Cheryline's Top 3
Klaasen Lighting Design
Part of Nulty, Klaasen Lighting Design (KLD) is a multi-disciplinary lighting design practice.
To get to know our staff and some of our projects a little better, we have asked each staff member for the top three projects they have worked on.
Cheryline Chua is an associate director and senior lighting designer at Klaasen Lighting Design for her top 3 she chose, Alila Yangshuo in Yangshuo China, Atlas Bar in Singapore and BHP Manila Offices in the Philippines.
Alila Yangshuo, China
The architectural concept of the new buildings very much embraces the natural elements not only in materials but also in the way natural day light is used to filter into the building. The open bricks let day light in during the day while it breathes out lighting at night. Our task was very much to embrace and integrate this approach in all its facets, validate the architecture by integrating lighting as “invisibly” as possible.
The main building and the villa’s, lighting is designed to radiate like a lantern at night with focal attention to the spectacular fishbone (bamboo) artworks. Lights are concealed from view wherever possible to accentuate the architecture. Lighting is designed to validate the architecture and facilitate way finding by being harmoniously integrated. Lighting levels are adapted to reflect the resort feel rather than a commercial approach. For the heritage buildings lighting has the delicate task to balance functionality with focused feature lighting for artworks and the intricate building structure itself. It follows the same approach of “invisibility” letting the building speak through the reflections and focal points of attentions created by the carefully planned lighting. The day-night reversal (outside in to inside out) is the main driver of the lighting concept.
Atlas Bar, Singapore
The Divine Bar was inaugurated in 2002 as part of the Park View Square Building in Singapore’s historic Bugis neighbourhood. Located at the ground floor and designed as a grand lobby and bar it is an iconic destination for locals and tourists. Its distinctive architecture, both inside as well as outside is inspired by the glamourous Art Deco skyscrapers of Europe and New York. In 2015 the owners decided to breathe new life in the venue, bringing a new spirit to the bar, renaming it the Atlas Bar. All the iconic interiors like the art deco ceilings and features had to remain challenging the designers (interiors and lighting) to rejuvenate the space with 21st century design and technology, whilst maintaining the key iconic features. The space had to be more flexible and cheerful as the existing lighting was dated, sombre with little mood and flexibility, an operational requirement for the new look bar.
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In order to respect these existing features and achieve the new operational requirements and in consideration of the near 12m high ceilings, it became clear that additional lighting was required and the only way this could be achieved was by introducing a suspended lighting structure designed in matching style and finish that would incorporate remote controlled and programmable lighting adjustable to different moods and event settings. It would allow for localised mood and effect lighting without having to impact on the iconic ceiling. Existing lighting systems in the ceiling (linear lights, pendant lights and down lights around the perimeter would be retrofitted with the latest LED technology, more efficient, and with better optical performances. The existing dimming system was outdated and needed to be replaced with more dynamic and programmable controls, suitable to the latest lighting technologies. To complement the visual balance and create intimacy at seating level, floor and table lamps were introduce in coordination with the interior designer’s (Hassell). The bar and wine displays received a total make over with subtly integrated feature lighting.
BHP Manila Offices, Philippines
BHP, formerly known as BHP Billiton, is the trading entity of BHP Group Limited and BHP Group plc, an Anglo-Australian multinational mining, metals and petroleum dual-listed public company. The BHP office in Philippines is located at Bonifacio Global City in Manila, taking Levels 23 to 27 of the ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower. The tower was completed as LEED Platinum certified and the design of the office aims to retain the platinum status.
Concept Design Brief: The office is meant to be an international working space for employees with flexible hours to be able to work at any time of the day, The lighting is to work together with the interior design and cater to the various functions of the spaces to allow the employees to have an effective work environment which also fulfils LEED Platinum requirements.
The office is made up of 5 levels of the building connected by a feature staircase where employees can access the other levels easily. Each level is split into work zones and breakout zones, with specialised rooms in the core for various functions that cater for employees needs, such as nap rooms, mothers’ room, first aid room, and multi-faith hall. It also has a games room where employees can relax and unwind between or after work. The lighting caters to required levels for work and play, and changes its brightness at different times of the day to automatically match with the time of the day. Individual focus rooms and meeting rooms allow users to control the brightness and scenes to suit the use of the spaces.
Colour strategy: The spaces are generally split into work zones using 4000K and breakout zones using 3000K. Technological implementation for user control and energy conservation. Sensors were employed throughout the office to save energy when the room or space becomes unoccupied. During the day, the lights along the windows are also dimmed when the lux levels are achieved through natural daylight. Meeting rooms lighting are automatically turned on when people enter the room, allow efficient use of space without people searching for switches. Multi-configurable training rooms are equipped with partition switch so they can be used as separate rooms or combined for bigger trainings.
Energy and operational effectiveness: By using the latest LED technology, dimming controls and sensors in all areas, energy usage is reduced to a minimum, light is switched on only as needed. The technology with its efficient performance and long life span also provides the client consistent lighting effects and minimal maintenance worries.
The implementation challenges: As the offices from the landlord came with many new fittings already installed before handover to tenant, it provided some limitations to design scope which required the interior designer and lighting design to be reworked to suit. However after zoning the priority spaces and marking where are considered “BOH” vs “FOH”, we were able to re-use about 60% of the original fittings while creating a different experience on the call center and breakout zones, and a variety of meeting room options, so that we can maintain a dynamic space for the employees to enjoy through the day.