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- The Scottish Parliament Building
- Symmetrical seating plan vs. asymmetric ceiling conditions;
- Compound curved ceilings in both directions - sometimes multiple ceiling heights;
- Specific lighting angles required (symmetrical is ideal);
- Specific vertical and horizontal light levels required;
- Lighting should appear simple and integrated;
- Avoid a TV Studio appearance;
- State of the art technology;
- Lighting colour temperature to work with TV equipment - and for people being lit.
- Vertical shading for East and West facades;
- Horizontal shading for South facade;
- Minimise sky glare (with overhangs, etc.);
- Use of matt finish surfaces;
- Use medium value for background/wall surfaces;
- Integration of light colour wood inlays at MSP desks to enhance fill light on faces and minimise contrast for the cameras;
- Use of light coloured transition surfaces next to window openings and areas with luminaires to reduce contrast glare.
Politics. Intrigue. Tragedy. Money. Power. Greatness. Hollywood's latest blockbuster? Hardly. Rather, Holyrood's Scottish Parliament, a spectacular project by the joint venture of Barcelona's EMBT and Scottish-based RMJM. Sadly, the project was overshadowed by the tragic death of EMBT's Enric Miralles in July 2000 just two years after the international competetion. Spiralling costs, negative publicity and questions in the House also plagued the tenure, but hey, look what came out of it!
The inspirational achievements of EMBT/RMJM are now well documented but, until now, the lighting has not been covered in depth. Here Enrique Peiniger and Jean Sundin (pictured) of the Office for Visual Interaction, Inc. (OVI), lighting consultants for the scheme, explain what was one of their biggest and most complicated lighting designs they have ever tackled...
The Parliament of Scotland is unique not only for its design, but because of the breadth and range (scope and comprehensiveness) of lighting expertise required on ONE project and the endurance required for its successful completion.
The project is comprised of an entire complex of buildings with some of the most dynamic three-dimensional spaces we have come across during our work as lighting consultants. Our comprehensive scope of work includes every space of the project (with the exception of basement and mechanical spaces) and includes both interior and exterior lighting, artificial lighting, natural daylighting and TV/Broadcast lighting.
The interior spaces range from an intimate cafe under a vaulted ceiling to the vastness of the Debating Chamber for several hundred people. There are unique and inspired lighting solutions in every building which are varied to accommodate a variety of functions including offices (open space and cellular type), dining areas, visitor services, research libraries, parking facilities, penthouse/accommodations, bathrooms and circulation, foyer, committee rooms, debating chamber, classrooms, exhibit areas, etc.
The lighting solutions harmonise with the dynamic of the various buildings and vary from luminaire's cast in concrete walls, to suspended solutions, while other areas have luminous walls. The daylighting solutions were fundamentally integrated. This can be seen in the use and configuration of the leaf shaped assembly buildings as large 'louvers' to shield the interior of the adjacent Debating Chamber building from direct sun. The lighting is integrated and absorbed into the architecture, not applied - to allow the lighting and building to age together over time.
The landscape for the project is an extension of the Park and it is the only location in the world where there are two 'Crown Projects' next to each other. This had to be respected, while both being distinctly different and peacefully coexisting. Lighting design strategies and luminaire selections needed to be coordinated and approved by city planners as well as being sensitive to its location directly across from the Queen's Palace. MSP Building
The construction of the MSP (Members of Scottish Parliament) Building began first and established a technical/lighting logic that would evolve as designs were being completed for the remainder of the complex. Those decisions would impact and be carried out through the entire project - in concrete.
A fundamental setting out point for the lighting design for the overall project was energy efficiency and minimising the number of different light sources on the project. A standard linear fluorescent lamp length was agreed and used throughout the project and integrated in a variety of ways for many areas, including behind mirrors, inside luminous walls, within coves and handrails, and of course for office lighting. Lamp lengths were determined by the architectural modulation of the building and used throughout the project to minimise stocking multiple length lamps.
