Precision Lighting fixtures have been used to light the Merchants Tavern, an upmarket restaurant in the heart of Shoreditch, east London.
Long snooted Evo R16s and Retro 16s provide illumination at the 130 cover restaurant, bar and private dining room, offering an update on the classic ‘tavern’. The brainchild of co-founders Angela Hartnett, Neil Borthwick, Dominic Lake and Patrick Clayton Malone, the Merchants Tavern provides Modern European food in a relaxed, open setting and features a seasonal menu devised by Hartnett and head chef Borthwick.
Housed in a Victorian warehouse and former apothecary in the heart of Shoreditch on the edge of the city, Merchants Tavern is located at the old Cataloupe site, one of the first restaurants and bars in Shoreditch. “We spent a long time searching for the right space, and we knew this was it.” Explains Hartnett, “There’s a real sense of history and community here which is vital for us to maintain and we want to make Merchants Tavern a part of this.”
The interior of the Merchants Tavern has been designed by Hackney-based design studio Very Good and Proper. It features a design inspired by the late 50’s and early 60’s, consisting of leather, hardwood and natural materials, which make up the majority of the restaurant’s interior. In contrast to this, the brushed aluminium finish of the Evo and Retro fittings add a modern twist to the contemporary design.
Evos pick out individual tables within the restaurant and bar, whilst Retro luminaires illuminate workstations in the adjoining open-plan kitchen. Integrating seamlessly into the architecture of the building, the spotlights provide a contrast to the atrium-style glass ceiling of the restaurant, which floods the space with light during the day. As night falls, the Evos provide a level of intimacy for diners, complementing the warm colour scheme of the interior.
With uninterrupted lines and a classically proportioned shape, the Evo series combine versatility with grace, to provide discreet, glare-free lighting. Machined from aerospace-grade aluminium for its thermal and aesthetic qualities, the Evo offers unparalleled style and performance, allowing clients to light creatively and with complete accuracy.
When luxury jewellers Mappin and Webb needed high performance lighting to illuminate their latest collection at an exclusive press event, they turned to architectural spotlight manufacturer and regular collaborator Precision Lighting.
The illustrious event, at London’s famed Spencer House, involved the iconic retailers launch of their forthcoming silver Wildfell jewellery collection to the attentive jewellery press.
The collection, which celebrates the 240th anniversary of the brand, commemorates Mappin and Webb’s illustrious history and royal heritage.
The presentation of the Wildfell Collection was set in Spencer House’s opulent Palm Room, featuring marble statues and domed ceilings, and dressed with blooming flora. The effect was a charming enchanted garden atmosphere that provided a suitably lavish ambience for exhibiting the 18ct gold and sterling silver jewellery.
Precision supplied 10 surface mounted spotlights from the discreet Pico range to spotlight this incredible range; with a luminaire head diameter of just 18.5mm, the spotlights were in elegant proportion to the jewellery, and ensured focus was on the retailers’ merchandise rather than the light source.
The 12° optic of the Pico luminaires supplied cast a narrow spot of light, ideal for pinpointing the exquisite features of the rings, bracelets and necklaces presented.
Careful care was also taken to ensure that the precious metals in each component of the Wildfell collection was properly lit with the correct colour temperature. Ensuring that the items in the collection were lit by suitably coloured light, this careful tuning added visual excitement to the range and communicated the accurate craftsmanship with clarity, with each piece focusing the interest of the absorbed media in attendance.
As Matthew Nourse, Technical Sales Manager for Precision Lighting, explains: “Given that the collection contained both gold finery, as well as sterling silver elements, we used colour correction filters to tune the light to an appropriate temperature for each item.
“For the 18ct gold jewellery, our standard 3000K LEDs provided a gorgeous warm light, heightening the sumptuous appeal. For the silver merchandise, fitting the correction filters produced a light closer to 4000K, perfect for providing a fresh aesthetic perfectly suited for making sure the glistening merchandise glowed, drawing the curiosity of the invited guests”.
In keeping with the requirement for a lighting solution that was closely honed to the needs of the retailer, the Pico fittings were mounted in pairs on display plinths that showed off the jewellery; the luminaires shared a driver so that the lighting on each plinth could be accurately dimmed to the level required for each item in the range.
The unique features found in the brushed aluminium Picos provided further control for the event. With a constant torque tilt mechanism making sure the highly finished spotlights kept a precise aim on the Wildfell pieces.
