MSC World Europa – Outdoor Promenade and Illuminated Trees

The vessel is an incredible feat of engineering which features a 104-metre-long external promenade, showcasing the record-breaking 11-deck high stainless-steel sinuous dry slide, the longest at sea.  This creates a spectacular centrepiece in the evening when the ‘illuminated trees’, a stunning configuration of homogenous LED lines which clad the structural steel, introduce an energetic and dynamic component to the drama of this vast outdoor space, designed by Martin Francis.

Owner: MSC Cruises
Builder: Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France
Outdoor Promenade ‘Illuminated Trees’ Designer & Conceptor: Martin Francis of Francis Design
Photography: Courtesy MSC Cruises, Photographer: Ivan Sarfatti

 

MSC World Europa
MSC World Europa
MSC World Europa, World Promenade
MSC World Europa, World Promenade
MSC World Europa, Venom Drop @ The Spiral
MSC World Europa, Venom Drop @ The Spiral
MSC World Europa, Venom Drop @ The Spiral
MSC World Europa, The Lanai
MSC World Europa, The Lanai

Statue of Unity, India

The Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres, located in the state of Gujarat, India. Depicting Indian statesman and independence activist Vallabhbhai Patel, the statue was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar and inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi on 31 October 2018, the 143rd anniversary of Patel’s birth. dpa worked with Larsen & Toubro, Graves Architects and Turner India to create an iconic lighting scheme befitting the world’s tallest statue. The statue is constructed of 3D formed bronze clad around steel and concrete core and situated on an island in the river basin of the Narmada River and the Sardar Sarovar dam. Lighting a 182m statue from its small island base presented many challenges making a traditional statue uplight scheme impossible. dpa conducted 100s of lighting calculations, pushing the limits of the lighting software, to create a scheme focusing on the important elements of the statue such as the face and hands. Special attention was paid to the key viewing points of the statue from the mainland and visitor’s centre. The final scheme used a mixture of LED projectors utilizing wide to super narrow beam angles with custom cowls and louvres for maximum control of the light beams. These were concealed within the planting around the base of the statue, on the roof structure of the pedestrian bridge, and mounted on retractable columns hidden from view in the daytime on the mainland and a small island behind the statue. 2700K was used to enhance the warmth of the bronze cladding and avoid any lighting within the blue colour spectrum reducing the impact on the local ecology.

Sculpture Artist: Ram V. Sutar
Architect: Michael Graves
Engineering & Construction: ITG
Photography: statueofunity.in

 

 

Balanstrasse Haus 27, Munich, Germany

Haus 27 is the latest completed project in the ever expanding Neue Balan Campus, Munich. In 2007 Allgemeine SÜDBODEN Grundbesitz AG started to enlarge the campus by renovating existing office buildings and developing new ones, since then the campus has attracted a varied range of tenants from IT to fashion.

The building sits in a prominent location at the intersection of St.-Martin-Straße and Balanstraße and now forms the primary campus gateway building. dpa were commissioned to produce a lighting scheme for the façades, exterior social spaces and foyers.

For continuity of the exterior lighting strategy, as with Haus 14+26, the slab edge at each floor level of the principle façade has been illuminated with an internal detail, carefully coordinated with the architect. In addition, a thin exposed line of light terminates the architecture at the roofscape. The external columns have been lit with in-ground recessed uplights to provide rhythm and articulation to the architecture. The social spaces include uplit trees, integrated handrail lighting to steps and a family of lighting posts that suit the architectural character.

When entering Haus 27 you are greeted by two large foyer spaces, with exposed concrete elevations, glass lift lobbies and mirror artwork. The low glare ceiling recessed downlights and wall washers create a bright and welcoming space, whilst being minimal in scale.

dpa are currently working with Weickenmeier, Kunz + Partner Architects on several other projects on the Neue Balan Campus, including Haus 28, which will sit alongside Haus 27 and further expand the commercial offering of this impressive site.

