Month: July 2023

Located on the top floor of the new decadent Atlantis The Royal Hotel in Dubai, the Ling Ling is a new take on dining. Offering much more than just food and drink, Ling Ling is an experience; combining taste with sounds and visual appeal to create a party atmosphere. The venue uses Japan’s Izakaya scene for inspiration, alongside Cantonese and other cuisines, with guests able to dine in the restaurant, drink in the bar or choose private dining.

Having already informally been given the title of ‘Dubai’s best restaurant’, Ling Ling boasts stunning décor and an ethereal ambience. The restaurant even boasts a nightclub, ensuring guests can dance and party long into the night. Adding further to its appeal, Ling Ling offers stunning views of Dubai’s skyline from its terraces.

To complement and enhance this, a unique lighting design was needed. Lighting design consultancy FPOV were appointed to create the scheme, with the ambitious brief to ensure the lighting showcased Ling Ling’s diverse offering as more than a dining establishment. The lighting needs to take guests from fine dining to party time, from day to night.

FPOV achieved this using sophisticated lighting controls, an array of colours and animations – all working in harmony to create the different atmospheres.

A key solution in delivering this is the Tryka RGB linear fixtures. These are positioned behind a stretch-ceiling fabric in the main arrival lobby, which creates an animated display. The colours of this can change during the day.

This is also linked to Tryka RGB fittings within the lift cars, which change colour according to which floor the lift is on. These match the colours displayed at the main arrival lobby, creating flow and continuation of the journey from the ground floor up to the top and into the restaurant.

Tryka’s RGB solutions can also be found in the private dining room. As a key asset for the restaurant, the private dining spaces need to offer more than just a room to eat in. The perimeter wall colours can change, allowing the ambience to align with the mood, whether celebratory, romantic, lively or any other requirement.

Peter Veale, Global Design Director at F-POV: “Ling Ling is a fully-immersive experience, offering guests so much more than drinks and dining. This unique approach needed a carefully considered lighting scheme to enhance it.

“Tryka’s extensive range of RGB linear fixtures gave us the colour-changing capabilities we needed, alongside the reliability and the highest levels of quality the brand is renowned for. Tryka is undoubtedly playing an integral role in the inimitable experience Ling Ling guests will have.”

Project credits:

Client: Atlantis
Lighting Design: FPOV
Lighting Manufacturer: Tryka

The Beeld en Geluid – which translates to Sound & Vision – Institute is located on the Mediapark in Hilversum, Netherlands. This national centre for media manages a broad, growing media collection. As well as one of the largest audio-visual collections in Europe, the Institute is home to examples of written press, political press, games, websites and media-related objects. Within the Institute is the newly opened Media Museum; a series of experiential and interactive exhibitions that showcase the changing landscape of media to encompass influencers, storytelling and gameplay.

The new Media Museum has replaced a previous exhibition at the Beeld en Geluid that focused on the history of TV and radio. As part of the reimagination of the museum, the brief from concept and consultancy agency XPEX was to create an immersive space where visitors are organically and magically part of the media. To add to this all-encompassing experience, lighting and media control were vital.  This has been achieved through the specification and use of a substantial number of solutions from Pharos Architectural Controls, which perform two distinct roles.

The first role is all about lighting control. As part of the museum’s transformation, the space has been reconfigured into several themed pavilions. All of these pavilions utilise Pharos Designer LPCs (Lighting Playback Controller) to control the lighting, including the overhead fixtures and the linear lighting that is built into the furniture. In total, 11 networked LPC 1s with DMX512 over sACN have been installed to control the lighting in the Media Museum.

The Designer LPC is an award-winning, all-in-one controller from Pharos Architectural Controls that is designed for 24/7 operation. Offering unrivalled reliability for LED installations, the LPC features individually controllable and independently running timelines and scenes. This is ideal for offering fully customisable pre-programmed lighting effects that venues such as museums rely on to create atmosphere and visitor engagement.

