Precision Lighting Custom & Bespoke team created a custom octagonal lighting channel, embedded with node monopoints fitted with Evo 16 luminaires, to reflect the internal shape of the Pagoda.
The octagonal channel also included provisions for emergency lighting and CCTV to provide an inclusive, minimalistic lighting solution.
The Fitzwilliam Museum is a glittering jewel in the crown of the University of Cambridge. Designed by the architect George Basevi, it is widely considered to have one of the finest museum interiors in Britain. One distinguished former director of the National Gallery of Art in Washington called the Fitz “the greatest small Museum in the world”. The Fitzwilliam Museum’s grandest gallery, at the centre of the historic Founder’s building, was restored to its majestic splendour during a two-year refurbishment project.
The main gallery’s Grade I listed ceiling, with its ornate plasterwork and casts of the Parthenon Frieze at lower level, have been cleaned, restored and repainted to reveal the crisp decorative detail. These reliefs, and a number of exquisite sculptures at high level, had been hidden in the faint light from the small lantern windows.
The gallery manages to combine its immense grandeur with an inviting intimacy. At eye‐level, the transformation is no less impressive. Gallery walls, clad in red fabric since the 1970s, have been stripped and re‐covered with a sumptuous new wall covering that echoes the colour adopted by Basevi’s successor, Edward M Barry, for the magnificent Founder’s Entrance. Masterpieces by Anthony Van Dyck, Daniel Mytens, Joshua Reynolds, William Hogarth and George Stubbs make for one of the most unforgettable displays ever seen at the Fitzwilliam.
The careful illumination of such beautiful and important architectural plasterwork was vital, as it has been difficult to see let alone appreciate. Light levels are strictly limited to 200 lux, and due to the wide range of throws and piece sizes, flexibility of beam angle, position and intensity was critical. A fully addressable 48V Dali track was specified with Precision Lighting EVO 16 luminaires to combine the desired beam flexibility, individual dimming and scene control with a minimalist aesthetic which would not distract from the artworks. Precision Lighting spotlights are also mounted in the lantern to highlight the high-level ceiling plaster detail and sculptures. The Parthenon Frieze casts were brought to life by re-purposing, re-aiming and re-lamping the existing fluorescent cantilevered luminaires.
Thursday 24th November 2016 marks the opening of the new Design Museum in London. The new home for the museum is the former Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington, following an £83m refurbishment of the Grade II* listed building overseen by designer John Pawson, and architectural practice OMA.
Precision Lighting were approached by independent lighting designers Studio ZNA to develop a custom luminaire for the lighting of exhibited works, given the British manufacturer’s reputation for high performance architectural luminaires with carefully considered aesthetics.
Studio ZNA were tasked with developing the lighting scheme for the gallery spaces, and desired luminaires that were definitive examples of British design and engineering, symbolic of the museum’s aims and ambitions, and featured bespoke elements that reinforced the theme of designed for purpose.
Studio ZNA’s scheme called for over 160 Evo X11 LED luminaires to be customised with special adaptions for mounting on bespoke metallic structural elements within the exhibition area.
The Evo fixtures were well suited for the project, with 95CRI LEDs delivering excellent colour rendering, ideal for the colour-critical application of the new Design Museum, where variance and subtlety of tone would be crucial for many of the displayed exhibits.
Additionally, the unique features of the Evo X11s brought further advantages to the scheme. With a low friction bearing 360° rotation and a constant torque tilt mechanism, the Evo fixtures can be precisely focused, and yet offer flexibility for the development of the exhibition spaces and the potential for changing displays in the collection. As both the pan and tilt rotation can be locked, the exhibition team can be sure the luminaires are always casting the works in the best light despite the public access in the gallery spaces.
Further versatility to the Design Museum is offered by the inter-changeable optics used in the Evo family, allowing the beam angle to be adjusted on-site.
