Lighting and sound: Often overlooked, yet vital to real estate

Lighting makes San Juanico bridge an attraction —CONTRIBUTED

Lighting and sound can significantly add value to real estate.

Architectural lighting, in particular, is a powerful tool that can elevate the value of commercial spaces, landmarks, and infrastructure. By strategically highlighting these structures, it creates captivating visual experiences, enhances functionality, and strengthens brand identity.

When it comes to sound, malls, for instance, can enhance the shopping experience by carefully selecting and playing music. This can create a specific mood, influence shopper behavior, and strengthen the mall’s brand image, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and sales.

Tasteful lighting designs

Amado Zamora, better known as Wopsy, chairman and CEO of Amigo Entertainment Technologies Inc., has gained significant clientele by providing architectural lighting solutions and music to developers and local government units. His passion for lights and sound was cultivated during the disco era of the ‘70s and ‘80s, when he supplied the country’s top discos.

Zamora was known for his tasteful lighting designs that created dynamic atmospheres on the dance floor.

“When disco died in 2002, most of my income died. I shifted to providing background music to institutional accounts such as stores and malls,” he said. He credits real estate scion and former disco habitué Harley Sy for giving him the opportunity to work with the SM Group. Zamora researched music that would appeal to shoppers and acquired the necessary licenses to legally play copyrighted music in public places.

“We pioneered in converting background music to a main attraction at the malls by installing high-fidelity speakers,” he said. The right music created a positive shopping experience, encouraging customers to stay longer and spend more.

SM Aura facade lighting —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Facades and events

After six years, he ventured into architectural lighting.

“I got into the aesthetics because I wanted to add excitement to the appearance of the malls’ facades,” Zamora said.

His company’s lighting services transformed the appearance of the malls at night, turning ordinary façades into captivating environments.

The inviting washes of light on the frontage set the tone for a pleasant shopping experience. The consistent lighting design—a combination of signature colors and building outlines—reinforced the malls’ brand identity and elevated their perceived value. Adding warm washes of light drew attention to the malls and helped increase foot traffic.

“I applied theatrical lighting techniques that I used in discos to the malls,” Zamora explained.

Bigger turn

Zamora’s career took a bigger turn when he was tasked with illuminating the SM Science Discovery Center’s planetarium at the Mall of Asia.

“That’s where I discovered my talent in integrating audio, video, lighting, and special effects,” he said. The planetarium featured a dome-like screen that provided a three-dimensional view of stars, planets, galaxies, or animals running through a forest—depending on the theme. The defunct center has since been transformed into a condominium.

Linear lighting design on the office buidlings of Bridgetowne of Robinsons Land

Zamora’s latest real estate project involves lighting the façades of Bridgetowne’s Terra, Exxa, Zeta, and Giga towers with accent lighting and diffused custom decorative lighting for the walls.

This year, he is once again tasked with illuminating Okada Manila’s Christmas display. Last year, his company created a Christmas Village. On Nov. 11, Okada launched Winter Wonderland, a cool color theme of frosts and snowflakes.

Zamora explained that the escapist design caters to the Filipino market, which dominates Okada’s clientele.

“They want to experience winter without going abroad,” he added.

San Juanico bridge

Adding cultural importance

Aside from real estate, he has ventured into infrastructure and landmarks.

The San Juanico Bridge gained new attention when Zamora emphasized its silhouette, incorporating lively color changes and adding klieg lights with beams and lasers that stretched for 12 kilometers across the night sky. Other municipalities have since tapped Zamora’s company to illuminate their bridges to instill a sense of place and civic pride among their constituents.

“You can have the same equipment, but the applications are different each time,” he said.

Zamora is now turning his attention to landmarks and heritage sites, aiming to highlight their cultural significance through dramatic lighting. He believes that such illumination can transform these sites into must-see attractions and boost tourism revenue.

Energy-efficient solutions

Amigo Entertainment Technologies is frequently sought after by big-time clients due to its energy-efficient lighting solutions, which reduce operational costs and environmental impact. The company also provides regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance and prevent premature fixture failure. The lighting systems are designed to be flexible, allowing for changes to suit different occasions. Adherence to local building codes and safety regulations is essential to protect people and property.

By carefully considering these factors, property owners and developers can harness the power of architectural lighting to create stunning, functional, and valuable spaces.

“The clients’ feedback is very positive. They’re asking us to do more of their properties,” he said.