The second Pharos role focuses on LED pixel array control. The museum’s Media Reactor, an example of a large LED pixel screen, displays a stream of media that surrounds the audience and connects all of the themed pavilions together, representing the constant flow of media we encounter in our daily lives. Here, 380 sACN universes are controlled by a Pharos Designer VLC 500 (Video Playback Controller 500) with content captured from an FHD live video output of the dual Disguise media server. An additional three VLC 50s are used for more localised dynamic LED pixel screens, such as the audio-visual wall in the Games pavilion.

The VLC is an extremely capable and cost-effective architectural lighting control solution for large LED pixel arrays. The VLC makes it simple to play video content across an array, either from locally stored HD media files or a DVI-D video input. It also offers a range of creative, generative effects and the versatility of powerful show control and integration features.

A Pharos Designer TPC (Touch Panel Controller) completes the control system at the Media Museum. The Pharos TPC is a sophisticated touch screen lighting controller offering vast design potential with a fully integrated user interface utilising a single Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) network connection. The touch panel is customisable, and can integrate with the full range of Pharos Designer controllers and remote devices.

Mark De Gruyter from Pharos Architectural Controls said: “Creating immersive and interactive exhibitions is an area that Pharos excels at. Our solutions are the pinnacle of control technology, offering the capability to deliver control across lighting and media, both of which are vital in experiential settings. Our LPC, VLC and TPC are working in perfect harmony at the Media Museum to deliver an excellent experience for visitors.”

Rutger van Dijk from SemMika added: “The design of the new Media Museum needs to enrapture visitors from the moment they step inside. The lighting and MediaReactor really help to build that immersive experience, and the control of these are key to make the visitor feel they are a part of the media, not just an onlooker. Working with Pharos gave us the technology we needed to achieve this and ensure visitors are captivated by the space and exhibits.”

Improved energy efficiency, flexibility and faster installation are the hallmarks of Ansell Lighting’s new enhanced Disco EVO bulkhead.

Suitable for residential, commercial and industrial applications as well as ancillary areas, the Disco EVO bulkhead has been upgraded to offer 145lm/W, CCT selectable between 3000K, 4000K and 6500K, and a choice of three outputs in one luminaire.

Installation has been made quicker and easier with the addition of a gear tray located on the bezel, allowing the base to be installed and then the bezel connected, as well as the choice of four 20mm conduit entry points on the base.

The slim and modern appearance of the Disco EVO has been retained, with all polycarbonate construction and an opal diffuser and white trim ring, with optional chrome, satin chrome or graphite trim ring accessories.

Mark Abbott, Managing Director at Ansell Lighting said: “We have placed great importance on making installation easier without impacting the aesthetics of this enhanced version of the Disco EVO.

“With instant light output and unlimited switching, it also offers supreme functionality, while optional emergency, self-test emergency and microwave sensors make the bulkhead ideal for healthcare settings such as hospitals.”

 

A US custom and historic restoration lighting specialist has significantly reduced the time taken to complete electrical safety testing following investment in a Seaward HAL 104 tester.

Virginia-based Crenshaw Lighting has been designing and fabricating a wide range of lighting systems, which include bespoke chandeliers, pendants, sconce, flush mount and stanchion products and diffusers, for over 65 years. Many of these products are installed in some of the country’s most well-known commercial, heritage and residential properties, including the New York Stock Exchange, the US Supreme Court and several state capital buildings.

In 2022, the company invested in a HAL 104 to improve the verification of the electrical safety of upwards of the 200 units manufactured weekly at its factory in Floyd before they are distributed to customers.

