- Winner Heritage LDA 07
Lighting design: Speirs and Major Associates
Architect: Purcell Miller Tritton
Electrical design: Eng Design
Electrical contractor: Mid Essex Electrical
Equipment: Crescent Lighting, Dernier and Hamlyn, ETC, Lutron, Meyer, Oldham Lighting, Mike Stoane Lighting
Layers of light were the strategy for the relighting of the UK's most famous cathedral and the judges reflected that the building represented a once-in-a-lifetime project that brought with it a "tremendous responsibility to do Wren's vision justice". The judges believed that Speirs and Major Associates achieved this - even though it had to negotiate clearance from a "bewildering array" of agencies and organisations. General lighting is provided by a series of new and refurbished chandeliers, converted gasoliers, stall lights and lanterns with dimmed incandescent sources combined with a series of specially-designed spotlighting racks and bars. These can be folded away to restore the look of the space. Architectural lighting is supplied by concealed metal halide, linear xenon, cold cathode and tungsten halogen sources and includes uplighting of the main vaults, the dome, transept windows, the organ and other major features. The overall scheme has a low-energy daytime setting and a series of evening scenes. Liturgical lighting is provided by local lighting to the various altar positions and theatre lighting serves the main altar in the crossing. |
