Published on: August 23, 2009

Another marvelous creation by Mindseye Lighting was sent to us. Yet again they keep us guessing how they achieved such airness of the space and how well they hid the light fittings. This project was a refurbished church that was transformed into an office. An interesting clash of secular and ecclesiastical.

More form Mindseye Lignting follows:

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Mindseye Lighting design were contracted by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris to carry out the lighting design in this unique refurbishment project for innovative property developers; Cathedral Group.

Located in St Thomas’s Church, Southwark, the new headquarters and refurbishment required Mindseye to provide functional lighting for this flexible open plan office space, whilst remaining sympathetic to the original features of the cathedral. Another important factor was to combine a contemporary working environment and enhance Cathedral Groups own art collection.

The triple height open space needed to be illuminated well enough to function as a working office space, without interfering with the ceiling and the existing pendant locations.

The emergency lighting also posed a challenge – ensuring the coverage was sufficient without disturbing the main ceiling.

In the main office ambient light is achieved through perimeter asymmetric metal halide up-lighters.  At a lower level, lighting is dispersed through linear fluorescent profiles, set within recesses under the mezzanine level.  Along the existing wooden ledges continuous linear profiles run, up-lighting the curved architecture of the cathedral which acts as a natural reflector.

The corridor to the basement is illuminated using coloured sleeves over fluorescent lamps. To the far end of the corridor is a changeable gobo projector, which is used to create interest when walking through the space.  .

The main boardroom has a simple yet elegant pendant over the centre of the table, fully dimmable to allow for projector presentations and varying requirements.

Client Matt Thornley of Allford Hall Monaghan Morris comments “The vision for St Tomas’s Church was to both respect the existing listed building whilst providing a modern insertion that sought to bring new life to the building.  Mindseye’s design for the feature lighting emphasises this strategy, providing an elegant yet bold solution.”

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Note of the editor:

Please note the copyright of these images is retained by Mindseye Lighting and the photographer Rob Parrish. Use of those images is subject to them being used for this article only. Publication of any image in any form or fashion must include a credit for both Mindseye Lighting and the photographer.

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