Replacing two separate testers, the move to use the single HAL 104 has seen improvements in the way products are currently checked for signs of electrical leakage, secure wiring and the maintenance of internal integrity. It provides power measurement readings with a resolution of 0.2VA below 1000VA and simultaneously performs continuity and ground/earth bond tests alongside AC/DC Hipot (FLASH/Dielectric Strength).

ensures the company’s products guarantee the quality, performance and reliability required and are compliant with UL1598, which specifies the safety standards lighting manufacturers in the United States must achieve. It also ensures compliance with the Association of Standardization and Certification (ANCE) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Function testing can also be carried out to check lighting effectively switches on/off and performs correctly at the required power consumption levels and that any ancillary equipment operates in accordance with technical specifications.

Matthew Vest, laboratory manager, said testing programs that previously took on average five minutes to complete per unit are now undertaken in half the time thanks to the HAL.

He added: “Our new approach built around the HAL 104 has seen our test capabilities move to the next level. It not only ensures the electrical safety of all of our products, but also helps us to maintain rigorous product performance and quality control standards. In doing so, we have significantly cut the time it takes to complete a test as we continue to ramp up our production capacity to meet strong customer demand.”

Following on screen instructions throughout, the operator activates the testing and the HAL 104 automatically runs through multiple test sequences according to the type and specification of the unit under test.

“The combination of automatic sequencing of testing and step-by-step on-screen instructions has reduced the technical training required by operatives,” said Matthew Vest. “This enables me to devote time to other duties while the tester’s quick set-up and ease-of-use allows other people within the company to effectively carry out product testing.”

Lighting manufacturers such as Crenshaw can complete end-of-line tests with the additional benefit of functionality testing of the operation of the equipment, ensuring not only a safe product but consistent quality control throughout the production process.

Test results are stored automatically by the HAL 104, offering full traceability. This ensures all products are proven to be quality assured before leaving the premises. Crenshaw plans to use this data as it continues to upgrade its compliance testing protocols to produce an enhanced test record of all manufactured units in the event of any damage during distribution, or to track and trace any product returns.

AL 104 combines the performance of a multi-function production line safety tester with power measurement for product energy consumption. The tester can be integrated into automated manufacturing systems with selectable sensors and can be controlled using a PC, either using Seaward’s own software solution or by means of a command protocol.

A graphic display presents information either in a numerical or analogue format while a powerful internal memory allows the storage of up to 6,000 test results and up to 50 configurable test routines. The instrument can also be interfaced with a variety of accessories, to improve both safe working and efficiency, including Bar Code scanners and Safety warning beacons.

The Capitol Theatre, Melbourne, Australia

The Capitol Theatre in Melbourne is an iconic performance venue located on Swanson Street. Its interior design is extravagant, created by renowned architects Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin. The ceiling is particularly notable, with intricate moulded plaster designed to conjure up images of a crystalline cave. Having opened in 1924 and facing the threat of demolition in the early 1960s, the theatre remained open to the public until 2014. At this time, it fell into disrepair and was no longer a usable space.

RMIT University purchased The Capitol in 1999 for use as a lecture theatre, and in 2017 began an appeal to raise funds to revitalise the dilapidated, yet historic building. With a full refurbishment required, and lighting considered an important element of the project, a number of products from lighting controls specialist Pharos Architectural Controls were specified by solutions provider Lightmoves, a member of the wider project team.

The ceiling was previously lit with coloured lightbulbs, so the colour was static. The refurbishment replaced these with energy efficient LED battens providing unlimited colour and dynamic effects. The control for this also supports the theatre’s aim of becoming a space for RMIT students to study and learn about theatre, lighting, films and event production. It’s here that the Pharos solutions really come into their own, working in harmony with a range of LED luminaires to ensure the ceiling can be appreciated in all its glory.

A Pharos Designer LPC 1 (Lighting Playback Controller 1), and two Designer TPS (Touch Panel Station) interfaces are now being used to light the Capitol Theatre’s famous ceiling. The TPS gives easy control of playback selection and lighting levels, allowing users to seamlessly transition between scenes, timelines, effects and pixel-mapped media. It works in harmony with the LPC 1, which features 512 channels of DMX/eDMX, ideal for offering the fully customisable pre-programmed lighting effects that venues need to bring performances and experiences to life.

