Mark Ridler of BDP Lighting explains the lighting design process that went into Jubilee Place and enthuses about the experience of working with the developer and operator Canary Wharf Contractors Limited...

BDP Lighting were invited to design the lighting for the Jubilee Place retail complex in 2000. The design revolved about the 'Central Circle' and included the retail link to the DLR. The brief was to provide a comfortable and operational environment whilst providing visual excitement and stimulation. In other words, there is a combination of practicality with restrained high quality design aspirations, as shared with the rest of the development. Budgets were tightly managed, but there were some fantastic materials to work with and the client was willing to fund high value luminaries. The warm timber 'apse' was a particular joy. From the long view it is a great point of focus and close up the quality is tactile. The dimmed close offset tungsten halogen light here revealed the texture and made it glow.

Frequently it is difficult to persuade developers to invest capital to yield on-cost benefits in terms of sustainability, maintenance, efficiency etc., because they will not see the long term financial benefit. Not so at the Wharf because the client is both developer and operator. Sustainability design decisions based on life time cost benefit are therefore much easier to argue.

CWCL are quite hard task masters, demanding extensive iterative design processes. The advantage is that designs are well coordinated with Architects, Engineers and Contractors. Also they really believe in full size mock-ups, which is great. All this ensures a very high quality of finish. However there is a danger inherent in this process; we all know that a donkey is a horse designed by committee. To guard against progressive weakening of the design requires considerable tenacity, stamina and faith in the design. It also requires designers to prove and protect their design throughout all stages, artistically and technically.

Predominantly the scheme is cold cathode/CFL downlight combination with tungsten halogen used selectively to create light quality contrast to features that required truthful colour rendering. The second pillar of the design is gentle contrast in light levels. This is a busy transit zone and so to very high contrast and drama would be inappropriate. However intensity variation has been used to accent entrances, escalators, central thorough fares. The last part of the jigsaw is to pay particular attention to walls and ceilings to increase apparent brightness and to 'lift' the ceilings.

Examples of this approach are the 'central circle'. CFL downlights are installed in a tight circular array to create a ceiling feature. A tungsten halogen highlight is directed at the mosaic artwork on the floor.

Ceiling features are important here as an architectural devise to add character to the space, but they also have an important navigational role. Retail has been built under pretty much every building at the Wharf and it can get pretty confusing. The disparate ceiling designs throughout the development can really help you through the maze. The skylights are another way of achieving these aims as they give views to the architecture above and during the day provide much needed daylight. In summary, the design is very simple, but through coordination, integration and by giving due prominence to the material, Jubilee Place is a high quality retail experience. In other words, it's a really nice (and easy) place to shop.