"We designed the feature wall to draw the eye through what is otherwise a very utilitarian space" explained Paul Nulty of Light Bureau. "We wanted the animation to keep pace with vehicles, thus avoiding distraction for the drivers. This required an intricate control system capable of processing several commands at once whilst also marrying up with the functional illumination within the space. I believe the specialist knowledge and product Control Lighting brought to the project enabled us to provide our client with a successful, dynamic andstimulating lighting design solution, " Paul added.
Over 150 LED luminaires are mounted on a curved panel with lighting scenes and sequences controlled by a central computer. Specialist sensors are installed along the length of the tunnel; when a car enters the tunnel, the various sensors register the direction of the vehicle and moving images travel along the feature wall welcoming the visitors during their arrival to the main offices.
The taxi drop off area is at the end of the 2-way tunnel and the car park located half way down the same tunnel. Blue cold cathode lighting is used to silhouette the LED feature wall installation, and located on the roundabout in the middle of the taxi-drop off area are colour changing inground fittings. Lighting control of both these functional lighting elements have been skilfully integrated into the same central lighting control system, thus allowing independent scene recall separate from the main feature wall.
Control Lighting Ltd's control solution included a logic matrix to a) allow for several cars and thus several sequences to be triggered and run simultaneously; b) recognise the speed at which the specialist sensors are triggered and speed up or slow down the lighting sequence accordingly; and c) be intelligent enough to ensure the sequences can be bi-directional when triggered from either of the tunnel entrances.
Control Lighting Ltd supplied and configured the system to allow multiple vehicles using the tunnel at the same time, whether entering or exiting the tunnel or the car park to trigger the lighting, thereby starting the pre-programmed colour change sequences which follow and react alongside the passing vehicles.
(Claire Beeson)