The lighting control solution was also intended to support the development of RMIT students’ technical abilities. RMIT’s students have been trained to use Pharos Designer software to programme new scenes and timelines for the roof lighting.

There is excellent integration between the various technologies at the venue. Triggers on the LPC synchronise the ceiling lighting with the audio and digital projection systems. An eDMX pass-through allows the LPC to pass lighting data directly from a theatrical lighting desk, and the LPC also interfaces with the venue’s AV systems and Dynalite controlled house lighting system.

Tony Symms, Regional Sales Manager for Asia Pacific, at Pharos Architectural Controls said: “The ceiling at the Capitol Theatre is an impressive sight. It is incredibly positive that this historic venue has been saved from demolition and put back into good use. Our technologies are always an excellent choice for making the most of unique features such as the Capitol Theatre ceiling but it’s also great to know that our solutions are being used to train and educate future lighting designers, engineers, and other industry professionals of the future.”

Braham Ciddor, Managing Director from Lightmoves added: “The Capitol Theatre has been through many reinventions, and it is wonderful to see it finally returned to its former glory. Lightmoves is delighted to have been an integral part of the most recent renovations. Pharos was the best partner for this project to illuminate the ceiling, offering high-tech yet easy to use controls that showcase the architecture while also being ideal for education purposes.”

The transformation of the lighting for the refurbished Capitol Theatre ensures the venue has kept true to its original look and ambience; but now enhanced through state-of-the-art lighting control. As a venue that will be used for entertainment and education, thanks to all of the project partners, the Capitol Theatre is once again an important part of Melbourne culture.

Ad Gefrin reawakens the Northumbrian tradition for whisky.  Launched in March 2023, it was a unique opportunity to illuminate a brand new museum, visitor experience and whisky distillery , located at the centre of the local village community in Wooler, an area steeped in Anglo-Saxon history.  Located just one hour from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the distillery borders Northumberland National Park, home to the darkest skies in the UK.

Michael Grubb Studio was directly appointed at the early stages of planning in 2019 by the local client Alan, Eileen and Chris Ferguson to create a Lighting Design.  The brief was for the lighting to showcase the Ad Gefrin brand and provide a visitor experience in multiple areas serving different functions, including a working whisky Distillery, Barrel Store, Bistro, Retail, Function Room, Museum and grand Atrium entrance.  Showcasing the Ad Gefrin brand and supporting the local community were fundamental, using local companies and craftspeople to create a landmark and legacy that celebrated their rich ancestry for future generations to enjoy and benefit from.

The new building design was led by local northumbrian architect, Richard Elphick, with exhibition design by Studio MB.  There was meticulous attention to detail, using traditional and contemporary materials and the finest of finishes.  World renowned family run company Forsyth Ltd supplied the copper stills.  Ad Gefrin’s, innovative design teams combined traditional techniques, sustainable design practices and modern efficiencies. The use of natural light played a vital role in the design, with large windows allowing in plenty of daylight. After dark, minimal lighting was used to extend winter use and create a warm ambience, selecting a low level of brightness to respect the dark skies.  All exterior lighting was kept low level and minimal, to assist with wayfinding along key routes around the building.

The impressive, domed Atrium entrance sets the tone, light encircles the space, drawing the gaze up to the copper skylight. Sophisticated, welcoming, warm, lighting highlights the architectural design and fabric of the building connecting people with their surrounding, natural environment.  Due to its form, materials and the hand craftwork involved in the design and construction of the Atrium, its charm was also its challenge, particularly for integrating lighting within the dome and spiral staircase. The Lighting Design approach had to suit the traditional construction techniques used which required more time and consideration, but ultimately the Atrium has a crafted, beautiful high-end finish.

