Published on: November 19, 2009

Lighting design for Pan Peninsula residential building in London (UK) is the work of  Maurice Brill Lighting Design. The project was completed in 2009.

More information about the project from MBLD follows:

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Pan Peninsula Exterior:
The Pan Peninsula addition to the East London skyline is one of the tallest residential towers in London. The developers aim was for it to separate itself from all the commercial buildings in the vicinity. This was achieved through a very unique façade lighting concept which accentuates the buildings height and structure after dark. MBLD’s role in this project was to create this iconic lit façade plus design the landscape and interior lighting schemes. MBLD developed a lighting design concept which would integrate with the facade.

During a long development process MBLD worked with several lighting manufacturers and designers to produce and integrate the custom exterior fittings. A key design issue was the programming of the facades. Things became even more challenging when Ballymore announced a special opening light show in the end of November from MBLD for Pan Peninsula to celebrate the completion of this new London icon. Within a very limited timeframe MBLD collaborated with Artistic License to create a dramatic lighting performance which would run for 5 minutes synchronized with a full live orchestra playing “Fanfare for the common man”.

After the successful opening night MBLD’s permanent scheme, controlled by Insta, was programmed with subtle and static non primary colours. Each day of the week has its own colour combination with the occasional interruption for a short sequence of dynamic light.

Pan Peninsula’s landscape can be divided into 3 principle areas: the entrance area, the DLR (Dockland light railway) side and the podium garden. All the landscape is controlled by an intelligent system from Cooper controls ensuring that the power consumption is reduced to a minimum.

The front entrance is dominated by a lit feature fountain which is the centre of the roundabout and custom colour changing tiles were integrated into the pavement pattern. The north side of Pan Peninsula on the other hand was a rather unique challenge as it coincides with the DLR rail track bridge and this location required any installation to be fully removable.  The approach MBLD and the client settled on was to install a feature installation of 3 and 5 meter high light wands, scattered under the bridge displaying changing colour scenes. The wands and the colour changing tiles at the front of the building perform a different light show every day of the week.

In contrast to the colourful and dynamic lighting installations of the street level landscape, the podium garden on the third floor between the two buildings feels rather meditative. The concept was to use white light, avoiding any disturbance by colour in this contemplative space.

The creation of a new London landmark and the integration of lighting within the architectural façade has resulted in a very unique building. The Pan Peninsula has both a large and human scale impact with the façade lighting design and local landscape lighting scheme working together to enhance this new London beacon.

Landscape:
Further use of colour changing LEDs has been made at the 24 colour changing wands under the DLR and the colour changing tiles which act as a connecting element around the building. White LEDs are also used in the reed lights and planter outlining in the podium garden.

Architect / Interior Designer / Landscape Designer: SOM / KCA / Urban Land Studio
Contractors: CW Contractors / Hoare Lea / Thomson Landscape / Wishbone

MBLD designers working primarily on the project: Maurice Brill, Christian Wendel
Other MBLD designers involved in the project (secondary role): Joe McIroy

Façade:
• Lines of light made up of RGB LED light fittings with a total length of 2,280m over the
building face
• Total quantity of Tri-colour LEDs: 164,160
• Every meter contains on average 72 LEDs
• Each LED requires 0.23W on full output

Landscape
• 24No Colour changing light wands under the DLR, using RGB coloured LEDs
• Wands use 48W (3m wands)and 80W (5m wands)
• 37No led floor fittings used throughout the landscape
• Floor fixtures using 26.4W (short units) and 52.8W (long units)

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Note of the editor:

Please note the copyright of these images is retained by MBLD and the photographer Tom Brill.  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 MBLD and the photographer.