Published on: April 27, 2010

Bruce Munro Ltd was asked to create a discreet lighting solution for a new steel and glass internal porch at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh.

The stained glass window and steel filigree internal porch were both designed by the Icelandic artist Leifur Breidfjord.  Lighting designer Anna Craddock of Bruce Munro Ltd was responsible for delivering the lighting solution. The project was led by Architect Philip Flockhart at Morris & Steedman Associates in Edinburgh. The aim was to achieve a robust, low maintenance scheme that was also energy conscious.

The Solution: A set of four LED light boxes are suspended above the glass. Each box is 1 meter wide and just over 1 meter long and topped by frosted translucent acrylic and bottom plate located within a lightweight aluminum frame, finished to match the metal work of the porch.  The translucent faces allow daylight onto the horizontal surface of the rectangle and avoid shadowing on the stained glass.

Each light box is fitted with 24 miniature warm-white LED down-lights, recessed into the bottom face of each box to shine through the glass roof of the porch. The LEDs are 1.2 Watt (very energy efficient) and together there are 96 LEDs and there are  LED drivers for each individual light box positioned remotely for easy access.

The light boxes construction are cantilevered above the porch for ease of cleaning, each supported by a single fine stainless steel rope which can be unclipped for easy removal. Overall the dimensions is 4m (l) x 1.1m (w) 6 cm (d). Total loading in watts 96 x 1.2W.

St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh was first consecrated in 1243. St Giles was a hermit and Abbot who lived in France and points to the ancient ties between Scotland and France. Hospitals and safe houses for cripples, beggars and lepers were established throughout England and Scotland in his name. The cathedral includes the Thistle Chapel, where the stalls of the knights of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s greatest order of chivalry, are lavishly carved with helms and crests. The order was created in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland (James II of England).

The Great West Window at St Giles Cathedral was installed in 1985 is by Leifur Breidfjord, celebrating the major themes of Robert Burns’ poetry in a semi-abstract style. The topmost tracery contains a glorious sunburst of love blossoming ‘like a red red rose.”

Anna Craddock has been an assistant at Bruce Munro Ltd for several years, working alongside Bruce Munro and his talented associate Andrew Johnston on many projects in the UK and abroad.

“Craddock says that she has never visited the Cathedral. “We had the architect’s drawings and the elevations of the space” she says. ‘We wanted to make something that would glow, to really show off the beautiful metalwork. The drivers are mounted externally so that they can be easily removed for maintenance” she says. “I look forward to visiting the Cathedral one day – it looks stunning.”

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Note of the editor:

Please note the copyright of these images is retained by Bruce Munro Ltd and photographer Peter Backhouse . 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 Bruce Munro Ltd and the photographer.

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