Melissa Byers, Head of Bournemouth Studios advised, “The process of interogating and challenging design often promotes innovation and benefits the end result.  Typically, we could have chosen an encapsulated, acrylic, flexible linear product to suit the curvature of the dome.  However, following a series of lighting tests, multiple straight shorter lengths of LED luminaires were chosen as they delivered a brighter lit effect, with a lower wattage output, whilst short lengths could individually be removed and easily upgraded or maintained over time due to the product’s design and materiality, making this approach both more effective and sustainable.”

The Bistro is a multi-functional bar, café and restaurant which caters for visitors and locals. During the day, the space is flooded with light, so it was important to select a design that had as much presence by day as it did by night. A decorative light feature was created using 270 spherical, glass globes internally illuminated by fibre optics suspended from the ceiling, a design inspired by Northumberland’s starscape. The lighting layout and installation of the optical fibres presented as a challenge, due to the shallow, sloped, narrow, wooden slatted ceiling design and ductwork resulting in potentially long optical fibre runs across the ceiling.  The layout and design needed to counter this to minimise excessive optical fibres lengths which can result in green discolouration to the optical fibres. Significant, co-ordination and planning went into the design and installation approach in advance, to establish the layout with the optical fibre lengths cut by hand on site and curated by eye to produce the final, organic arrangement. 

The lighting also needed to serve multiple functions, sometimes with challenging operational requirements, such as in the Distillery, an ATEX rated, potentially explosive working environment, also experienced by visitors on tours.  Functional lighting was combined with decorative lighting to create two lighting scenes to support each requirement.  Directional, warm spotlights illuminate the distillery copper pot stills, enhancing the raw materials and textures, as well as highlighting interior architectural features to create a community focal point after dark visible through large arched windows from the street.

Adjacent to the Distillery is the Function Room, featuring an impressive, vaulted ceiling, also visible from the street through large windows. A series of pendant designs were reviewed, ultimately resulting in the selection of large, curved, tiered copper-leafed pendants that make a visual connection through their form, materiality and warmth with the copper Distillery pot stills.  The quantity of pendants, scale, number of tiers, orientation of the tiers and layout were all tested in 3D in order to create the best visual impact experienced internally, as well as externally from the street view.  The final design settled upon includes three pendants, and alongside the pot stills, they create a striking landmark viewed from the exterior that celebrates the Ad Gefrin Brand.

The Lighting Design for the visitor experience includes a Tasting Room, Retail, Museum and Great Hall.  The lighting within the tasting experience was kept to an absolute minimal by using very, narrow beam, discretely mounted spotlights and LED light sheets to highlight the colour and qualities of the whisky, allowing the rest of the room to fall into darkness to support the 360 degree AV experience.  A similar, discrete approach was also used in the Great Hall and Museum to ensure that the artefacts and AV are the key focal point.  Retail lighting in the shop at higher level provides a clear floor area for visitor movement and allows the space and displays to be used flexibly with feature lighting to highlight products available for sale.

Michael Grubb, Founder and Managing Director of Michael Grubb Studio, said: “There was a real investment in the local community throughout this project. The clients are a family-run business who were committed to involving and benefitting local people. This level of care can be seen throughout the details of the project and the high quality of the result, due to their craftsmanship and personal attention to detail. This is something that they really wanted the community to be proud of. The success of this project is also due to teamwork and all the pieces coming together. A good working relationship between the client, contractor, designers, and engineers created a pleasant experience and a real harmony to the project.”

Eileen Ferguson, Co-founder of Ad Gefrin, commented: “We could not be happier with the result of the lighting design. Michael Grubb Studio worked closely with us on the process of how to bring our vision to life, allowing us to take a personal approach to the project. One of the things we have enjoyed so much about this project has been the process of seeing the design come to life from the initial concepts to the finished project onsite. We are incredibly proud of what the team have accomplished, creating a space which serves the local community while demonstrating our values and style as a brand.”