In addition to the Evo fixtures, Discus S11 luminaires were installed on the project, a particularly popular mounting solution as it offers specifiers the option of custom stem lengths, with Precision being able to tailor these according to the needs of the project. Discreet surface mounted variants from the award-winning Pico family were also used for the scheme. Both the Pico and Discus fixtures featured the same precision-aiming mechanisms of the Evo, showcasing the advanced features found throughout Precision’s spotlight range. Importantly for a project rooted in appreciation of design, both Pico and Discus share a common aesthetic to the Evo range, with the Precision spotlights offering a minimalist appeal.
Further equipment specified by Studio ZNA for the scheme at the Design Museum included miniature recessed LED fixtures from the Minimo family, versions with both 12° and 30° optics were installed for the opening museum, but as with the spotlight families, the distribution of the Minimo luminaires can be changed on-site with the use of interchangeable optics without the need for replacing complete luminaires. The elegant and discreet nature of the Minimo fixtures shares the same design language of the spotlight fixtures, providing a consistent appearance throughout the scheme.
The need for customisation, and a minimalist aesthetic, were crucial for an institution that celebrates the best in British design, and Precision Lighting were proud to support this magnificent museum in the move to its new home.
London’s famous Courtauld Gallery on the Strand is among the latest art venues to opt for Precision Lighting’s EVO spotlights. Lighting designer Studio ZNA created a scheme for the gallery recently with 48 customised EVO S16 spots. They are located on Basis Track set into a cornice detail. The EVO S16 is a fully adjustable spotlight for the MR16 lamp, mounted on a long arm and interchangeable snoots that click into place with a bayonet mechanism.
EVO’s specially designed heat sink and airflow system reduces the lamp and surface temperature while preventing any light spill. The Courtauld chose spotlights with a white finish so that the slim spotlights illuminate the art while also blending with the decor. The gallery is home to one of the most important collections in the UK, including works by Botticelli, Rubens, Cézanne, Manet, Renoir and Van Gogh.
When Simon Knight of Lux Lucis was commissioned to illuminate the refurbished Temple Methodist Church in Taunton, one challenge was how to light the splendid wood-panelled, vaulted ceiling above, and the seating area for the congregation below. Precision Lighting manufactured eight custom chandeliers to provide direct/indirect illumination. Their design included a two-metre diameter ring of Basis Track supporting 12 Rotor spotlights, fed from a remote transformer via a custom-made ceiling plate and suspended five metres below the ceiling. The minimalism of the chandeliers’ design ensures that the lighting complements rather than detracting from the warmth and beauty of the vaulted ceiling.
For the TEFAF art fair in New York this October, Daniel Crouch Rare Books needed a lighting solution that was discreet, yet delivered excellent and sympathetic lighting for the illumination of exhibited works. Precision supported this with products from the Pico family.
TEFAF, or The European Fine Art Foundation, is a global champion of fine art, and the New York fair saw 94 of the world’s most prestigious and acclaimed art authorities from 14 different countries exhibit works ranging from antiquity to the present day.
Daniel Crouch’s stand at the fair saw the dealership present rarities including antique atlases, maps, plans, sea charts and voyages dating from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries.
For the presentation of these works, displayed in full-height prestige cabinets, discretion of the lighting was essential. Consequently, Precision’s Pico family were chosen for their minimal footprint, and discreet appearance. Finished to an anodic brown aesthetic, and installed on complementary rubbed bronze finished vertical Basis Track, the luminaires deliver an elegance befitting the rare documents displayed.
Given the age of the works, consideration of conservation was key in the lighting of the display. The 32 Pico luminaires feature LEDs that deliver 95CRI, perfect for capturing the true colours of the documents, yet removes the threat posed by infra-red or ultra-violet radiation that some non-LED sources can incur. The result is works that are lit with sympathy, drawing attention to each piece’s unique features and emphasizing the value of each piece.