Client: Allgemeine SÜDBODEN Grundbesitz AG
Architect: Norbert Weickenmeier and Weickenmeier, Kunz + Partner Architects
Electrical Consultant: ITG
Photography: Stefan Müller-Naumann

 

The OWO, London, UK

We have pleasure sharing the visual below of the magnificent Old War Office building on Whitehall, as well as a film produced by groundworks contractor Toureen. Both demonstrate the impressive scale and intricate detail of this Grade II* listed building which is being repurposed as a flagship 120-bedroom Raffles Hotel along with 85 Branded Residences, 11 Restaurants and Bars, and other extensive amenities launching as The OWO this winter.

We have been working alongside our client Westminster Development Services, architects EPR, interior designers The Office of Thierry Despont from New York (appointed for the hotel design), and London-based Goddard Littlefair for the hotel spa. Interior designers 1508 London designed the interiors for the residential public areas and the interior base finish for the residences. In addition, we have worked with Aecom, who were responsible for the building services. The Main Contractor is Ardmore and Toureen as specialist contractor.

The final images show the recently finished lighting trials that dpa completed during the design period. These tested the exterior lighting design ideas and techniques over several nights, with the help of abseilers, to fine-tune the lighting locations with the guidance of dpa’s design team. We are very much looking forward to realising the entire lit façade when the project completes this winter.

Client: Westminster Development Services
Architect: EPR
Interior Designers: The Office of Thierry Despont; Goddard Littlefair; 1508 London
Building Services: Aecom
Main Contractors: Ardmore
Specialist Contractor: Toureen
CGI: Commissioned by WDS
Video: Courtesy of Toureen

Binary Sculpture, Manyata Embassy Business Park, Bangalore, India

Located on 110 acres of land to the north of Bangalore is Manyata Embassy Business Park, one of the largest operational technology and business parks in India, home to both large global brands and small start-up companies. dpa developed and implemented the design of the lighting masterplan for the entire site including the soft and hard landscaping, pedestrian and vehicular circulation, and building facades. The Binary Sculpture artwork is the centrepiece of the entrance plaza, greeting all visitors to the site. dpa worked closely with the artist, Romicon Revola, to implement her desire to create a sculpture whose form was expressed by concealed integrated lighting. The sculpture itself is a 3 metre cube constructed from stainless steel, each of the four visible faces has an array of “0” and “1” binary cut-outs, making reference to the IT nature of work of many of the park’s companies. Located directly behind each cut-out is an acrylic diffuser and behind this an LED colour changing node, each node is individually addressable and programmable allowing its colour, brightness and fade rate to be controlled separately from all of the other nodes, and hence “0” or “1”, in the installation. This permits for an almost endless number of visually dynamic effects to be created, resulting in a vibrant, eye catching piece of artwork.

Client: Embassy Group
Project Management: Synergy
Artist: Romicon Revola
Landscape Architect: Design Cell

 

 

 

DAMAC Towers by Paramount Hotels & Resorts Dubai

dpa were delighted to be commissioned by Damac Properties to design the architectural lighting to the façades of one of its newest 5-star developments and a fine example of the type of varied work we carry out as a practice.

The project is a four-tower development atop a central podium, hosting luxury apartments, hotel and restaurants. The theme of the towers is inspired by the iconic studio-feel of the Paramount studios, and the brief for the exterior lighting in the evening was to emulate this style. Using the latest LED technologies, the façade lighting employs strobe lighting effect, colour changing and dynamic chase sequences all brought together with intelligent control to create a sympathetic light show that is in-keeping with its Downtown Dubai location.

Client: DAMAC Properties
Architects: KEO International Consultants
Photography: Alex Jefferies Photography Group

 

Retail Street, Belgravia, London, UK

Nestled in Belgravia, this Retail Street formed of numerous Grade 2 listed buildings, features a mix of shops and restaurants at ground floor, with numerous residential properties located on the floors above.

