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Illuminate at The Science Museum: A serious sit-down or a fabulous festival, the event space does it all

Home to world-class collections of scientific, technological and medical advancements, Illuminate at The Science Museum in London can now host private events for those drawn by unique features and panoramic views of the City. Covering two floors, spanning nearly 1000 square meters, with a mix of light scene requirements, Xicato Controls with wireless Bluetooth technology allow for customized light scene configurations for a professional atmosphere or a dance party disco.

“We wanted to develop an award-winning event space that drew people in because of its uniqueness, while offering a comfortable and productive environment. Xicato’s Controls system made it all possible—all via Bluetooth and controlled with an iOS app.” Julie O’Reilly from
Sutton Vane Associates.

Occasions of Any Kind

The flexibility and ease of programing of the Xicato wireless Controls was a key requirement to create the custom lighting atmospheres that could change from day to day. The museum could be holding a conference for the Royal Society of Biology one day and a UNICEF Aid dinner with a vastly different lighting needs the very next. The main level includes custom designed luminaires with RGBW pendants in the mix, all of which use Bluetooth Mesh controls. The controls allow rapid change between classic functional lighting for work to colorful, flashy displays for parties and dancing. The lighting design included a total of 530 lighting nodes throughout both floors that were assigned to one of twenty scenes, ten on the fourth floor and ten on the fifth floor, via Xicato Control Panel software. To add mystique, the ambiance included features such as a decorative DMX grid controlled by an LPC (Lighting Playback Controller) system, and a “Planet Light” in the stairwell to help blend the floors in a high tech yet elegant fashion.

The DMX grid on the lower floor is directed to display various scenes via Xicato Low Voltage Contact Switch (XSW) that sends wireless Bluetooth commands to a Xicato Gateway (XIG) which communicates with the LPC. The integration between the LPC system and Xicato’s Bluetooth Mesh Controls is seamless. Xicato’s open architecture allows for unparalleled flexibly enabling a customized application like no other in the market.

Customized to scientific precision, all lights are individually controlled via an iOS app commissioned by Sutton Vane Associates that can be overridden thru manual switches, with the ability to recall pre-defined scenes and groups. Groups were chosen based on location and functional requirements: fourth floor is one scene, fifth floor another, while bathrooms and hallways have their own scenes. The Xicato Bluetooth Gateway receives commands from the App and communicates via Bluetooth to the individual lighting nodes. For guaranteed robustness, Xicato Relay Nodes were placed throughout the building to extend the Bluetooth network resulting in ubiquitous network reach.

The Great Hall was officially opened to the public on the 18 July 1859. A grand festival of music was held over a week to commemorate the opening of the buildings on Grose Farm. Over the past 150 years, the Great Hall has been used for a wide variety of events including, conferring of degrees, musical and dramatic productions, banquets, public lectures, book launches, balls, exams, commemoration, memorial services, antique fair, and so much more. Pendant luminaires and suspension accessories developed by 3S lighting are suspended under the timber truss roof and blend in with the background to provide functional light for the interior as well as illumination to highlight the roof structure details that were previously not visible.

Design goals for the Grace Church included an increase in usable light levels for the aging population, reduction in energy usage, and a maintenance-friendly system. However, when the project started, excavation of the existing brown paint layer present on all the church wall and ceiling surfaces revealed exquisite patterns of decorative paint on the walls and a painted ceiling full of stars on a blue night sky. This required a new, more layered lighting approach which combined aesthetic and functional goals.

The new system approach integrates multi-circuit track above beams along the Nave. Track heads from Lighting Services Inc. using Xicato’s XTM in varying beam spreads suit different functions; amplifying the dazzling painted ceiling, focusing on pews below, and highlighting distinctive architectural features and paint patterns. A secondary layer of light was added using new pendant luminaires, designed by the Tillett studio in the style of the elegant original historic church chandeliers and using contemporary technology. Flexible controls were added to allow for scene shifts for multiple services and events throughout the year.  What started as a functional/programmatic driven project, turned into a celebration of the vivid, joyous space that was discovered.

Courtesy of The Artist Loft is a stunning 200 square metre gallery perched beautifully on the 4th level of Sydney’s iconic and historic building The Strand Arcade. With the objective of creating memorable moments, Courtesy of The Artist Loft is set to host some of the most coveted events Sydney has to offer and bridge the gap between art and industry. Courtesy of the Artist Loft effortlessly transforms from a beautifully lit gallery with soft natural light streaming through its Victorian sash windows during the daytime, to an intimate setting in the evening where careful attention to staging will be exhibited to dramatic effect. The 3S Lighting track spotlights using Xicato’s XIM and XTM Artist Series modules ensure that the light is easily managed, provides superior illumination, and is reliable and consistent in color.