Core and shell staircases are generally not much to talk about. However, in this case, the lighting solution included using the building itself as part of the luminaire. Vertical slots were formed in the concrete and aligned with the shutter board layouts of the wall panels. The concrete profile was shaped allowing it act as a 'reflector' helping to illuminate the adjacent wall surface. Vertically mounted linear fluorescent lamps were concealed behind a simple, stainless steel strap - the lighting hardware becomes an architectural device. A matching steplight was created with the same logic, using a compact fluorescent lamp. In addition, the further integration of the Emergency lighting system and other services elements were composed within the slots, resulting in a very controlled appearance. Both luminaires are quiet in appearance with no visible hardware and without the need for a typical 'luminaire' which allows the design/system to age well over time and not look dated.
The appearance of the facade of the MSP building was particularly important as it anchors and balances the composition of the entire complex of buildings. The building glows from the lit spaces within (vs. floodlighting) and provides a certain amount of spill light into the adjacent garden area.
It was also important to enhance the modulation and individuality of the MSP rooms, defined by architectural vaults, while simultaneously creating a unified appearance for the building. The lighting for these rooms is provided by uplighting the vaults which allow the concrete ceilings to remain free and clear of lighting hardware. In addition, the vaults are articulated via directional lighting from one side of the room (eg. all light from one direction, similar to the effect produced by natural lighting) to enhance their curved quality. If they were evenly lit, they would become visually flat.
The 'window seat' provides an intimate character for each MSP room. During the afternoon, the curved surface of the window seat catches the daylight activating its wooden surface and creating a striking focal point. In the evening, the 'window seat' is lit by a subminiature fluorescent lamp integrated into the architectural guard rail providing reading light for this area.
Queensberry House
The Queensberry House dates back to c.1500. The lighting design had to respect the historic character and appearance of this structure, while working with the demands of the new functions and integrating it appropriately into the new complex of buildings. Consideration needed to be given to conservation issues (such as attachment points to the building, treatment of ceilings, etc.). Specifically, lighting hardware could not be recessed in the ceilings, floors or walls; and lighting solutions needed the approval of Historic Scotland. Working with its delicate nature while providing office lighting was a fundamental challenge for this building. Lighting hardware had to be of the appropriate character to work with the architectural qualities, while also providing an appropriate work environment.
In order for the appearance of the building at night, to have a domestic quality - views of typical 'office type' lighting fixtures in the ceiling had to be minimised. Dropped ceiling areas were created, concealing wall glazing luminaires which accentuate/enhance the texture of the exposed stone surfaces, while contributing light into the room. Surface mounted and pendant luminaires were used throughout the building, in various scales, to provide general/ambient lighting for the smaller scaled spaces in this building. The lighting layouts for each of the rooms is varied, to accommodate the layout of the offices within. In addition, warm colour temperature compact fluorescent lighting is integrated within the deep restored window openings to invoke a domestic quality and nighttime appearance for this building.
Assembly Building Towers
The Assembly Buildings are four leaf-shaped towers adjacent to the Debating Chamber, which house numerous functions including offices (open and closed plan), six different Committee Rooms, dining facilities, conference rooms, etc.
The flush appearance of the ceilings was a setting out point of the design. To minimise lighting hardware costs, standard surface mounted, linear fluorescent luminaires were used within cast concrete profiles. Cast-in solutions and trade sequencing were fundamental in this building. The surface mounted luminaires were recessed into continuous, linear, concrete slots, sized slightly wider than the luminaire profile - creating a 'shadow gap' detail on each side of the luminaire. Services equipment such as fire points, speakers, etc. were integrated within the lighting system to provide an organised appearance of the ceilings. The luminaires are flush with the ceiling surface and organised in bands and pulled away from the perimeter edge to emphasise the shape and configuration of the rooms.
A luminaire with a reflector design that minimise brightness, keeps the concrete ceilings uniform, in order to avoid luminous bands on the ceiling. This was done to maintain the overall nighttime appearance of the buildings.
