Challenged to create a premium penthouse space in spite of an angling structure, relatively small windows and a client brief to maximize perceived and real floor area/size, the vertical surfaces became indirect reflectors of light, appearing to be the source themselves. This manages contrast with views and allows injection of lots of CCT-tuneable light while keeping clean ceilings free from any equipment. Coves feature careful interior cut-offs and finishes in black, highlighting the walls as glowing elements and hiding the detail itself. Human scale is driven by decorative lighting – the subtle implementation of architectural lighting turns the decorative one into the protagonist. The feature stair is uplit from a massive diffuse source, a “dark floor”, dark from living spaces, glowing gently upwards. Vertical illuminance gives a sense of scale. Each keypad button provides a scene that varies through the day, maintaining perceived brightness appropriate to the button but varying in brightness and colour temperature relative to exterior daylight levels. Very few architectural fixtures are visible, detailed coves with heavy louvring conceal grazers keeping them discrete within the space. The curve of the wall expresses softly, evenly lit. The space feels soft and comfortable throughout the day and night.
All sources used are high efficacy. Energy is managed through programmed minimized levels in accordance with every time of day, occupancy sensing, and the like. Luminaires are largely located in return air details to extract heat directly, avoiding overrunning AC. Coves at windows are shielded to prevent fugitive light.
Although lighting drives the experience of the space, it does so subconsciously – few guests are aware of the lighting, instead feeling the warmth, comfort and humanity of the space and architecture. The architecture itself is softly present, like the stair which is expressing but not dominating. In every space, the human experience, relaxation, and engagement is ensured.