Precision’s support of Mappin and Webb was not limited to lighting the fantastic new collection. Six architectural spotlights from the Discus 11 series were used to cast light into three ornately decorated alcoves of the Palm Room of the mansion. The effect, provided by the broad distribution of the 30° flood optic employed, draws attention to the elaborate detailing on the domed ceilings of each alcove.
The Discus fittings were fitted with diffusing lens to disperse light across the ceiling, and the reflectance of the gilded detailing echoed the warm gold of the jewellery and created a magnificent setting for the launch event, reaffirming the luxury and the heritage of the Mappin and Webb name.
The Discus, whose compact design has won admirers from across the lighting design community, was selected for the minimal appearance and small form factor. Installed in an inconspicuous location and surrounded by foliage as part of the event’s furnishings, the result was an unobtrusive light source that provided the Palm Room’s domed ceilings with a glow comparable to a bright summer’s day; beautifully mirroring the Wildfell’s English countryside influences and contributing to a whimsical ambience.
Mappin and Webb chose to work with Precision after prior successful collaborations. Having previously worked together on both the jeweller’s Regent Street showroom, and the launch of last year’s collections, the luxury retailer knew that the pinnacle of British engineering, combined with a committed support service that Precision are renowned for, would again be an ideal fit for illuminating the skill and talent of their artisans.
The result was a launch event that was as spectacular as the jewellery presented, and thanks to a renewal of this successful partnership, the new collection was launched with the finery looking its very best.
Visit Mappin and Webb’s website today to find out more about their beautiful ranges of luxury goods and jewellery.
Mappin & Webb is a long-standing name in British history with roots stretching back to 1775. Starting off as a small cutlery workshop, the brand has grown and adapted throughout the years into what it is today: retail jeweller and Royal Warrant holder. Mappin & Webb continues to be recognised throughout the world for its classic table silverware and high-end watch brands, however it is their jewellery that has rejuvenated the brand and furthered the line of luxury emerging from this iconic name. Simplicity and elegance is at the heart of the brand and Mappin & Webb continues to be a leading name in the luxury goods business nearly 250 years on from its origin.
Precision Lighting Pico spotlights with special cool white filters have been used to highlight the icy lustre of silver and white gold for Mappin & Webb’s magnificent Autumn / Winter 2014 collection at its Regent Street London showrooms. The brushed aluminium finish on the Pico spotlights speaks of quality and allows the fittings to sit alongside Mappin & Webb’s 2014 range without looking out of place.
The Pico spotlights were used in pairs to both highlight individual items and to reveal the exquisite details in the jewellery. Using multiple light sources from different directions and layering the light levels helped to reduce any harsh contrasts on the jewels and pick out the intricate details and textures of the individual pieces.
Colour temperature plays an important role in bathing objects in a striking and seductive glow. The body of an object can be enhanced by illuminating it with the same colour of light; adding intensity and excitement to the object. Mappin & Webb’sAutumn / Winter 2014 range consisted of silver and white gold jewellery; best illuminated by cool light. The Surface Mounted Pico spotlights were fitted with filters to bring their colour temperature to 4000K; approximately that of moonlight, to add colour intensity and clarity to the range.
The miniature Pico spotlight is widely used within gallery, museum and shop displays where its size, coupled with smooth focusing and locking in pan and tilt, enables highly accurate, glare-free lighting of small, intricate objects. The display uses a total of 26 Picos, mainly located in plinths with some housed with jewellery in glass cloches. Versions are also available on lighting tracks for pin-spotting from a distance or on stems for use in display cabinets. A variable beam version is available to maximise flexibility in lighting schemes.
Visit Mappin and Webb’s website today to find out more about their beautiful ranges of luxury goods and jewellery.
Lighting consultant Studio ZNA chose Precision Lighting’s Pico 1 Surface LED spotlights for Nature’s Library, the recently refurbished gallery at Manchester Museum, which showcases a huge collection of preserved animals, plants and fossils.
More than 200 of the minimal LED fittings now illuminate exhibits in the Victorian gallery’s double-sided vitrines.
The cases are like individual encyclopedias standing on the second floor ‘shelf’ that surrounds the building’s central well. The small but easily focused LED spotlights have transformed the displays with highlights, shadow and texture, adding visual interest and also giving the exhibits context.
Magna Carta is recognised as one of the world’s most important documents, and in a temporary exhibition commemorating the 800th anniversary of its signing, independent lighting designers Studio ZNA have crafted a spectacular scheme that follows the narrative of the charter, featuring Precision’s award-winning Pico Zoom.