Project credits:

Client – Ad Gefrin (Alan, Eileen and Chris Ferguson)
Lighting Design – Michael Grubb Studio
Architect – Richard Elphick, supported by Todd Milburn, Red Fox, and JCP
Construction – Brims Construction Ltd
Interior Design – Studio MB

UK infrastructure firm McCann has secured a significant street lighting services contract with Suffolk County Council – further enhancing the businesses reputation as a leading contractor in the delivery of major infrastructure solutions.

McCann, a Nottingham-based civil and electrical engineering firm, boasts a proven track record for the successful delivery of street lighting maintenance contracts with the firm currently responsible for term maintenance works across North and North East Lincolnshire, Sandwell and the London Borough of Hillingdon. As a result of its positive industry reputation, Suffolk County Council invited McCann to tender for its street lighting services contract in September 2022, with the proposed contract spanning seven years and commencing from October 1st 2023. There is also an option to extend the contract for an additional three years, resulting in an estimated overall project value of £35 million over ten years. Under the comprehensive contract framework, McCann assumes responsibility for critical tasks including emergency attendances, fault repairs, asset cleaning, electrical testing, visual inspections, lamp changes, and the repair and replacement of assets as required. The firm’s expertise also extends to private cable fault diagnosis and repair. Suffolk County Council’s extensive street lighting network encompasses 62,000 road lighting assets, including 55,000 columns, 9,000 signs and bollards, and 3,500 associated assets. Additionally, the council is entrusted with maintaining 10,500 assets within parishes in Suffolk and 1,200 assets within parishes in Norfolk. News of McCann securing such a prestigious contract has been met with excitement by its team, particularly for Managing Director John McCann – who is looking forward to the commencement of operations across the county. “Street lighting maintenance constitutes an essential aspect of the services we consistently deliver to customers throughout the UK,” explains John. “High profile contracts such as this are vital to our wider business growth strategy as we look to partner with local authorities, build long-term relationships and establish significant ongoing contracts across sizable frameworks that demonstrate our broad capabilities,” John continues, “We firmly believe in the power of collaborative work founded on trust, with the ultimate goal of delivering exceptional outcomes for our customers while driving positive social and environmental change. Throughout the tender process, it became evident that the team at Suffolk County Council shares our values. I am confident that together, we can forge a fruitful partnership that will endure for many years, making a significant impact on the lives of residents across Suffolk.” Councillor Paul West, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Ipswich, Operational Highways and Flooding, said: “I am delighted to welcome our new streetlighting services contractor, McCann to Suffolk. Following a rigorous procurement exercise, McCann demonstrated how they would be a perfect fit for our county,” “With recent successes to replace 43,000 of our streetlights with sustainable LED lanterns, McCann looks to further these successes and support us to deliver on the county council’s ambitions; especially by providing value for money and enhancing our environment, supporting us on our journey to Net Zero Carbon,” “Congratulations to McCann and all those involved in successfully procuring and awarding this new contract, whilst continuing to keep our county safe and moving.”

Siddharth Mathur, Managing Partner at Studio Lumen, discusses how lighting is key to creating an environment and setting the unique atmosphere and functionality for each space. He shares how this was a critical factor in creating the lighting design for the award-winning Clé D’or project, which perfectly married lighting principles for both hospitality and retail settings.

Siddharth, a lighting designer based in Dubai, started his journey by gaining a degree in architecture and working as an architect in India. He went on to specialise in lighting, igniting his passion for lighting design and how it uniquely interacts with a space. The mission at Studio Lumen is the creative integration of light and shape to compliment the architecture.

This transition from architect to lighting designer allows Siddharth to truly understand the impact that lighting has on the design and function of a space.

How lighting creates a space fit for purpose

When creating the lighting design for Clé D’or, the biggest challenge faced was that this project uniquely blends the space between hospitality and retail functionalities. There are nuanced differences between hospitality and retail lighting and the scheme for this project required the two to become combined.

