SPS's Steve Yelland and Lucy Gaskell from CQ Lighting - who work regularly on lighting design and supply of equipment for the Eden Project's busy event schedule - were asked to specify a new lighting scheme for the Visitor Centre. This covers the plant sales, retail and ticketing areas and is part of a whole new look to the Visitor Centre conceived by Eugene Sellors.
The idea was that the lighting should be "bright and sparkly", and combine both an "industrial" and a "theatrical" look and feel to the space.
The proposal was to install the lighting onto a series of ceiling mounted trusses, which were quite low because of the limited headroom, so they wanted wide angled fixtures. They also thought discharge lamps would be ideal for their long life, relative energy efficiency, pleasant colour temperature and good quality of light.
They had not used LDR fixtures before, but the course of their research took them to UK distributors Lightfactor, where they dealt with Peter Coles, whom Yelland has also dealt with in the past.
"Lightfactor were very helpful. We had very specific ideas about which products we wanted, and after a long discussion of our requirements, Peter supplied samples of the fixtures we were interested in so we could see them in situ," says Gaskell.
Once they demonstrated the fixtures to the relevant parties at the Eden project and everyone liked the effect, a total of 46 LDR Soffio (150W CDM-T lamp) discharge fresnels were ordered. Two thirds of these are installed in the plant sales and retail areas and the rest are in ticketing. SPS also specified eight LDR Suono MSD 250W discharge fresnels for the entrance area of the Apple Cafe, also in the visitor centre, and to illuminate the sign at the end of plant sales.
Lightfactor's Peter Coles says, "Obviously it was great to be involved in supplying something for the Eden Project. The fixtures were carefully considered and chosen, and Steve and Lucy knew exactly what effects they wanted. We ensured that everything went smoothly and efficiently for them from our end."
Since this deal was completed, the Eden Project has also taken delivery of 15 SGM PALCO 3 LED luminaries and a Cue Commander lighting desk, which are used for a variety of events and special applications around the attraction.
(Jim Evans)
