Tate Liverpool is one of the highest profile modern art galleries in the North West and also one of the busiest, attracting up to 600,000 visitors a year. Initially, PID were contacted by Manchester-based architects ARCA, this was following a phone call from lighting designer Paul Normandale and a demonstration by PID at Tate Liverpool in October 2006.
ARCA's Emma Corbett wanted to create a 'lightgate' concept, designed to refresh and revitalise the foyer and entrance areas, to help make the space work and flow better and be more versatile for the myriad of different functions and events hosted at the Gallery - from corporates to Northern Soul evenings.
The 'lightgate' is made from Barisol stretch material which needed to be internally lit. At this point ARCA approached PID to advise on the best lightsources and to help co-ordinate the engineering and realisation of the project, which was completed by PID's Noel Brassey and ARCA's Mike Riley.
The idea was to end up with a selection of shifting light patterns visible from right across the Albert dock - not just those entering the Tate - along with simple, bold displays of the gallery layout and a re-orientated reception area with a dramatic new desk unit.
One of the challenges was that there is only 100mm of depth between the Barisol and the wall, and to cover the large surface area tightly and efficiently, they needed to build up a good light intensity. So PID came up with the idea of having double rows of newly designed custom LED strips. These use 1W Luxeon LEDs in a double configuration, with two LEDs side by side and 20 emitters per strip in 1200 and 600mm lengths.
Another major challenge was Tate Liverpool's Grade 1 listed building status, so the installation had to be meticulously carried out with minimal impact to the environment. This task was undertaken by electrical contractors and closely overseen by PID's team of Brassey and installation engineer, Rob Smith.
A total of 46 of the special LED strips are used to illuminate the lightgate - an area of 48sq.m, each placed at 20mm intervals and fixed to the steel RSJs behind the Barisol covered area. The optics had to be carefully calculated to ensure even coverage as the lenses on the LEDs throw the light six degrees in one direction and 25 in the other ... and there was no room for angling standard light fixtures or alternative focusing methods.
"We hit upon the solution" explains Brassey, "And then, as there was nothing suitable available on the market, we had the units custom made by specialist manufacturer Tritechnology". The space was so restricted that even conventional double row LED products would not have fitted, so PID had these mounted on special aluminium trays.
For control, PID specified a Pharos LPC1, which was programmed by Brassey and Smith to give 16 accessible buttons, each triggering a different sequence or look.
(Jim Evans)