The use of compact fluorescent sources allowed energy efficiency and flexible configurations while responding to the sculptural nature of the buildings, the floor plans and multifunctional requirements. Compact fluorescent downlights were used to work with the radial pattern of the closed plan offices within the towers. The downlight was modified for installation in concrete and designed with a 'shadow gap' detail - created as a companion to the linear profiles in the adjacent areas. This detail was developed to avoid the typical 'overlap' trims onto the concrete ceilings. The shadow gap provides an elegant element of proportion - which can also pick up building tolerances between the two trades (concrete and electrical/lighting hardware).
The towers contain six different Committee Rooms (50-100 seats each) - each one varies in size, geometry and layout. The interior spaces of these rooms are geometrically complex, with compound curved surfaces and vaulted, double height ceilings. Specifically, these architectural features along with glazing, skylights, lightwells and clerestory windows presented significant technical challenges to provide TV/Broadcast lighting conditions for these cathedral like spaces.
It was important for this complicated, high-tech task to achieve optimal TV/Broadcast lighting conditions - yet appear simple, without adding visual lighting complexity to the space, keeping in mind the following:
The pendant is a multi-stem design allowing lockable field adjustment in height and rotation of the luminaires. The luminaire stems have a permanently fixed connecting strap to provide an offset approx. 85mm from the central hanging support stem. This allows clearance for adjustment so that the light beams of the adjacent luminaire is not obstructed. This device slides along the fixed, central hanging support stem/tube to provide rotation and vertical adjustment of luminaires.
Numerous studies and computer modelling was done, to determine ideal aiming angles to achieve proper light levels and the best lighting conditions. Because the ceilings in some of these rooms are vaulted, lights in the centre of the space are farther away from the subject, than lights positioned at the sides. As a result, the light intensity of the luminaires in the center of the ceilings is less than the intensity of the luminaires in other areas of the room, which had to be compensated for.
In addition to contending with light intensity and design issues, target light levels had to be met to achieve specific angles and intensities appropriate for TV Broadcast.
Debating Chamber
The unique architectural features of the Debating Chamber along with large amounts of glazing and skylights presented significant technical challenges to provide TV/Broadcast lighting conditions. After extensive research OVI advised the use and orientation of the adjacent leaf-shaped buildings to work as 'large louvers' in plan, to provide shading of direct sunlight from entering the Debating Chamber, as one aspect of the daylight system.
There are several lighting aspects which needed to be balanced for television: the light must be controlled in terms of quantity, colour and distribution to produce a technically appropriate picture - and the lighting design must produce the desired dramatic and artistic visual effect.
It was a challenge to provide the appropriate colour temperature to work with the TV cameras, which typically lean toward cool colour temperature sources with minimum of 5000K, which is not flattering for people. Typically, incandescent sources are used due to their continuous spectrum, low cost, and availability in a wide range of sizes with approximately the same color temperature. Their small filament also allows for good optical control of the light beam. However, these light sources do not have a long life and are not energy efficient. New developments in high-intensity discharge (metal halide) light sources with much better continuous, spectral power distributions and a close colour temperature to daylight were helpful in the Debating Chamber.
New lamp technology introduced to the market including cool colour temperature halogen sources and CDM metal halide sources were tested and used in these areas to work successfully with TV camera requirements while providing pleasant results.
State-of-art-the-lamp technology and detailed integration of the lighting system allows the technical demands to be fulfilled, without visual/technical intrusions to maintain design sensitivity to the interior spaces.
In addition to utilising long life lamps, is was essential for the luminaires to have the appropriate locking mechanisms and alignment devices so that the appropriate aiming and adjustment could be set, and maintained.
