weeks in advance of the requested dates. Requests should include the name of your organization, the name of the event or cause to be recognized, your preferred colors, and the dates of illumination (maximum of three consecutive days). You should also include a brief two-to-three-sentence description of the reason for your request. The calendar of available dates is also on BOMA’s website. If no requests are submitted for a given date, lighting colors are selected at the discretion of the individual building managers, though they occasionally opt to coordinate the colors informally. If you know of an organization, holiday, or other event that you feel deserves recognition, don’t hesitate to reach out to BOMA; as they put it, “BOMA Philadelphia looks forward to offering our “shining support” to your cause.”