Silver Jubilee Bridge, Runcorn
Silver Jubilee Bridge, Runcorn
Arup won a Platinum Build Back Better award for its illumination of the Silver Jubilee Bridge, which crosses the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes.
The lighting design aimed to reflect the bridge’s history, structural form and details, honour its builders, reduce obtrusive light, and emphasise the structure against the modern Mersey Gateway Bridge upstream.
While the old design flooded the bridge with cold white light, Arup’s illumination minimises obtrusive light and its negative impact on biodiversity and the nocturnal environment. The design illuminates the lower and upper chords of the arch with a concealed projector.
Low-powered luminaires within the structure reveal the fine detail of the 61-year-old bridge.
Saint Patrick’s Church, County Mayo, Ireland
The illumination of Saint Patrick’s Church by Dark Source won a Build Back Better Platinum and Green award.
The church had been fully illuminated, but a dark-sky approach resulted in lighting being used sparingly to draw attention to the church’s architectural features. The vertical nature of the front façade windows and stained glasswork is emphasised by backlighting, which contrasts with horizontal illuminations elsewhere. The judicious use of LED lighting has resulted in a 40% reduction in light pollution.
The grounds have also been illuminated, making the church a welcoming destination at night.
Bromley Town Hall, London
An artificial skylight linked to daylight sensors is the central feature of the refurbishment of Bromley Town Hall, which won a Build Back Better Gold award.
Working with architect Cartwright Pickard and Fusion Interiors Group, lighting designer Nulty drew attention to original details of the 1907 building, and luminaires were either refurbished or faithfully reproduced. The skylight was installed in a 1930s extension, where none of the original fittings had survived.
Emergency lighting was hidden among original features and the basement has wall-mounted linear lighting that brings warmth to its raw brick and concrete aesthetic.
