Fiat Motor Village

Bigger isn’t always better. Take the Fiat, a great car in a small package. But when Chrysler introduced the classic Italian brand to the U.S., it wanted to give the little car some big exposure. So the auto group made some changes to one of its prominent dealerships, the “Motor Village” in Los Angeles, that celebrated the arrival of the Fiat in a major way.

Lightswitch designed the interior lighting of the new Fiat dealership in Motor Village to reflect the fresh, youthful brand. A minimalist, curvilinear track system is aimed to bathe the cars in crisp, white metal halide light, which was used for its excellent color rendering properties and low energy use—a must for compliance with California’s strict energy codes. Outside, the Fiat models and brand signage are prominently displayed in the new five-story tower designed by Lightswitch and architect Bill James. Inside each floor of the tower, cars from Fiat and Chrysler’s other brands are displayed in jewel-box settings that are illuminated from the sides by white LED wall washers from Traxon Technologies. As a crowning achievement, the tower is topped with an LED ring, or halo, that changes color as the digital media screens shift to display a new brand name.

After years of lighting Chrysler’s auto show events, we were thrilled to harness our knowledge of its brands, passion for bringing great architecture to life with light, and our expertise in creating compelling environments, all in one exciting project. Working with the architect, Production Resource Group and Traxon, we crafted an innovative, dynamic design that has made a sizable impact.