Rolls-Royce, Goodwood

Rolls-Royce is more than a brand, it is an icon and it was clear that a wholly new facility was required for the production of the new Phantom model which was launched in 2003.

The chosen site is in Goodwood, West Sussex, where the ensemble of production facilities and head office nestle into the hollow of a former gravel pit, creating a harmonious settlement in the midst of an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Designed by Grimshaw, the buildings had to remain true to the values upon which Rolls-Royce is founded: superlative manufacturing skills, and the use of prime-quality natural materials - in this case limestone, slate and timber. So everything becomes an expression of the Rolls-Royce philosophy, the fine balance between technology and tradition, innovation and craftsmanship.

Daylight plays a crucial role in Grimshaw's architecture in the quest for the highest possible quality working environment, so the requirements placed on the artificial lighting were all the more demanding. Lighting systems and concepts had to compete with 10,000 lux and more, and at the same time support production processes of extreme technical complexity.

For technical reasons fluorescent fittings were adopted in the paint shop and manufacturing areas where accurate colour rendition and "shadowless" light are essential. In all other areas it was desirable to provide ambient light together with feature lighting without the need for spotlights.

This requirement is immediately and most significantly apparent in the reception area: The client wanted as natural and uniform a light as possible to illuminate the motor cars rather than the contrasting light provided by accent or display lighting. The solution was the artificial sky system supplied by Zumtobel Staff. This comprises a series of T5 fluorescent lamps behind a diffusing fabric covering. The effect is a very close simulation of daylight with minimal shadowing, allowing customers to view vehicles in a realistic environment before making a purchasing decision.

The same principle is used in the main boardroom which is frequently used for video conferencing and audio visual presentations. Uniform light is essential for good modeling of faces and features and this was again achieved using an artificial sky feature specially designed to mimic the horseshoe shape of the unique boardroom table. The production line area makes good use of natural daylight, which floods the floor through skylights at the top of huge tree-like supports. The daylight is supported by the Tecton linear fluorescent track system suspended above the working areas and main circulation routes.

In the offices the fluorescent theme continues, using Aero - Zumtobel Staff's graceful suspended direct / indirect luminaire. Aero produces a high quality diffuse light through the unique "Waveguide" prismatic screen - the lamps themselves are entirely hidden in the perimeter structure of the fitting.

For the main reception area of the pavilion building the all-important first impression is one of quality and attention to detail. In the spacious airy ground floor the reception bridge soffit is clad with formed wood panels, with the Lighttools lighting channel system integrated into it providing a ribbon of light that gives visual definition to the entrance. Above the main reception a mezzanine floor is bordered with etched glass panels uplit to soften the edges of the floor area and give an impression of weightlessness.

Drawing the clients from the reception to the VIP suites is a dramatic corridor of light. The visual effect is given by the combination of strong scollops from the floor mounted uplights and the "floating wall" feature. This latter is achieved by incorporating fluorescent lamps into the shadow gap detail at the base of the wall.

The whole building complex uses lighting as a technique to emphasise the palette of high quality materials and draw attention to the juxtaposition between technical fittings and natural finishes. A diverse range of high performance fluorescent fittings provides both ambient and accent lighting effectively and with great subtlety. The choice of individual fittings which carry a grace of their own also makes a positive contribution to the aesthetic satisfaction provided by the facility.

www.zumtobelstaff.com

The first phase of the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) Corporate and Technical Centre (CTC) in Whitely, Hampshire was completed in June of last year and the office spaces are primarily lit with Fagerhult's suspended Looplight system. The first phase of the new CTC houses headquarters and engineering staff and with the addition of two more buildings this year, will bring NAT's total CTC population to around 1,400. This is a big investment programme for the organisation, with new systems, new centres and a new way of working for the staff.

The company employed architects Pringle Brandon to work on the interior design of the project. Brian Szpakowski, project architect from Pringle Brandon's explained that the lighting is an important aspect of their design. The philosophy behind the lighting of the open plan office spaces was to create clean, contemporary bright spaces with a high degree of uplight. The Looplight system answered this brief with its minimal visual appearance and technical performance for the uplighting requirements. The luminaires are individually mounted over work stations in the office spaces, with all vertical areas lit by Fagerhult's Sidelight. Pleiad downlights with a decorative hover glass were supplied throughout the corridors and general core areas.

Simon Jones from Hoare Lea explained that the Looplight luminaires needed to be mounted at 90 degrees to the desks, to avoid any glare or direct view of the lamp. The technical brief for the office lighting was to meet the current requirements of LG3, which was successfully achieved using the Looplight direct/indirect linear pendants for task and ceiling illuminance supported by the Sidelight to meet the vertical illuminance requirements. Over one thousand extruded pendants were supplied in white with a 2 x 35w T5 lamp package. The Looplight also housed the PIRs for the Prolojik lighting control system, in a slightly extended part of the extruded body. The PIRs are used for both presence and daylight detection and are part of the de-centralised lighting control system, which negated the need for an expensive front end building management system.

The aim of the lighting in the restaurant areas was to avoid creating an internal 'staff canteen' environment as can often be the end result with corporate buildings. Pringle Brandon worked with Hoare Lea Lighting on this concept and succeeded in developing a restaurant ambience at NATS. Hoare Lea Lighting also carried out the lighting design for the reception area, meeting rooms and common areas. Dominic Meyrick, Lighting Principal at Hoare Lea Lighting aimed for 'emphasis on perceived light pattern in the space'. This has been achieved using Fagerhult's Notor 1 x 35w T5 uplight luminaire, continuously mounted to provide the uniform lighting pattern on the ceiling, interspersed with lit columns in the space to provide feature lighting. Brian Szpakowski was pleased with the small dimensions of the Notor extrusion and commented, 'with Notor you notice the quality of light but not the fixture itself; The lighting is fantastic.'

www.fagerhult.co.uk

Copenhagen's new flagship mega-mall, Fields, Scandinavia's largest shopping centre, opened earlier this year with a special indoor and outdoor Martin Architectural lighting scheme aimed at firmly planting Fields in the minds of Scandinavian shoppers.