Retail lighting is directed towards public spaces, with the aim being to showcase products and draw attention to specific features, with the lighting becoming part of the design. Whereas hospitality lighting focuses on blending seamlessly into the design, creating ambience in a space by producing a sense of privacy, comfort and belonging.

Marrying the two different purposes of lighting, without one outshining the other, is difficult and challenging The brief was to create a neutral, warm space that highlights products for retail aspects while creating nooks and areas of privacy for the hospitality layer, with each section having its own identity.

Siddharth and the team at Studio Lumen achieved the desired effect by creating a perfect symphony of lighting layers, managing the lighting onsite to elevate itin certain areas and underplay it in others, perfecting a balance of contrast.

The importance of collaboration with interior designers

Studio Lumen worked on this outstanding project with Interior Design studio H2R, and credit their success on this project to the symbiotic relationship between the two firms. Studio Lumen were brought onto the project by H2R from day one, to create the concept and introduce lighting schemes right from the beginning.

The key to creating the perfect marriage between interior design and lighting design that meets the desired end goal for the client, is to have close collaboration between teams who work together as early and seamlessly as possible. This way there is more influence between the lighting and interior designs and the teams can brainstorm ideas and find solutions to any potential issues.

It’s vital that the teams respect each other’s knowledge, experience and skillset. It is also important for the client to see the value in the work and have a clear vision for what they want from the design, so that the designers and stakeholders strive towards the same goal. A project aligns when there is one objective and a respect and understanding that everyone is in this together.

Uniting retail and hospitality lighting for award-winning project design

The end result of this incredible collaboration was the Clé D’or project, winner of Retail Project of the Year at Light Middle East in 2023. Clé D’or, located in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, is transforming the concept of luxury shopping with an exclusive, membership-only retail experience.

This project is unlike any other that the design teams had worked on, creating an interesting opportunity to produce a unique lighting scheme. Set inside the mall, this exclusive members’ area includes high-end shopping, a barber, tailor, lounges, meeting areas, spaces for formal events, and private dining. The brief was to create a one-of-a-kind space for a set of curated clientele, inserting a sense of exclusivity into a public space.

The space had to allow for a diversity of functions and exclusive hybrid areas where clients can have privacy from the rest of the mall. The design needed an elegant touch to capture the professionalism and refinement of the setting, achieved through a neutral, minimalist design.

Lighting was key in creating this transition from a bright mall corridor to a calming space, taking the consumer on a complete journey. This was achieved through three layers of lighting; architectural lighting to illustrate the great heights, general lighting that set the overall ambience, and feature lighting for private areas and nooks to add a decorative element. Each layer of interior and lighting design has been dissected to make it structured yet casual, decorative yet functional, for an environment of contrast and balance that marry together for the right combination of accent lighting, decorative lighting, functional lighting and ambient lighting.

Lighting design has proven to be an integral factor of both interior design and a crucial consideration for design as a whole. Lighting has a significant impact on creating distinct settings throughout multi-functional spaces, setting the ambience and purpose for separate areas to combine unique client needs.

Studio Lumen were thrilled to be recognised for their lighting design at the first Commercial Interior Design Awards: Hospitality. The prestigious awards were held on June 21, 2023, at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, showcasing the incredible work of individuals and projects in the hotel, restaurant, and bar sectors.

Studio Lumen were awarded for the Best Use of Lighting in a F&B or Hotel Project for the Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa project. Bab Al Shams has long been an iconic Dubai destination, renowned as a resort rooted in true Arabian hospitality. For the resort’s recent refurbishment, the aim was to provide a much-needed facelift while ensuring the design remained relevant and future-proofed. Both preserving the authentic visual heritage and blending this with contemporary Arabic elements.

The combination of culture and modernity was also an important factor in the lighting concept, with the lighting design by Studio Lumen integral to curating a warm and relaxed ambience that provides the perfect desert getaway for guests.

