1 Hardman Street

Sitting in the middle of the ambitious Spinningfields development in Manchester, the unique 1 Hardman Street was always meant to stand out. At night, however, its unique, perforated screen façade went dark. Lighting designers Light Bureau were engaged to enhance the building's architectural features at night, and give the neighborhood a shot of color.

"The client was looking for something more playful in the middle of the development, something that would stand out at night and create more vibrancy in the neighborhood," said Paul Traynor, principal at Light Bureau.

The building's perforated screen façade reflects sunlight during the day, giving off a stark, solid form. Light Bureau chose to light between the façade and the solid fenestration of the building itself, emphasizing the permeability of the screen.

"The architecture lent itself to something that was a bit more playful, and we found that by placing light sources in the void, a strong visual element - the circular pattern of the perforations - can be emphasised, without introducing too much physical light to the structure," Traynor said.

To accomplish this, Light Bureau chose RGBW versions of Lumenfacade Color Changing Luminaires.

"We evaluated a lot of linear color-changing products, and we thought the Lumenfacade luminaires were great. They allowed us to get a nice fluid movement across the whole façade instead of one strip of LED at a time. We also needed that level of control and changeability, without having to worry about the maintenance or longevity," Traynor said.

Mounted at base, the Lumenfacade luminaires are aimed to light up the inside of the panels, thereby catching the underside of the perforations, and making the circles in the mesh glow. The positioning of the luminaires, however, also helped simplify maintenance.

"You can reach everything with a simple ladder, and you don't need special access to get between the panels," Traynor said.

Dimmable and easily programmable, the design can filter through different colors and scenes throughout the evening. The result enhances the building's unique facade, turning it into a playful, ever-changing nighttime centerpiece for the entire neighborhood.

Equipment specified:

11 x Lumenfacade Color Changing (4', 10 x 60), RGBW Version
4 x Lumenfacade Color Changing (3', 10 x 60), RGBW Version