Located just a few kilometres from the city centre, Fields, at some 12,000 sq. metres, offers more than 150 stores and restaurants, a unique mixture of ambiance, shops and brand names that can't be found anywhere else in the country.

The client expressed a desire to make a statement, an unmistakable signal that says this is no ordinary shopping centre. Because of the unassuming nature of the structure itself, dynamic lighting would play a key role in defining the building's and Fields' image in the public eye.

Attraction and interest were the key elements, with a clear goal of attracting a higher quantity of customers.

The solution was a non-static lighting scheme that couldn't be missed by passers-by, a visual promotion that sticks out and gets people talking... and shopping.

The visual experience begins from afar thanks to an extraordinary outdoor illumination. Tucked into some 750 metres of outdoor soffit are 700 Martin Architectural fluorescent Cyclo fixtures. The north and south facades of the mall are illuminated in white light from specially designed one-tube Cyclo fixtures; while the eastern facade features colour-changing illumination from Cyclo 03 DMX luminaires with RGB mixing and colour correction control.

In order to avoid the building's large facades appearing too massive, the architects chose to place all emergency staircases behind glass. This gave designers an opportunity to continue the lighting concept inside, in five emergency staircase dwellings, where more Cyclo 03 DMX fixtures, approximately 140 in all, reinforce Fields' branding qualities of dynamism and quality.

Colour mixing Alien 02 luminaires and additional Cyclos provide decorative lighting of the three-story high layered ceiling.

One Martin PC-based LightJockey controller manages each group of fixtures, four in total with 25 Martin PSP Switchpacks, 40 Martin RS-485 Optosplitters, and a whopping 15 kilometres of DMX cable used in the installation. All Martin Architectural lighting for Fields was supplied and installed by Martin Scandinavia. Lighting design was a collaborative effort between Haskoll & Co. Ltd.; Architects C.F. M¿ller; marketing firm Yellow Pencil; retail designers Evenden; consultant engineers Niras; and Martin Architectural's Peer ¯stergaard. Louis Poulsen was responsible for the conventional lighting aspects of the installation.

www.martin-architectural.com

Bough 1 is a light installation inspired by the tradition common to many cultures of taking evergreens into the home in midwinter. Since prehistory evergreens have been seen as a symbol of life in the depths of winter. Light and fire are used to warm the long nights; we make decorations as we wait for the solstice to pass and days to lengthen again.

Made on the wall of Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf, Bough 1 is a striking arrangement of coloured Encapsulite fluorescent tubes 17m (55') high.

Simon Corder is an artist and designer. He has made several urban light installations at public sites in London, including: St Mary's Spire (1996), One Canada Square (1997), Liquid Light (LWT Tower, 2001). In 2002 he made 'Standing Still' in the ancient forest of Sherwood, a mile long illuminated walk. In 2005 he will make another piece in Nottinghamshire at Creswell Crags, a limestone gorge. Simon is well known for lighting both of the night zoos in the world, in Singapore and China.

He is a also a lighting designer for the performing arts, specialising in environmental design for site-specific performance, and working with companies as various as The National Theatre, The Cholmondeleys, and La Scala Milan. In 2004 Simon lit Elaine Paige for her 'No Strings Attached' tour.

Louise King of Coin Street Community Builders commented, "Simon Corder was commissioned to develop a lighting installation for Oxo Tower Wharf for the winter season leading up to and beyond the festive period. "The brief was to create a dramatic, contemporary installation that reflected the ethos of Oxo Tower Wharf with its restaurants, design shops and gallery spaces. The installation had to be visible from the riverside walkway, Waterloo Bridge and beyond. Simon's Bough 1 satisfied the brief completely and we are delighted with it."

Simon Corder said: "The installation was commissioned to a very tight schedule by development trust Coin Street Community Builders, owners of Oxo Tower Wharf, to be ready in time for the Lord Mayor's Parade firework display on 13 November, which attracts thousands of visitors to the South Bank. EncapSulite and Trafalgar Lighting were magnificent in meeting the deadline and delivering the project on time."

www.simoncorder.com

International fashion brand Esprit, has unveiled its latest central London store. The 800 sqm store is the brand's second outlet in Oxford Street and its fifth in London. One of the key architectural features is a floating stainless steel staircase which links the three level store (basement ground and mezzanine) and is underlit with semi concealed red lights. The three retail levels are also visually linked by a large multi coloured fluorescent chandelier (fluorescents provided by Encapsulite) which hangs down through the triple height void.

Utilising bespoke planar fixings and structural glass fins the double height glazed store front sets the tone for the strong urban and high tech industrial feel of the space.

Paul Jones commented: "In this store we have created a dramatic triple height entrance atrium with a dramatic cantilevered staircase rising through its core. The fluorescent chandelier was conceived as the centre piece to this space and visibly links the three floors. The three colours used blue, red and orange relate directly to the design language of each level (men's, women's and women's EDC). These colours overlap into the adjacent floors in order to help draw the eye from floor to floor."

www.jhp-design.co.uk