The client wished to illuminate the façades at the entrances of the street to act as a gateway, accentuating the rhythm of the architecture, promoting interest from afar, subtly aiding navigation and wayfinding, and creating a pleasant backdrop to the events happening within the street.

Extensive product research and in-situ testing was undertaken to identify a suitable luminaire which could be used for the uplighting of the buildings, giving consideration to lighting quality, physical appearance, cost, and most importantly, light distribution qualities, to ensure that no spill light would cause distraction to the residents of the buildings.

There were no direct electrical links between the different façades being illuminated, therefore to avoid the need to lay new physical cables, the different façades are all controlled via a lighting control system local to the façade. These discrete control systems all work seamlessly together via mobile telephone network communications, giving secure remote cloud software access, which also assists the client’s facilities and maintenance team.

For normal operation, a white lighting scheme is utilised, however to mark special events and celebrations a number of different coloured lighting scenes have been programmed. These special lighting scenes are all programmed into a calendar which, using the cloud software access, the client’s facilities team can adjust for changing dates of festivals and to celebrate occasional one-off events. The lighting controls smoothly dim the feature façade lighting to off at curfew, and ensure that post any special events that the lighting returns to the normal white light appearance, ensuring a fully automated lighting installation is achieved.

Planning Consultant: DP9
Lead Contractor: Grangewood Builders
Electrical Contractor: Solomon Electrical Services
Photography: James Newton Photographs

 

Al Maktoum Residence, Dubai, UAE

The house of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum was built in 1896 and was inhabited by the Sheikh from 1912 until his death in 1958. Al Maktoum Residence charts the meteoric rise of Dubai from regional town to global metropolis. Visitors to the museum will gain a fascinating insight into the history of this pioneering region and its most famous family, history and conflicts.

The museum consists of over 30 rooms, each dedicated to differing narratives of the Al Maktoum Family. From the terraces you can appreciate the historic view of Dubai Creek and the Persian Gulf whilst on the other hand the contemporary city skyline reminds you of Dubai’s ambition and future direction.

Working closely with GSM Project, dpa developed a lighting scheme to help the viewer understand the significant local, regional and global contexts of the Al Maktoum Family, Dubai and their closely interwoven heritage.

In conjunction with the Perfume House and Story of the Creek, dpa developed a robust, pragmatic yet flexible lighting concept that enabled all aspects of the Al Maktoum Residence experience to develop at an individual level.

Architectural features have been highlighted to enhance the traditional building materials and techniques, whilst contemporary exhibition interventions are dealt with sympathetically.

Conservation played a major role in the illumination of certain spaces. Lighting equipment was sensitively located in order to provide maximum function with minimal impact.

Technology has formed a significant part of the realisation of this project. A sophisticated, dedicated architectural lighting control system forms the backbone of the scheme, ensuring the correct operation of the system whilst delivering flexibility along with cost and environmental benefits.

Client: Dubai Municipality 
Interior/Exhibition Designer: GSM Project
AV Consultant: XYZ Cultural Technologies
Photography: Alex Jeffries Photography Group
Visuals: dpa lighting consultants

Dubai Route 2020 Metro Link, UAE

dpa are pleased to announce involvement in the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Route 2020 Metro Link project. 

The new line project consists of a fifteen kilometre extension, of which approximately twelve kilometres is above ground and three kilometres underground.  The extension of the metro has seven stations including the interchange at Jebel Ali and the flagship metro station at the Expo 2020 Exhibition site.

Branching from the existing Red Line and connecting with the Expo 2020 site, the project offered a number of unique lighting challenges.  As part of the design team dpa were responsible for the design, and specification of architectural lighting to the Interiors, Façades and Landscape of all six new and one interchange stations.

Earth, Fire, Water & Air are the guiding principles that inform not only the lighting design of the new line stations but also dictate the architectural language of the new development.  Lighting design for the stations was developed alongside the architectural, interior design and engineering teams to enhance the key principles inherent in the original metro concept whilst also maintaining and developing a unique night time identity for the newly commissioned line.