The signing of Magna Carta represents a milestone in the establishment and formal recognition of civil liberties, and has in the eight centuries since the charter’s documentation it has been interpreted as both a practical solution to a temporary political crisis, and contrastingly acclaimed as a foundation of democracy.
The exhibition ‘Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy”, at London’s renowned British Library, seeks to engage visitors with the historic narrative of the charter, showing how the perception of the document has developed as the wider geo-political context has altered. In addition to two of the surviving copies of the original charter, other artefacts that help to shape the story of Magna Carta include stunning manuscripts, paintings, statues and royal relics.
Further antiquities which Studio ZNA were tasked with lighting as part of the exhibition include Thomas Jefferson’s handwritten copy of the Declaration of Independence and one of the original copies of the US Bill of Rights, both pivotal documents in the history of North America, and evidence of the global impact that Magna Carta has had beyond British shores.
The exhibition marks the first time both of the documents had been presented in the UK, and is testament to the rigour of the exhibition designers, acclaimed architects RFK, in constructing an exhibition narrative that details both the background to the signing of the charter, and the legacy of those who have used – and abused – its power.
Carolina Sterzi, of Studio ZNA, sought to create a lighting scenario that supported the exhibition’s design ambitions of telling the complete story of the charter, and craft an attractive atmosphere for the visitors to experience this once in a lifetime exhibition.
Key challenges in lighting the exhibition included the different ceiling heights, and the different feelings each section had been designed to evoke.
Additionally, due to the age of the exhibits, lighting had to be carefully managed to ensure no risk of degradation to the antiquities presented. As Carolina illustrates: “Delicate and careful focusing work has been carried out to arrange light levels, and comply with appropriate conservation requirements. For light-sensitive objects, luminaires with on-board dimming ability were selected.”
Over 30 Pico Surface spotlights were used to supplement the design of the gallery spaces, with 33° x 15° elliptical optics used to illuminate the labelling of pieces without causing light spill on the floor below. Budgetary constraints led Studio ZNA to utilize as much as the Library’s existing halogen spotlight stock as possible within the scenario, while the addition of Pico and extra linear fittings were selected partly due to being LED sources, with Carolina selecting the luminaires for their low energy consumption and ease of maintenance.
In addition, 20 Pico Zooms provided the exhibition space with extra flexibility. The award-winning variant of the discreet Pico family features tool-less variable team technology, based upon linear slide mechanism. With this innovative technology, Studio ZNA could fine-tune the beam angle from a narrow 12° spot to a broader 30° floor distribution on site.
These acclaimed miniature LED spotlights were put to good use in the exhibition, lighting an imposing statue of Geoffrey de Mandeville that greets the visitors to the exhibition. Baron de Mandeville was a contemporary of King John in 1215, and one of the sureties at the signing of Magna Carta.
James Sherwood Westmacott sculpted the statue, one of a series commissioned by Charles Barry as part of a refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster, and the variable beams of the Pico Zooms draws attention to the scale of the piece, heightening the sense of severity that Barry had instructed from the sculptors.
Pico Zoom has previously illuminated priceless exhibits in lighting schemes by Studio ZNA, and the studio were very familiar with the unique benefits these unique spotlights brought to the museum sector. Having previously specified the luminaire to illuminate the dramatic details of the luxurious gowns featured in a recent Wedding Dresses exhibition at the V&A Museum; the studio welcomed the simple on-site adjustment ability of the spotlights to suit the needs of future exhibitions without the need for new fixtures.
Such versatility from Pico Zoom is welcomed particularly in temporary gallery spaces, where specifiers can use the linear sliding mechanism to fine-tune the lighting of subjects after they have been installed, perfect when the precise dimensions of objects to be exhibited have yet to be confirmed before onsite commissioning.
For the dramatic last section of the exhibition, where two of four surviving 1215 original copies of Magna Carta were to be presented, Studio ZNA faced a very specific challenge. “The space itself is a simple dark room, with large, thick sheets of glass protecting the two documents, and the danger of reflections spoiling the view of these irreplaceable documents is high,” Carolina explained.
Pico’s small form-factor enabled the luminaire to be cunningly installed in the underlying structure; and careful cross focusing of the spotlights overcame this risk of reflection. The Zoom variant was chosen for lighting the surviving copies of the charter, as it gave Caroline more flexibility to tweak the beam angle for highlighting the documents without missing any of the fine details.
Carolina concludes: “Having hidden the source of light and removed all unnecessary reflections, the two copies managed to emerge from the darkness of the room with stark clarity, leaving the visitor to experience a unique moment in the course of human history.”
