Lighting in Design February-March 2016

While lighting was a significant consideration in the interior design, it was specified selectively to complement the high level of natural light in and around the atrium space. Mood lighting is

introduced with selected wall fittings and the use of recessed troughs where focused task lighting was not required. Elsewhere, lighting installations were guided by specific needs and budget limitations. In the open plan of- fice space and in meeting rooms, lighting specifica- tions were driven by the

The transparent ETFE roof of the atrium, supported on a shal- low arched structure of tubular steel, admits an abundance of natural light to the interior.

need to meet required lux levels while recessed troughs allow for additional mood lighting in public areas. In pause areas more playful, eclectic fittings such as pendants were installed. In the business lounge Herzog & de Meuron wall fittings were used, introducing a quirky yet practical element as

they can be manipulated by anyone using the space to suit individual light lev- els required. Throughout the build- ing the lamps used are primarily LEDs, to provide for power saving and lon- gevity. At reception the blue wall – a three-dimension- al ‘larger-than-life’ repre- sentation of the Multi- choice logo, reaching from ground level to the height of the fourth floor – is

In the entrance lobby the ‘larger-than-life’ representation of the Multichoice logo forms a bold blue backdrop to reception and two purpose-designed pendant lights present a conceptual interpreta- tion of the satellite dish associated with the broadcast brand.

particularly well-lit so that it can be seen from the street. Two feature pendants, designed by dsgn and based conceptually on an interpretation of the satellite dish, present a unique expression of the Multichoice identity in the entrance area. The new Multichoice building is designed to serve the company well into the future. Acknowledgements to: GLH Architects (www.glh.co.za) and dsgn design (www.dsgn.co.za) for information provided ETFE film: see www.birdair.com/tensile-architecture Photographs by Grant Difford Photography, courtesy of GLH Architects

The entrance to the building is from the west, where the hard urban edge of the northwest corner softens into a curvilinear glazed façade. Night-time lighting accen- tuates the vertical louvres of the brise-soleil and the deep overhang of the canti- levered steel roof that appears to float above the west wing.

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LiD FEB/MAR 2016