Subtle and contextual lighting interventions were to sit alongside more dynamic and characterful areas in order to balance and contrast the approach to illumination.

In particular the canopy of the Expo station presented a unique opportunity to announce the station and its arrival plazas within an often congested illuminated environment.  A subtle, sophisticated yet simple approach to the illumination of the canopy celebrates the unique colour, contrast, form and texture of this iconic architectural intervention.

The project represents a rare opportunity to evolve and enhance the after dark identity of Dubai’s critical public transport network, helping to provide cost effective and efficient transit options to wide sections of the local community.

This iconic project was ceremonially inaugurated by H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai in July 2020 and became fully operational in the early part of 2021.

Client: Dubai Roads & Transport Authority
Architect: Atkins – Dubai
Interior Design: Aedas – Dubai
Photography: Phil Handforth Architectural Photography

 

New York University, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Extensive university campus located on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. Designed by Architect Rafael Vinoly, the campus combines elements of NYU’s Greenwich Village environment and traditional Islamic Villages.

The large campus consists of multi-disciplinary spaces each with a focus to staff and student comfort and efficiency of spaces, with the lighting forming a cohesive strategy and hierarchy of brightness to provide variation and characterise each space. The project included the indoor sports arena and Performing Arts Centre.
Complexity

An extremely fast track project, the management of the design by all parties needed to be rigorous. Also multiple spaces each with individual characteristics and lighting requirements was a complex exercise in ensuring a successful lighting design.

Client: New York University
Project Manager: Al Futtaim Carillion
Architect and Interior Designer: Rafael Viñoly Architects
Landscape Designer: Cracknell
M&E Consultant: WSP and Hyder
Photography: Tom Rossiter and Will Pryce

 

The Waldorf Hilton, London, UK

dpa lighting consultants were delighted to have attended a final commissioning visit for the external façade lighting of the iconic Waldorf Hilton Hotel in Aldwych. Working alongside Robert Brown Architects, dpa were appointed to complement a complete façade renovation project and breathe new life into the fabulous Edwardian architecture. Built in the 1800’s, and now sitting amongst London’s vibrant theatre district, the Waldorf Hilton has been rejuvenated, taking its rightful place amongst the adjacent players in the night-time landscape. Using the latest in LED lighting equipment, dpa composed a hierarchy of light which emphasises the scale and ornamentation of the façade. The overall lit effect has been carefully curated to sympathetically highlight the façade’s main features and reveal it’s character, using the minimum power.

The upper crowns of the building have been addressed, and gently emphasised using Linear LED set in a discreet detail. The decorative urns, cherubs, window reveals and columns at high level have all been sensitively illuminated with projectors demonstrating excellent optical control to ensure a minimum of light pollution. At the mid-level, the grand central columns have been illuminated on both sides with LED projectors, creating a colonnade of light. The projected, square columns on either end of the façade have been front lit, in contrast to the adjacent colonnade, giving subtle animation and character to the overall appearance. At the low level, very warm white colour temperatures have been used within the decorative lanterns and entrance canopies, to create a welcoming atmosphere for arriving guests, mimicking the gas lighting lanterns that would have originally adorned the façade. The lower area of the façade utilises dimming technology to balance the external lighting with the interiors, allowing the lighting of the inside and the outside to connect and complement each other.

The renovation has allowed the real beauty of the historic façade construction to sing, whilst reducing the ongoing energy consumption and maintenance requirement for the client.

Hotel Operator: Hilton Hotel Group
Architect: Robert Brown Associates
Electrical Contractors: RP Bray
Main Contractor: Stone Edge Construction
Photography: Courtesy of Robert Brown Associates

 

The Opus by OMNIYAT, Dubai, UAE

dpa were fortunate to collaborate with world renowned Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) on The Opus by Omniyat, home to the new ME Dubai hotel, in the Burj Khalifa district in Dubai, UAE.

