The retail display areas provide effective but discreet display lighting to all types of fabric and colour, with particular concerns for dark suiting, and also to provide a variable ambient lighting pattern to create mood and a sense of journey through the store. The centre piece of the store and the new works is a new atrium created in the centre of the store from Lower ground to Third floor levels. As well as connecting each floor with stairs and glass lifts, the lighting in this atrium was critical to creating a 'wow' factor for the shoppers.
Additionally, part of the works is a new exterior lighting scheme to replace the infamous orange windows which have been around for a long time. The external works are currently in progress and only partially complete.
Gary Campbell, lighting consultant on the project, described the three main challenges for this design: Firstly, the retail display areas are reasonably large open plan spaces. If the lighting is not carefully considered such spaces can either appear overly bright with a generally flat ambience or can appear gloomy with low ambient levels and reduced visual brightness accentuated by the reduced quantity of vertical central surfaces to reflect available light. The client's brief called for 'atmospheric and mood' lighting with a richness of quality and variable light pattern to create a sense of journey through the store. It was essential that the vertical surfaces, particularly the perimeter displays were well lit. The ambience required was created using pools of light on the floor at variable positions and brightnesses. By definition therefore, some areas of the floor were unlit. This effect, combined with the reflected light from the vertical surfaces, provided the desired balance of ambient to display lighting and also the required 'visual atmosphere'. The floor finishes of dark timber and rich carpeting were important to the visual effect as what light they did reflect gave some warmth and softness to the overall effect.
The second challenge was the creation of the 'wow' factor on the Atrium. This is not a huge space but was of a scale which called for special lighting treatment, particularly the top ceiling and floor levels. The third floor ceiling created issues of access and maintenance and a scheme was devised incorporating fibre-optics with the remote sources easily accessible. Some subtle movement was integrated to the fibre-optics to give some dynamic effect. Blue cold cathode cove lighting was combined with randomised fibre points to create a shimmering 'star sky'. A bolder use of blue and white fibre-optic points was also incorporated in rings around the lift over-run, with a subtle radial movement from inner ring to outer ring.
At floor level the lift pit was washed with green light, again from concealed cold cathode to suggest water. The floors in between were visually connected with light using cove lighting around the ceiling edge at each level and behind the wall panels on the rear wall. One of the main features is a 'history' panel which runs from top to bottom. This represents certain graphics used by Austin Reed over the years. It has very colourful glass pieces which are enhanced with backlighting.
The third challenge was to develop an appropriate and acceptable external faade lighting scheme. Appropriate to the architectural style and age of the building and acceptable to a number of interested parties namely Austin Reed and the design team, The Crown Estate represented by Imagination who developed a lighting strategy for the whole of Regent Street, and Westminster planning dept. All parties had varying requirements and some time was taken to develop a scheme agreeable to all sides.
The new flagship brand philosophy and design will be applied throughout the group's retail portfolio.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Lighting Design: Campbell Design Lighting Solutions
Lamp types: Osram AR111 metal reflector lamp - display lighting
information: www.campbelldesign.co.uk
iGuzzini: Frame, multiple gimbal luminaire for ceiling ambient/display lighting. Variant with cover plate; Minimal, multiple gimbal luminaire for display lighting. Variant with cover plate; T5 Slimlite for concealed furniture lighting; Spin, Multiple lamp luminaire
Light Corporation: Tyrell 50 and Tyrell 35, low brightness spotlights for ceilings and display furniture
AC/DC Lighting: Cold cathode for ceiling cove lighting, back-lighting of large 'garden' glass feature panel, and atrium lighting
Erco: Double focus ceiling recessed downlight for ambient lighting.
Lucent / RSL: Pendant luminaires over cafe bar.
Sill Lighting / Meyer Lighting / Louis Poulsen / AC/DC Lighting (cold cathode): external facade lighting
Philip Payne: Edgelit emergency exit signs
Crescent Lighting: Fibre-optics in Atrium
Ansorg: Brick range, Window display lighting.
Lutron Grafik Eye: Dimmer controls for Day Spa treatment rooms
Osram 35 watt CDM-TC metal halide - display / ambient lighting
Osram 50 watt MR16 IRC dichroic reflector lamp - display lighting.
AC / DC Lighting - Cold cathode, warm white, blue, and green
Philips T8 fluorescent, Colour 93 high colour rendering. Coves
Osram T5 fluorescent, Colour 83. Coves & light boxes
All above chosen for combination of colour rendering / colour appearance for retail, physical size, and glare control (AR111)