Lighting in Design Q2 2018

from the foor to the ceiling 4 250 mm above. And although this runs contrary to commercial thinking, the out-of-reach books support the illusion of an old- school bookstore or library, but also serve as attic stock, which is easily accessible to staff by way of a library ladder mounted to a sliding rail. Once the backbone of the old-school bookstore is established, layers are added to enhance the experience. For Dakota Design, the real challenge was to find the perfect balance between the juxta- position of a calm tranquil reading environment and a lively hub for intellectual enlightenment, debate and expression. By designing a drop down bulkhead that runs around the perimeter of the store, they were able to introduce a downward facing mirror which, when you are standing beneath it, makes the books on the perimeter walls look as though they magically stretch upwards to infinity. This illusion is further enhanced with the use of an undulating acrylic mirror that creates a slightly distorted and even more fantastical effect. The intention of this design element is to give patrons a not-so-subtle clue that in this space people are encouraged to let their imaginations take fight and allow themselves to be transported to wherever their minds want to take them on their searches for knowledge, understanding and escapism. Chris Pietersen fromDarkroomLighting Projects, the lighting designer for the project, notes that the original brief from the client and design team was for the lighting to push the envelope in terms of the aesthetic and functional application of light. “The lighting needed to best showcase the book shelves,

Photographs: Grant Pitcher

whilst remaining functionally suitable for in-store reading. It was also a technical consideration from the outset that the lighting solution be glare-free and minimal, comfortable and inviting,” he explains. The lighting design for the store is based on three elements: Architectural lighting Suspended linear lighting provides a symmetri- cal wash and task lighting in between the book shelves, whilst also providing a horizontal reference plane within the overall exposed volume.The linear lighting is further supplemented by stalk spots to provide localised accent for shelf ends, and cre- ate more differentiation on the general retail area. Perimeter recessed lighting provides the same localised shelf lighting, but also ensures that the vertical faces within the space are well illuminated to further contribute to a bright and uplifting interior. Decorative lighting Decorative lighting throughout the space further enhances the inviting and human-centric design ethos of the project. The authenticity of the interior treatment is echoed in the manner that these add functionality to key areas within the store.The timber

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LiD Q2 - 2018