For dpa, the project spanned several years from concept to completion with various interesting challenges to illuminate such a unique and complicated piece of architecture.

The building was conceived by Zaha Hadid back in 2007 and notable to the ZHA design was the balance between solid and void. The design represents two towers that have converged as one, to a cube with the centre ‘eroded’ to create a stunning and contrasting void. This void is an important volume and canvas for the lighting intervention and solution to the internal ‘skin’ of the building’s void.

dpa’s challenge was to develop a unique and visually interesting lighting scheme to complement and enhance the architecture both inside and out. A critical design consideration was to ensure that the lighting equipment did not detract from or compromise the beautiful smooth flowing form of the internal void. Maintenance and energy were also important considerations as well as the infrastructure and integration into such an elegantly detailed façade.

dpa collaborated closely with ZHA and the other team members along with Vexica to develop a unique product to integrate seamlessly into the façade of the void. By day the building’s façade reflects its surroundings like a monumental mirrored sculpture; whilst at night, the void is transformed using 5,000 individually controllable 1.5W LED ‘points’ of light providing a sophisticated and dynamic lighting installation. Using DMX lighting control enabled unique tailoring of the content with the LED ‘pixels’ as a creative tool to paint with light across the inner void façade.

Completed: 2020
Client: OMNIYAT
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Photography: Laurian Ghinitoiu

Balanstrasse, Haus 14 + 26, Munich, Germany

Haus 14 + 26 is the latest completed project of the ever expanding Neuen Balan Campus, Munich. In 2007 Allgemeine Sudboden Grundbesitz AG started to enlarge the campus by renovating existing buildings and developing new ones, since then the campus has attracted a varied range of tenants from IT to fashion.

dpa were appointed by Weickenmeier, Kunz + Partner Architects in 2015, who had previously designed multiple buildings on the campus, to produce a lighting scheme for the facades, exterior social spaces and the lobbies for Haus 14 + 26.

Haus 14 + 26 are two large buildings that are physically joined together with a link bridge and although the two buildings needed to be unified we treated each building individually in terms of the lighting application. Haus 14 is very striking with concealed linear LED lighting wrapping around the protruding glazing and the slab edge at each floor level has been illuminated with an internal detail, carefully coordinated with the architect and manufacturer, which can be viewed externally. The columns in between the glazing have been lit with in-ground recessed uplights and this is continued onto Haus 26 which provides a rhythm to the architecture and ties the two buildings together, the overall appearance of Haus 26 is intentionally more subtle.

The artwork applied to the link bridge in between Haus 14 and 26 has been illuminated from both sides with a vertically mounted LED light source recessed with an architectural detail, creating a focal point and drawing the attention of passing pedestrians and vehicles to the main entrance underneath the bridge.

When entering either Haus 14 or 26 you are greeted by a large foyer space. Masculine materials have been used and where the concrete meets the bronze metal panels the junction has been defined with a concealed lighting detail. The low glare ceiling recessed downlights create a bright and welcoming space.

dpa are currently working with Weickenmeier, Kunz + Partner Architects on several other projects on the Neuen Balan Campus, including Haus 27, which will sit alongside Haus 26.

Client: Allgemeine SÜDBODEN Grundbesitz AG
Architect: Norbert Weickenmeier and Weickenmeier, Kunz + Partner Architects
Electrical Consultant: ITG
Photography: Stefan Müller-Naumann

 

 

The Constellation, The Founder’s Memorial,
Abu Dhabi, UAE

dpa were privileged to be invited to illuminate The Constellation, a monumental public artwork that forms the centrepiece of The Founder’s Memorial in Abu Dhabi, a permanent national tribute to the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The artwork was conceptualised and designed by artist Ralph Helmick, whose practice explores human perception through large-scale public sculptures and installations that invite optical discovery.

dpa collaborated closely with the artist at both his studio in Boston and during the extensive lighting trials that were conducted in Abu Dhabi to achieve the optical visual performance of the lighting scheme that enhances this world class artwork. Particularly challenging was the task of conceptualising and developing a lighting scheme that would highlight the unique artwork from multiple viewing angles, whilst retaining the subtle complexity and depth of the sculpture.

