When Moonlight Design was invited to illuminate the two monoliths that represented the logo of Suttons Business Park, we carried out the initial consultation, survey and night test all in the same visit. As the location was a reasonable distance from our headquarters, we decided to make the most of the clients and our time, however, this was only possible as it was a relatively small project.
During the consultation, the client told us how they would like people to see their monoliths and what their requirements were. We then carried-out a survey to assess any existing illumination, in this case, just street lights (as the monoliths were newly installed) plus we had to source a suitable power supply.
As the two monoliths are located along a busy road and large roundabout, the main concern was to ensure no glare for drivers. This is where we used our expertise so that we illuminated the monoliths in the way we wanted but at the sometime did not create any glare.
A usual course of action for illuminating sculptures is to cross light them and add backlighting for depth, however, this process wasn’t possible because of the proximity of pedestrians and vehicular roads.
During the night test, our team explored different options for light fittings, optics and positioning. The aim for the client was to “simply” illuminate the sign, however, it’s not as simple as it sounds. The logo had layers to it and it was important to keep that element in mind. Shadows are a fundamental element of lighting and without this, the details and depth (that you would perceive under normal daylight) would not stand out at night.
Our designer recreated the monoliths in SketchUp and worked with the lighting in Dialux, which allows us to calculate the actual lumen output of the light fittings. This process allows us to make sure that the lighting levels are not exceeding regulations.
In Dialux we can also play with positioning and dimming and therefore, see what are the best fixtures, lighting levels and positions for the monolith shapes to be emphasized.
After sending the concept to the client and having it approved, we worked along with the “steelmakers” to create bespoke cutouts for our lights to be placed inside the monoliths’ pedestals. Having the lights placed underneath the structure enhanced its silhouette and layers. This in-turn created depth and shadows when combined with the spotlights placed at a lower level (and angled away from the road).
All our drivers and receivers were carefully stored underneath the steel cover of the pedestal so that they were accessible, but also protected from water. Our installation team always finds the best way to ensure our electrics will be safe, durable, maintainable and flexible.
The outcome was spectacular and the client was extremely pleased with our work.
We would love to design your lighting project and if you would like to discuss this further please contact us via the website, or email design@moonlightdesign.co.uk or 020 8925 8639.
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