Studio Lumen worked closely with the core design team of architects, interior designers and landscape architects to achieve the balance required to accent the splendour of the location and to provide the right navigation throughout the meandering resort.

Patterned decorative lighting combined with fittings that are integrated directly into the interior and landscape details, provided the primary layer of light. Downlights and additional light sources complemented this visual effect adding additional accents highlighting key features.

Guestrooms feature a comforting light balance to provide a relaxed ambience, with lighting programmed to ensure the optimum levels for different times of the day and night. The lobby incorporates a blend of zones for different activities, with lighting playing an important role in creating this flow while maintaining a distinct identity for each space. Lighting is also a key feature of the open-air restaurant Al Hadheerah, with a warm glow of lanterns set to welcome guests and create a serene dining experience.

Siddharth Mathur, Managing Partner at Studio Lumen, commented: “We are so proud to have been recognised for our award-winning hospitality lighting at this prestigious awards event. It was an honour to be celebrated together with the leading figures and companies in the hospitality design community. A huge thank you to Commercial Interior Design and the panel of judges for this wonderful acknowledgement, we are truly grateful. This recognition proves the dedication of the Studio Lumen team to creating outstanding lighting design which enhances the environment for the people within.”

Credits:
Architects & Interior Designers – LW
Project Managers – Mirage Leisure & Development
Hospitality Operators – Kerzner International
Developer – Nakheel

Photography – Natelee Cocks

Aurora Lighting’s Commercial Director, Matt Burton, has added a new credential to his lighting industry CV, having become a Freeman in The Worshipful Company of Lightmongers.

The Worshipful Company of Lightmongers is a modern Livery company, representing all disciplines of the lighting and electrical industry. Members span sectors including manufacturing, electrical contracts, lighting designers and architects.

To become a Lightmonger, individuals must be invited and sponsored by existing members. This can only take place at a time when there are spaces within the company’s capacity, which is currently 240 members.

Having worked in the lighting and electrical industry since leaving school, Matt was an ideal representative to be nominated to join the Lightmongers. With a career that began as a warehouse operator, before moving on to sales, marketing and commercial leadership roles, Matt brings a wide range of industry experience and expertise.

Matt’s invitation was also based on his demonstrable care for lighting and the industry, as well as his desire to get more involved in driving the sector forward.

After an initial group meeting, prospective members are interviewed by three council members. This explores the individual’s industry experience, and motivations for joining.

For Matt, his main motivation was hearing about the array of opportunities to support the Lightmongers’ charity initiatives. This includes their significant level of assistance to the Mary Hare School and New College Worcester, which are educational establishments for deaf and blind pupils, respectively.

The Lightmongers are also large contributors to the work of naval and cadet groups, which Matt is keen to play a part in.

Once the interview has been successfully completed, new members are fully inducted with a ceremony and the taking of an oath.

Speaking of his membership, Matt said: “The lighting industry has always been close to my heart, and I thoroughly enjoy working in this sector. Good lighting, in particular environmentally conscious lighting, is really important to me.”

“By joining the Lightmongers, I’m looking forward to connecting with other members of the lighting sector, contributing with fresh ideas and joining forces to support some important and life changing causes. This compliments the charity work Aurora Lighting is already involved in, which we are building on further.”

Matt is also keen to broaden his knowledge base, gaining insights and new ideas that he can take back into his role at Aurora Lighting. He can also explore new partnerships for Aurora; looking for ways to get involved in different initiatives with an overarching aim of improving the quality of lighting and people’s lives.

This will have a particular focus on sustainability and environmental issues, which is a key goal for Aurora Lighting.

Matt added: “Now is a pivotal time for the lighting industry, as we grapple with the cost-of-living crisis and the growing demand for energy efficiency. It’s crucial that all of the lighting community work together in partnership for a common goal; to provide the best quality of light in all sectors of the industry, while ensuring our standards are maintained.”