In addition to the taller display cases, some works were also displayed opened within smaller display cases, where they needed to be lit from above. For these cases, four Pico S1s in the same anodic brown finish with custom stem lengths were used to provide delicate lighting from above with the need for additional installation equipment.
For the lighting of exhibits outside of the display cases, such as the large wall-hung maps, track-mounted DRX1 luminaires from Precision’s sister company, RCL, were employed.
A multi-stage transformation is currently underway at the Tate Britain. The initial stage sees the restoration of the oldest part of the Grade II-listed building; the Millbank Entrance, Rotunda and galleries in the south-east quadrant.
Precision Lighting supplied custom track and light systems, illuminating the alcoves surrounding the spiral staircase. A bespoke chandelier provided by sister company Remote Controlled Lighting lights the restored Rotunda.
The Grade ||-listed building has been transformed by architects Caruso St John and lighting consultancy Max Fordham. The transformation includes bringing carefully controlled levels of increased daylight into galleries, reopening the main entrance and creating access to the Rotunda. The circulation spaces around the Rotunda have also been opened up, helping to create new public amenities. The stairs spectacularly tiled in an art deco pattern of monochrome terrazzo, spiral beneath the Rotunda whose circular balcony has been closed to the public since the 1920s but now leads to a member’s bar and café.
Four arched alcoves at the sides of the landing hold sculptures discreetly lit by Precision Lighting’s Evo R16 spotlights. The luminaires were mounted on custom Basis Track systems. Owing to slight variations between alcoves, each track system was designed specifically for the alcove it was lighting. Both spotlights and track systems were manufactured from machined brass. A hand applied rubbed bronze finish enables the fittings to blend seamlessly with the surrounding artwork. The five fittings in each alcove are equipped with short snoots to avoid glare.
Tate Britain’s refurbished South East Quadrant galleries have been shortlisted in the ‘Daylight’ category in this year’s Lighting Design Awards.
Precision Lighting supplied 396 Pico 1 luminaires to Superdry’s world flagship store that opened recently in Regent Street. Over 9,500 square feet of prime retail space is decked out in authentic distressed woodwork, rusted metals and intensely styled zones by SKK.
The shelving and vitrines are illuminated by the Pico 1 LED. This has created an ambience of hushed quality and lighting that showcases key pieces of the Superdry range. The high-impact accent lighting is fused with the latest in LED technology which ensure the scheme is very low-energy, consuming only 15W/m2.
Working closely with PNLD and Supergroup, Precision Lighting designed and manufactured both standard and custom Pico 1 luminaires. These were mounted to systems including bespoke elliptical brass and aluminium basis tracks, retrac, and monopoints, to integrate seamlessly into each individual display.
Elegance and luxury have been revived at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel and Chambers, where Precision Lighting brass Microspot R spotlights that are built into bespoke lanterns help create a modern lighting scheme with a traditional feel.
AECOM Lighting Group worked closely with interior designers to strike a suitable balance between the hotel’s contemporary brand and maintaining the integrity of the architecture. Martin Valentine of AECOM decided to uplight the ceilings using box lanterns with Precision Lighting Microspot T luminaires mounted on custom-made brackets and hidden from view. Each of the 51 installed has four Microspots, machined from brass and finished to match the lantern.
AECOM also specified Precision Lighting Retro 16 spotlights for areas such as the hotel’s lobby and bar, where they are combined with Surface Monopoints mounted to the cable tray on the steel beams, and fitted with long snoots for glare control at high level. Basis Track was installed for a total of 135 Retro 11 spotlights.
Sphinx Fine Art on London’s prestigious Kensington Church Street mainly specialises in Russian art. The gallery chose Precision Lighting’s Microspot C16 classic low voltage luminaire to help display paintings, prints and sculptures in the perfect setting. Precision Lighting supplied more than 100 Microspot fittings for recessed Eutrac track to create the discreet but flexible lighting the gallery needed. Long snoots provide additional glare control.
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