UK - The Royal Lifeboat College, overlooking the sea at Poole, Dorset, was recently opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II. Electrical systems for the college were handled by Faber Maunsell, who specified Futronix PFX systems to control all lighting in the auditorium, restaurant and bar. The auditorium can be partitioned into two completely separate rooms, with different lighting controls and 20 scene settings available for each area. Auditorium lighting is mainly LV downlights, with two rows of fluorescent fittings adjacent to the corridor area, all controlled by two PFX1210 panels located in the service area and triggered from SP4 switch panels in each zone and in the corridor.

Adjacent to the auditorium a circular glass structure resembling a lighthouse lantern houses a restaurant on the ground floor and a bar directly above, both affording superb views of the seascape. The restaurant, with light coloured ceiling, walls and posts, is accentuated by various types of lighting to complement the design and to provide options for enhancing 'warm' colour elements on cold winter days.

White cold cathode tubes above the windows, LV downlights around the windows and around the central spiral staircase, and coloured fluorescent tubes configured into two 'ships wheels' complement circular fluorescent fittings for general illumination. Overall effect of the different types of lighting is stunning and 20-scene capability provides for mood lighting for every occasion. In the cafeteria area flowing servery counters inset with 'wave' motifs are highlighted by curving soffits overhead housing blue cold cathode tubes.

A staircase spirals around the rope-wound central pillar to the bar above. Overhead, ringed by LV downlights, a circular soffit lit by blue cold cathode tubes surrounds the top of the flared out pillar, with LV downlights adjacent to the bar and two orange cold cathode circles helping to impart a soft and warm lighting effect to the room. As in the restaurant below, LV downlights at the pillars and white cold cathode tubes above the windows frame the view with warm tones to counteract the cool exterior views. On each floor, lighting is controlled by a single PFX 1210 panel in the service area, controlled by an SP4.

(Lee Baldock)


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