“Seldom is asymmetry merely the absence of symmetry,” wrote the German mathematician Herman Weyl. The famed theorist made this observation in relation to one of his landmark scientific and philosophical studies, but his words apply equally well to design. At their best, asymmetrical looks possess a unique power all their own to endow a stage with a sense of rhythm and motion that challenges the observer to see things in a new way.
Alexander Lehman and the design team at Connection Pointe Christian Church are very familiar with this concept. They deployed the “art of asymmetry” to give the church a new, captivating lighting design this spring.
“As we headed into spring and summer, we wanted to create a fresh environment on stage,” says Lehman, the church’s lighting designer. “Our previous stage rig had been up since December of 2022, so we felt it was time to give our space something new. To do this, we wanted to try something fresh and unique. This led us to the asymmetrical design.
“We know how to do beautiful symmetrical clean looks,” continues Lehman. “We also realized that it would be more challenging to do an asymmetrical design that felt purposeful and intentional. So, we embraced this challenge; our goal was to bring something different to the world of church stage design.”
Leading a design team that included Brandon Rees, Jess Jones, Michael Montanari, Scott Boers, Audrey Williams, 317 Productions, and a group of volunteers, Lehman was able to achieve this vision in beautiful fashion with an asymmetrical rig designed to draw in worshippers and make them feel welcomed and engaged, while at the same time defying expectations with its irregular fixture configurations and video wall.
Adding depth, texture, color, and movement to this distinctive design was a lighting rig supplied by JRLX Inc. (with some help from E2i Design) that was anchored by a collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures. Featured in this group were 16 Maverick Force S Spot movers, eight Color Strike M motorized strobes, six Rogue R3X Washes, eight ColorAdo PXL Bar 16 battens, 8 ColorAdo Solo Battens, and 16 Rogue R2X Wash units.
The Maverick and Color Strike M fixtures are flown on five overhead truss fingers. These structures are angled in an irregular diagonal patten that is oriented to compliment the large asymmetrical video wall.
“So, going with the idea of the overall design being asymmetrical, we wanted an irregular lighting rig,” says Lehman. “Our LED wall is angled as is our overhead truss structure, which is made up of three 20-foot sticks, one 30-foot stick, and one 35-foot stick.”
The Maverick Force S Spot fixtures are “the primary driving factor of the lighting design,” said Lehman. Arranged linearly along the truss fingers, the 350-watt cool white spot with an 8-slot color wheel, opens the opportunity to create a wide range of unique looks. “The versatility of these fixtures has been impressive,” said Lehman. “Plus, they’re lightweight, which makes it easy to put a lot of other fixtures on the truss with them.”
Also flown on those truss fingers, primarily toward the upstage end are eight Color Strike M units. These fixtures fill a variety of roles, being used for color washes, blinders and special effects. “Like the Force S Spot, The Color Strike gives us flexibility in creating looks,” says Lehman. “We also have our or PXL Bar 16 to accent the stage and the Rogue R2X Washes on two 20-foot sticks to give us even more versatility, as well as the ColorAdo Solo Battens and R3X Washes as the floor package.”
It is this versatility that Lehman appreciates most about his asymmetrical rig. “Our new rig aids the creative process, making it easier for us to come up with fresh new looks that are bold, organic, and unique,” he says.” I love being able to walk from FOH and see the entire rig look cohesive but at the same time, I also love being able to walk to the right or left side of the room and see something different due to the angles of the rig. It is as if every seat has a different view that’s unique to the angle. To me, that’s one of the beauties of going asymmetrical.”