The effect is stunning, with the contrast between the extremely low ambience and the beautifully lit charters, the room evokes a sense on contemplation on the role that the charter has, and its continued legacy.
Lighting Design International’s scheme for one of sport’s most famous interior locations, the Long Room at Lord’s Pavilion, bowled the judges over at the Lighting Design Awards. The Long Room is home to an unrivalled collection of cricket art and needed a discreet, track-mounted lighting system that would complement the stunning architecture and provide visual comfort both in the Long Room and in the historic Long Room Bar.
LDI specified a custom version of Precision Lighting’s Phantasia picture light and the Retrac low voltage lighting system. Single and double-headed versions of the minimalist Phantasia were used with backlight shields, snoots and louvres. Retrac can be recessed into walls and ceilings as well being surface mounted or suspended, making it extremely versatile. At Lord’s a special mounting detail was designed so that the track blended into the Long Room’s period decor and the Retrac was finished with a cover strip painted to match the walls. The choice of finish and the minimal size and design of the luminaire complemented the surrounding decor to create a contemporary installation that blends seamlessly into a classic room.
Precision Lighting LED fixtures, including more than 350 Pico 1 and Oculus spotlights, light the London Dungeon at levels that are seldom more than 15 to 20 lux. David Hurst of Full-On Lighting Design has combined them with DMX lighting controllers to dim them down as low as possible so that visitors are almost entirely unaware of the lighting. The black fittings and accessories are attached to black monopoints, to make them virtually invisible. Full-On Lighting also specified 35 Oculus gobo projectors to create subtle dappling effects.
A similar lighting design scheme using Precision Lighting Pico and Oculus spotlights has been employed at the Berlin Dungeon by lighting designer Thöne and Partner. Both the new London Dungeon and the Berlin Dungeon opened in 2013.
A complete custom system by Precision Lighting has been utilised to accent the newly renovated Imperial War Museum. The highly acclaimed, £40m transformation of the Imperial War Museum, London by Foster + Partners includes lighting design by George Sexton Associates.
Opening up views from a new lower ground floor with the cafe and shop plays an important role in the transformation which was completed in time to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. George Sexton Associates approached Precision Lighting with an intriguing concept compromising of a lattice of cables. Their concept required a network of small luminaires, to be positioned at each cable crossover point, to illuminate the the room below. Precision Lighting’s Pico 1 and Evo X16 fittings have been used to provide accurate downlighting suspended below the waffle celling detailing. In total over 300 Precision Lighting luminaries were used.
“We designed a complete system” said Peter McClelland, Design and Engineering Manager at Precision Lighting. “A custom monopoint was used to lock the criss-crossing cables in place and provide a power connection for our Evo X16 fittings. Based on our Pico 1 luminaires; a custom version was devised that could connect directly on to the cabling. The combined effect was an intricate web spanning the entire ceiling. It is a great example of our ability to fulfil our design philosophy of “Integrating lighting into architecture””.
The Imperial War Museum reopened in July to critical acclaim. If you haven’t already visited we thoroughly recommend it.
Lighting Design International was commissioned to illuminate the Imago Art Gallery in Clifford Street, a centre for Italian art in London, using a versatile contemporary track system and spotlights on all four floors. It specified Precision Lighting’s Basis Track system and Retro 16 spotlights with a brushed aluminium finish, throughout the gallery.
Precision Lighting also designed 12 custom twin-headed Retro 16 spotlights with mains voltage halogen lamps for the emergency lighting. For a later exhibition, where the artist required an LED light source, Precision Lighting also customized 10 Retro 16 spotlights fitted with 14W Cree MCE LED modules. But like many of the works on show there the gallery itself also has the patina of time upon it and the building has gradually settled. So, Precision Lighting was also asked to manufacture custom spacers to make installation easier by ensuring that the track system sat flat against uneven surfaces.
Described as one of the most beautiful private clubs in London, the Home House Club has 18th-century decor and a 21st-century lighting scheme created by Isometrix Lighting + Design. The building’s Grade I listed status meant that no new lighting could be recessed into or mounted on the ceilings. The brief included a requirement for functional task lighting, excellent glare control and track suitable for wall mounting in horizontal and vertical planes The solution was to use Basis Track to lined the perimeter of each room for accent lighting.
Isometrix specified the Precision Lighting Microspot S11 luminaire for the reception, the lounge, and the fantastic Zaha Hadid-designed Home House Bar. More than 50 luminaires, on Basis Track systems have been installed, finished in brushed aluminium and fitted with wall wash snoots and louvres.
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