It is the first time that Boots have had a multi-level store and we were asked to provide an illuminated feature for their new flagship store in Oxford Street, London. After several meetings and discussions, we designed a “light” wall consisting of illuminated colour-changing acrylic panels. This wall extends up three storeys inside the store behind the stairway. The wall is made up of 60 panels, each measuring 1200mm x 700mm. Several plasma screens are interspersed between these acrylic panels and these are used for advertising purposes. Each panel was made up of a rectangular piece of Prismex and lit along two edges with red, green and blue LED strips. Each one of these strips (two per panel) is individually addressed by a computer-based control programme, thus allowing an infinitely variable array of colour-changing and movement to be achieved. The computer which controls this wall is in an office nearby. The installation was quite complicated as the panels had to be installed behind the stairway and the installation date had to be scheduled in with other work on the site. A 4-man team carried out the installation and it took 5 days to complete.

The Filaments is a residential development at the centre of a London borough and only a few minutes’ walk from Wandsworth town centre and consists of 340 private apartments, as well as shops, office space and lit gardens and walkways. We were commissioned to provide specialist lighting for the concierge area and were given a specification and asked to provide a more cost effective solution. The project involved the supply of LED strip downlights, lighting around the concierge’s desk, in addition to cove lighting which was to wash downwards over a specially painted wall and internal and external versions of strip lights which were to be installed under the exterior canopy. These were a very slimline profile with surface-mounted LEDs. The lighting around the concierge’s desk consisted of LED strip (with white only LEDs) and extrusion. The wall wash lighting was origninally specified using a high output constant current system, but we decided to use a new constant voltage system which utilises smaller output LEDs. However, the LEDs are columnated with reflectors in order to give a similar visual effect. The LEDs used here were 4000 Kelvin. All the walls in the concierge area were made of MDF but a special finish was applied to these walls to give it a metallic-look effect. Some of the ceiling lights were recessed (some of which had emergency back up systems) and some were suspended – the suspended ones were painted in the same metal finish as the walls. We also designed a system that enabled all the power supply units to be housed in one control room with all of the units being dimmable. The installation of all this lighting was carried out out by a 5 man team and took a week to complete.

We were contacted by an architect to see if we could help solve a problem – their client wanted a large illuminated white graphic on a black background installed in the reception area of their new offices. This had been attempted by two other companies but unfortunately they had not been able to achieve what the client required. The design we put forward was to edge-light glass panels with an image sandblasted to the rear of the glass panels and then mount them in front of a black panel. The architect presented our design to their client who was very happy with our proposals and we were given the go-ahead. We had 20mm thick (at the client’s request) low iron, toughened glass panels produced with the image sandblasted to the rear of each panel. We also had bespoke high output white LEDs produced so that they fitted the top and bottom of the glass panels. Whilst this work was progressing, we worked closely with the interiors company on the design of the carcass. The installation was on the ground floor which made access easy and the only logistical issue we had to address was the lifting of each glass panel as each one weighed over 80kgs. We were only allowed one day to carry out the installation (which was done by a 4-man team) but unfortuantely the surround and back panels were not ready (they should have been fitted before we got to site) so we had fit the glass panels without them being fitted. We were given a 6-week lead time for this project, which we met. These photos were taken during the installation (due to security reasons we were not able to return to take photos after installation).

This project was at the new Boots flagship store in Oxford Street, London. The client had applied for planning permission for an externally illuminated installation at the front of the store but planning permission was not granted for this. As we were already working on another project at this store, we were asked if we could provide an installation that would be in place for approximately 6 months and which would give a “goal-post effect” at the store’s entrance. Following various site meetings, in order to achieve the effect that our client wanted we used the same Prismex material as on the other project in the store, we manufactured and supplied an array consisting of 600mm wide sections located vertically to each end of the glass entrance façade of the building and horizontally across the top of the first floor to give the full “goalpost” effect. To illuminate these panels we used over 450 super-high output blue LEDs. Although both these features are in a retail environment, they can be easily adapted for use in nightclubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, offices etc and even external use. This blue colour matches the company’s corporate colour and the installation provided is highly visible from all aspects of Oxford Street and provides just the right effect for the flagship store of a national chain. This installation was only meant to be in place for 6 months but the client is so happy with it that it is still in situ many years later.