The Constellation  consists of over one thousand three hundred geometric shapes suspended from more than one thousand tensioned cables. These elements constitute varying sizes of the five different types of regular, convex polyhedrons known as ‘platonic solids’, which are renowned for their mathematical beauty and symmetry. In order to achieve three dimensional rendition of the sculpture at night, seven hundred and fifty three downlights and twelve hundred and three uplights were custom made to illuminate the sculpture from above and below.  Each fixture is fitted with a 3.5w warm white LED and integral DMX control, which enables the exact tailoring of the lighting scheme to respond to the differing textures and forms of the individual and collective solids that make up the artwork.

The Constellation is situated within the landscape of The Founder’s Memorial, which features plants indigenous to the Arabian Peninsula, an elevated walkway offering breathtaking views of the city, and a Welcome Centre with a state-of-the-art multimedia experience. Housed within a pristine, prismatic Pavilion at the heart of the space, the suspended solids of The Constellation shine like stars within the night sky. This celestial display evokes the timelessness of Sheikh Zayed’s vision, which continues to offer the UAE people guidance along a path of progress and prosperity.

Project Owners: Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Artist: Ralph Helmick
Photography: Alex Jeffries Photography Group

 

Night of Heritage Light – Radcliffe Camera, Oxford, UK

dpa were invited to take part in an event on 29th September 2017 showcasing the talents of the Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) (and CIBSE) and in particular the local members, the wider community and research expertise within Oxford. This event was part of another Night of Heritage Light & Pockets of Light (NoHL & PoL) organised by the SLL and CIBSE. It was also in collaboration with the Curiosity Carnival as part of the European Researchers’ Night across 25 Countries celebrating research and science.

Lighting is an art form as well as a science and as lighting designers we are challenged with new technologies, which ultimately provide an improvement to our ability to design creative schemes. Science and technology play a huge role in lighting development and provide us with more incredible tools in which to design, sculpt and paint our environments with light. Our Oxfordshire studio was delighted to be given the iconic Radcliffe Camera to light as part of the NoHL & PoL, along with other local lighting design practices and artists working on several other notable and significant buildings.

For ‘The Camera’, as it is fondly known in Oxford, our story starts with the beautiful neo-classical architecture and our desire to expose this at night, as it has never been artificially lit as an architectural treatment since it was built in the early 1700’s.

Our design approach therefore started with darkness. We looked at key architectural features and how ‘layers of light’ could best represent the building at night. We only lit half of the building to express the significance of how lighting intervention could expose the beautiful and intricate details, materials and marks of its history. Coincidentally a ½ moon fell on the night so that influenced our thoughts too during the design process. We also controlled the ‘layers of light’ with the use of a lighting control system which we sequenced every ½ hour running through the various ‘layers’ from a dark building to a fully lit one, from the ground up and back. Again, this little nod to the power of light was intentional as part of the overall night to showcase the importance of light, science and art or however individuals interpret our medium.

We were fortunate to attract the artist Emma Safe who drew ‘The Camera’ over the 3 hour period of the event, which we will be purchasing and this will be displayed at our studio. The stunning charcoal drawing can be seen within the images above along with the photographs of the lit Radcliffe Camera.

We would like to thank the University of Oxford for their kind permission and assistance to allow us to light this magnificent building as well as the assistance from Monard Electrical who were responsible for the sensitive installation of the lighting equipment. We were also grateful to  a number of manufacturers who supported the project with lighting equipment.

Photography: Courtesy of Sotirios Stamatopoulos – dpa lighting consultants and Matthew Hicks (last image of artist Emma Safe)

Otemachi Park Building, Tokyo, Japan

dpa lighting consultants are delighted to share pictures of their third major building in the Marunouchi  / Otemachi district of central Tokyo. We feel very privileged to have worked with Mitsubishi Estate Co. and Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei, inc. and be part of the incredible repositioning of Marunouchi over the last 15 years.

