Riegens Lighting has completed a challenging lighting project for the new flagship Sainsbury's Maypole Birmingham 42,000 sq ft superstore working alongside M&E Consultant Cudd Bentley Partnership and Pier Electric. Their lighting scheme provides a lux level of 1000 in the store through customised twin 58w cross isle fluorescent luminaires. For the atrium walkway zone Riegens supplied its Concido low energy compact fluorescent downlight.
Cudd Bentley followed core Sainsbury corporate guidelines as far as the sales area lighting was concerned, but for the more architectural features, such as the entrance lobby/atrium, the practice had the flexibility to look at a more innovative scheme. They considered three options, involving various luminaires using compact fluorescent and CDMT lamp sources. Daylight control and emergency lighting also had to be incorporated. Cost, manufacturing integrity and track record would also become deciding issues.
Riegens, whose designs and products are used extensively in the retail sector, responded with a cost effective, innovative scheme that met every requirement, as well as the desired deadline. They were able to show from their extensive retail portfolio that they had an intuitive feel for lighting a large retail space from both a functional and aesthetic point of view. The company's efficient manufacturing unit in Braintree is also geared to provide flexibility and quality as well as meeting highly competitive tenders.
The luminaire they designed and manufactured for the main sales area is a recessed non-air handling nominally 1530x325 suitable for continuous mounting within a metal tile ceiling system. It is housed in a zintec steel body powder coated white, complete with edge trim to conceal the edges of the ceiling tiles, and fitted with high frequency control gear for 2x58w T8 lamps.
The luminaire is supplied complete with a wishbone sprung low brightness louvre comprising of semi specular aluminium sides and centre vee with white dropped or flat cross blades. Emergency lighting versions are fitted with integral battery and changeover module. The rows are installed at 3.9m centres with a ceiling height of 3.3m.
Around the check out areas of the store, the ceiling slopes upwards to the front facade at 10 degrees from approximately 7m inside the sales area. The ceiling tiles are 1.2m long from the point at which the ceiling plane changes there are still 3 ceiling tiles between each row of luminaires giving a distance of 3.9m between rows. Riegens also took into consideration the building support steelwork above the ceiling leaving out fittings that would clash. A lighting level of 750-800 lux was achieved in this area.
The lobby/atrium ceilings were a mixture of flat and sloping construction at various levels providing a modelling challenge for the lighting designer. According to Cudd Bentley, Riegens met the challenge to provide a gradual change in lighting level from one area to another very professionally. With the first floor balcony not running parallel with the wall of the building and the fittings running parallel to this wall it was not possible to place the fittings in a line above the balcony. Riegens' project designer, Nigel Brampton, therefore elected to place them at almost random spacings. The reason for this is that as you walk along the balcony you would be drawn by the rows of fittings in the ceiling and therefore will have a tendency to 'weave' along the balcony.
From a designer's point of view, there were several satisfying features about the project. The different angles of the ceilings and walls presented several problems, such as how to calculate the lighting levels accurately and use the design package to our best advantage. The most pleasing feature is the fact that the installation looks as it was designed to and close to the rendered views from our designs. The design team at Riegens and Cudd Bentley established a very effective working relationship, and view the end result with considerable professional pride.