Again in this space, the seating plan (and ideal lighting angles) are symmetrical, yet the ceiling above is completely asymmetric. There was the additional difficulty of the deep trusses and cables occluding the beams of light. It was essential to work 'backwards' from the seating location to the luminaire, instead of the other way around. The orientation of the seating within the Debating Chamber was a fundamental starting point. The arrangement was analysed, and organised according to 'areas', in which most of the seats in an area, have similar characteristics and orientation. From there, the aiming angles for ideal TV/Broadcast conditions for each 'area' were identified, and the artificial lighting locations were determined. The geometry of a symmetrical seating arrangement and asymmetric ceiling was technically challenging and created additional complication to locate lighting as well as take into account luminaires farther from the subject have less intensity (and wider light distribution), while luminaires located in close proximity - due to the availability of mounting location have more intensity (and tighter light distribution). For this reason a projector with a variable beam was necessary to compensate for this. Matte silver luminaires reflect the wood tone of the Chamber, while white luminaires were chosen for the Committee Rooms to work with the white ceiling. Target light levels had to be met to achieve specific angles and intensities prescribed by television standards. To do this, 3D models of the rooms were built and 3D reference people/figures were added. Virtual luminaires were imported into the model, then using photometric data from manufacturers, a simulation of the lighting distribution and effect was possible. One by one, the luminaires were located within the space and 'virtually aimed' to determine the optimal positions. Software features (light meter tools) allowed horizontal and vertical light levels (lux) to be measured at the work surface and faces.
The 3D models were used to generate interactive models, which could be rotated, pan, tilt, zoom, etc. in real time. This allowed us to study and confirm with accuracy, the orientation of the luminaires and to avoid obstructions of the lighting beams.
The software's ability to extract the 3D information and put it into a 2D drawing was helpful as a documentation tool, considering there are hundreds of luminaires (in the Debating Chamber and Committee Rooms) all with different positions in plan, aiming orientations, and elevation above finished floor. One of the most significant elements in lighting for television production is the control of the contrast, by limiting the luminance range and introducing fill light to minimise shadows. This did not mean that flat lighting is desirable, but that overall dramatic contrasts should be reduced and balanced.
Extensive research at the Reichstag, as well as the United States Capitol (House and Senate Chambers) and discussions with facilities managers and Philips cameras was conducted to gather current, in-field data.
Early lighting recommendations as the Debating Chamber was taking shape included:
Television broadcasting also requires extensive preplanning of the lighting arrangements, switching, dimming, colour and more, due to the necessity of continuous dramatic action, such as the entrance and exit of the speaker and key guests. A high degree of mechanical and electrical flexibility is necessary as well as multiple preset scenarios for continuous camera switching.
Foyer
Based on the topography of the site and composition of buildings, the leaf-shaped skylights over the Foyer are an integral and key signature feature of the project.
The views of the project from above are distinctive and significant. One can look into the skylights from higher elevations nearby including views from Arthur's Seat as well as from inside adjacent buildings including Queensberry House, the Assembly Towers and the MSP Building.
In the evening, the lighting design has a direct impact on the exterior nighttime appearance of the project, as illuminated surfaces beyond the glass contribute to the overall appearance of this feature. The architectural surfaces are used to catch and reflect light, rather than applying or hanging luminaires. At night the skylights glow softly from lighting concealed within their perimeter to generate warmth, atmosphere and shape to the space.
The grand staircase is illuminated by a composition of wall slots, which are used throughout the project. The density of slots are composed to allow greater light levels at the stairs where it is needed most, and less overhead.
The exterior wall of Queensberry House slides down into the Foyer creating a backdrop for the interior Foyer space. The wall is activated via luminaires concealed in the floor. This emphasises the Foyer's exciting, dynamic and grand spatial gestures, and reinforces that it is not really an underground area.
Technical Information
Architects: EMBT/RMJM Limited
Service Engineers: RMJM Scotland Limited
Structural Engineers: Ove Arup
Access Consultants: Buro Happold
Construction Managers: Bovis Lend Lease
Planning Supervisor: Turner and Townsend
Acoustic Consultants: Sandy Brown Associates
Broadcasting Systems: EMS
Signage Design: CDT
Lighting Design: OVI
Lighting specified: RSL (Committee Rooms, Foyer, Office Spaces, Public Areas), ERCO (Debating Chamber, Tower Offices), Elliptipar (MSP Building), Louis Poulsen (Queensberry House Offices), Thorn (Car Park), Glasbau Hahn (Foyer Skylights), Hess (Streetlights), Lutron (lighting control), Discreete (3Dmax software)