This development is the first project extending Marunouchi into Otematchi and as well as containing large amounts of prime office space including serviced apartments, is the first in this district. dpa were responsible in collaboration with Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei, inc. for designing the exterior lighting of the Towers, Gardens and Roof Terraces together with the incredibly substantial Office Lobby, Apartment Lobby and Apartment Public Spaces.

The buildings close proximity to the Emperors Palace is highly significant and the carefully sculpted landscape around the base of the towers has a harmonious link to the Palace Gardens.

The Architectural lighting of this structure focus on the crown of the two towers with their slightly varying architectural forms, and the landscaped base of the building. Both have carefully integrated light coordinated with the architectural and landscape fabric.

Owner: Mitsubishi Estate Co.
Architect and Electrical Engineers: Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei, Inc.
Landscape Architect: Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei, Inc
Photography: Courtesy of KOKYU MIWA ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAHY and Taisuke Ogawa

Executive Jet Terminal,
Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, UAE

dpa lighting consultants designs for the exterior and interior lighting to the Executive Jet Terminal were completed and the project officially opened in December 2016.  Working with the Client, Dubai South, the Project Architects, SIE, Interior Designers Strata Design and Landscape Consultants Desert Ink, the design team collaborated on this fast track upgrade to the recently opened Executive Terminal Facility.

The exterior lighting has been designed to maximise the architectural form of the building and its low, sweeping, aerodynamic form and entrance canopy.  This is achieved by ensuring that key vertical and horizontal surfaces are appropriately illuminated, with specific emphasis at the recessed entrances and entrance portals.  A key factor in emphasising the overall architectural form is the lack of visually intrusive lighting columns immediately in front of the Terminal.  This is achieved by utilising low level lighting from bollards and in-ground luminaires to each of the drop-off driveways, planting and water features.  The drop-offs are accessed from the primary vehicular route, itself illuminated from visually minimal lighting columns.

The interior lighting is designed to maximise the internal volumes and forms, with the principal central axis celebrating the view beyond the Terminal’s interior to the Executive Aircraft parked on the apron, with the main airport and runways beyond.  The ‘layered’ ceiling is extremely clean, the only visible lighting being strategically located downlights illuminating the suspended artwork that reinforces directionality and the principal view out towards the airport beyond.  The downlights not only enhance the artwork, but subtly cast light and shade downwards helping to further break up the large expanse of floor.

Either side of this principal central axis are the waiting lounges and support facilities for the executive travellers, these being located within sunken enclosures, partially concealed behind decorative fins. These fins have integrated lighting within their ‘outer’ vertical edge to further enhance their presence, with an identical lighting detail providing internal definition. The principal source of ambient illumination within the lounges is provided from back-lit stretched fabric ceiling panels, with decorative luminaires providing a more intimate scale.

Finally the internal wall of the arrivals/departure hall comprises internally illuminated entrance portals at each of the lobbies, with adjacent decorative feature panels comprising decorative cut-outs that are internally illuminated.  These elements are mirrored in the reflective flooring to create a memorable, but contrasting image to that experienced when first entering the Terminal.

Client: Dubai South
Architect: SIE Consultants
Interior Designers: Strata Design
Landscape Consultants: Desert Ink
Photography: Courtesy of SIE Consultants

Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, UK

Ten Trinity Square London was originally built as the Port of London Authority HQ and is an outstanding example of Beaux-Arts Architecture. The building was opened by the then Prime Minister, David Lloyd George in 1922. The property has undergone a comprehensive and meticulous restoration and upgrade and now houses a Four Seasons Hotel, Residences and a Private Members Club.

dpa has worked on the project for almost four years carefully coordinating with the owner Reignwood Group, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and the professional team. dpa have been responsible for the lighting design of the exterior building including the Great Tower, all Public Areas/UN Ballroom, Guestrooms, Suites, Apartments, The Club, the Spa and two signature restaurants La Dame de Pic and Mei Ume. The lighting design has been sensitively conceived and implemented to enhance the existing architecture and new parts of the structure.

