Office and architectural lighting for a CAT A development

Project Summary:

Location: EC1, London
Sector: Office
Client: Atlas Property
Architect: HUT Architecture
Consultant: Mecserve
Design and Build: Woodvalley
Electrical Contractor: Paul Earl
Contract: Thirdway Contract
Value: £65k
Duration: 12 months
Size: 14,000 sq. ft
Photography: Peter Ghobrial

"From design to project handover, 299 were as always a pleasure to work alongside, delivering exactly what was visualised at conception "

Matthew Lowis
Technical and Compliance Director

The recent CAT A redevelopment and inward extension of the 49-51 Farringdon road in the heart of Farringdon offers approximately 14,000 sq ft of architecturally inspiring commercial office and retail space. The Lamplighter Works development boasts a great location with a quick connection to the City of London. The ambitious scheme was designed by HUT Architecture and brought to life by Thirdway Contracts. The project recognises the rich heritage of the Farringdon road, whilst creating a forward thinking workspace with a stunning street presence.

Built in mid 1800, Farringdon road was a home of merchants. This particular stretch was home to a growing trade of street lighters, which is reflected in the name and design of the current redevelopment.
The former Victorian warehouse property features a complete £13.3 mil transformation of the five-storey building, including a ground floor and basement. The building was last called The Signet House and used as an office building.

Following our successful string of projects with Paul Earl, we have been approached by their project team with the request for lighting design in August 2019. Contracted by Thirdway Contracts, Paul Earl were responsible for the full design and build of all electrical services. Our project team worked closely with the electrical contractor and the consultant involved on the project.

The 299 team attended several site meetings with the design team, provided product samples and technical support for the project. In total, 32 hours of lighting design hours were used to secure and support this project.

THE DESIGN BRIEF.

Respecting the existing structure of the building and retaining the industrial aesthetics of a Victorian warehouse with exposed brick walls and painted steelworks were the main objectives of the design brief for this contemporary development. With the project aiming to achieve the BREEAM accreditation, the new lighting had to meet high efficiency criteria. Introducing a new electrical infrastructure and exposed services for the entire scheme and bringing quality office and architectural lighting was only part of the story. Retaining the industrial aesthetics and giving the tenants a high level of flexibility was an absolute paramount for this development.

The scheme comprises the lower ground floor, ground floor, 1st to 5th floor of the building with the layout almost identical across the entire building. Each floor offers a studio space, breakout area with a tea point, bathrooms. 2nd and 5th floor also offer a terrace space.

The Lower Ground Floor

The lower ground floor benefits from its own entrance and features an open plan office space, bicycle storage, shower rooms and plant room. The common areas are lit with Moy surface mounted. The bicycle storage room and bathrooms are lit with circular LED downlights Cinca from our Unsung Hero range.

Throughout the project, architectural lighting was used to create the connection with the architecture of the building. In the staircase area, the tubular fittings Nile create a bold eye catching feature in the shape of a diamond. These are a nod to the detailed craftsmanship of the building. The Nile is a versatile luminaire that is often used in projects to enhance the branding, adding bold features for the interior design.

The Ground Floor

The entrance lobby is a minimalist calm space with a sculptural wall referencing the diamond shape. The space is lit by the Wey track in white finish. The Wey medium track with 90 mm diameter head is substantial enough to make a presence in space. With its white finish, it blends in, allowing the feature wall to take the centre stage.
The ground floor showroom space boasts an impressive window display, giving the building a street presence and letting plenty of natural day light in. The main office space is lit by the designer’s favourite, Rio Suspended and Wey track lighting.

1st to 5th Floor

The property has 7 almost identical floorplates arranged around the core of the building. All primary structures have been exposed and stripped to raw concrete texture. The exposed London stock brick, oak plywood paneling and concrete columns create a contemporary yet neutral background for this understated CAT A scheme. The Rio suspended has been selected as the main luminaire for the entire scheme. Single luminaires have been supplied in several standard lengths in addition to made to measure lighting systems used across the project. To enhance the visual comfort of the users, all suspended lighting was fitted with a microprismatic diffuser.

Stairwell

A folded metal staircase links the entire building together through both structure and aesthetics. The stairwell area is lit by the circular Talla Wall mounted, which is proving to be a timeless classic. On the walls with exposed London stock brick, the circular fitting Talla are powered through the galvanised steel conduits, giving the interior design a bit more industrial edge. On the smooth white walls, the fittings are installed flash to the walls.
On each landing, a diamond shaped feature has been created by 4 tubular luminaires Nile surface mounted with 360 beam angles. These architectural features tie in beautifully with the rest of the space, cementing the lantern shape into the fabric of the building.

The feature lighting brings the staircase space to live and can be admired from all levels. The staircase is also lit with the circular Talla Wall mounted luminaires. The 400 mm diameter is a neat size, substantial enough to make a visual impact.

The Rio luminaires were supplied as DALI compatible control gear allowing the lighting to function with the lighting control system. Integrated emergency lighting was supplied in some luminaires following the emergency lighting design.

The final result is an understated ready to occupy CAT A workplace designed with attention to detail. The office lighting is part of the sophisticated interior design, enhancing the architectural beauty and the fabric of the building. With the carefully curated colour scheme and paired back interior design, 49-51 Farringdon Road stands up to the high expectations of modern tenants.

The project was successfully completed in February 2021, following a fast paced 20 week construction programme.