James Thomas Pixel range LED fixtures are being used to light the stunning Toyo Ito Pavilion sculpture, in a scheme by Architectural lighting designers from Dorset-based Cook & Associates Design Consultants Ltd (CADC). Using James Thomas Pixel range fixtures, the architects and lighting designers transformed the open-air sculpture into a colorful design space and multi-purpose function room for the Batter Power Station in England.
The Pavilion, a white metal construction designed by the innovative Japanese contemporary architect Toyo Ito, was originally created for an exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in 2002. Now installed at the site of the Battersea Power Station, it provides a juxtaposition of old and new shape, form, and function, as the sculpture sits in the shadow of the long dormant hulk of the electrical plant.
Changing Colors
The eye-catching structure is a fitting space for the marketing suite as they promote the Power Station’s redevelopment. The exterior sculpture was modified for use as temporary office space during its installation at the Battersea Power Station; glass panels have been fitted to its previously open elements.
The goal was to create an impact for visitors as soon as they walk through the entry-gate, with the elegant color-shifts creating interest around all four sides of the building. The architects knew that they wanted to use LED light sources on the project because of their color-changing and energy-saving properties. Working from a previously developed lighting scheme, CADC extensively researched available LED fixtures, and after a number of trials with other brands, discovered that the James Thomas Pixel range had the best fixtures for the job.
Externally, The Pavilion’s four walls are now lit with 5 PixelPAR 90(A)s, fully weather-proof architectural fittings. The fixtures are attached to poles, with two lights washing the front wall and one each across the other walls. All the light fixtures are positioned to minimize reflections. Some fittings have LSD lenses from the U.S. Physical Optics Corporation, which allow the modification of the 6º Luxeon LED to vary the spread of the beam, giving an even wash across each fascia. The plinth running along the bottom of the Pavilion is lit with four more PixelPAR 90(A)s, shooting horizontally along the foot of each wall.
Internally, the Pavilion is lit by five mobile information displays that are basically white fluorescent light boxes–each has an additional dimmable fluorescent discreetly added to its top. The white light contrasts dramatically with the saturated colors of the exterior walls. The ambient lighting within the space makes it suitable for a variety of purposes, and the site is now being used for occasional private events.
Barry Kirley designed the system to be run and maintained easily by non-technical staff. He programmed the PixelPARs around the Pavilion using a Pulsar Masterpiece 216 desk, and they run off of a wall-mounted Replay unit. There are 11 presets (with number 12 as ‘off’) to the program. The program is triggered to start by a daylight sensor, and then transitions through various sequences–from slow fades to snapping color shifts to stepped wall chases. The system turns itself off at around 02.00 hours by means of a 24/7 timer.