The project is substantial and has numerous areas, which would be too much to describe in this publication, but we would be happy to provide further details to anyone who is interested.

Owner: Reignwood Group
Operator: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Project Manager: Gardiner and Theobald LLP
Architect: Aukett Swanke
Landscape Architect for Presidential Garden: Randle Siddeley
M&E Consultant: Waterman Group
Photography: Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

Embassy Boulevard, Bangalore, India

Embassy Boulevard is a very high end private community development located to the north of Bangalore with great communication links to Bangalore, the airport and beyond.

dpa were commissioned to produce an exterior lighting masterplan and to design the interior, façade and landscape lighting of three luxury show villas for the project.

The site wide masterplan considered the hierarchy of the lighting in order to help visually identify primary, secondary and tertiary streets, as well as the illumination of gateway features and nodes helping to orientate residents and visitors alike. The large gateway structure at the junction with the main public highway helps to identify the development and acts as a portal to the site signifying a transition from the hustle and bustle of the city to a calm relaxing home. The central roundabout water feature creates a node of activity and helps to properly signify your arrival to the development, whilst also aiding orientation for persons moving around the development.

It was important for the show villas to be recognisable at night, helping to reinforce the arrival sequence and sense of wonder in prospective buyers during their tours of the development. The villas’ architecture consists of a series of interconnecting volumes tied together with a consistent privacy / solar glare control screen wooden feature. This screen is emphasised through the use of a continuously mounted narrow beam linear luminaire grazing the structure of the screen whilst providing illumination to the perimeter and threshold of each villa. Further, in many locations these luminaires also back light a number of sheer curtains providing a pleasant backdrop to many of the interior spaces.

The lighting to each villas private garden was carefully implemented to provide a relaxing space without over-lighting and thereby avoiding any impact on the privacy of residents. Key elements such as trees and feature walls are illuminated, revealing their form and texture and creating different layers of light gently expressing the space at night. The swimming pools have limited lighting aiding safety of use at night, but predominantly act as a reflecting pool mirroring the façade of the villa and illuminated landscape elements.

Our intent with the interiors was to create a welcoming, beautifully lit home, expressing the architectural features and the texture and appearance of the materials and furnishings used. This was achieved through the use of concealed linear luminaires grazing curtains and selected walls, and the use of low glare, deep recessed adjustable downlight luminaires to accent light wall hung artworks, sculptures and other features. Additional downlights are utilised over tables helping to create a focal point to the room. Combined with the interior designer’s selected decorative chandeliers, table and floor standing lamps, a warm, welcoming, homely feel was created.
For the higher specification of villas a lighting control system was installed allowing different lighting scenes to be selected automatically at the touch of a button. Within each scene the brightness and intensity of different groups of luminaires is automatically adjusted to a pre-programmed level completely changing the mood and feel of each space to suit the current activity be this, entertaining, dining, relaxing, watching television, etc.

Client and Operator: Embassy Group
Project Manager: Synergy Property Development Services
Architect and Interior Design: Andy Fisher Workshop
Photography: Courtesy of Embassy Group and LSI

 

An Lanntair Arts Centre, Stornoway, Scotland

This is dpa‘s second theatre project in Scotland with Nicoll Russell following the success of the Byre Theatre in St Andrews. The lighting ensures transparency of the building envelope at night allowing interesting glimpses into the volumes inside the project from outside. The scheme is designed to invoke a sense of theatre and light is used to expose materials and enhance the volumes. The use of daylight when available is a really important part of the project and the play between solid and transparent is a signature of the building. The external lighting ensure appropriate impact from the surrounding areas while the internal lighting creates interesting and varied lighting patterns in each space including the auditorium itself.