HOSPITALITY FOCUS
Catch Some Zeds In the underground Zedwell Hotel, Elektra Lighting has created an atmospheric, ambient lighting scheme, designed to help guests get some sleep in the heart of London.
S to the city.
ituated on Piccadilly Circus, the
When working in underground spaces devoid of
location for central London, providing
area to compensate for the lack of natural light.
Zedwell Hotel could not be in a better
daylight, there may be a tendency to overlight the
guests with the ideal rest stop on visits
However, here Elektra opted for a more subdued lighting scheme, creating a classy yet inviting
A new hotel brand, with a second branch due to
atmosphere. Areas such as the check-in desk were
designed primarily as a place to sleep, rather than
– much darker than typically found in chain hotels.
beverage offerings. However, its central location
Elektra used linear fixtures from LEDFlex along
are just a stone’s throw away.
cladding. This is offset by additional downlighting
from the Underground station nearby, the hotel is
while in the gym space a tubular lighting system,
lighting becomes more important than ever.
brighter light to the space, while still retaining the
a moody, atmospheric lighting scheme that creates
“This is a new brand with no established “brand
account circadian rhythms.
continued. “This low light level works with your
explained: “A thorough and deep knowledge of
time to sleep – like the name, Zedwell.
(also known as biodynamic lighting) informed us
all the walls clearly. This gives a bright visual
and lacking in the critical 470nm blue light that
while remaining relatively dark. It feels bright, but
“It is proven that this blue colour stimulates your
“We took an awkward, contracted space, and used
night, so we just cut it entirely from the project.”
www.elektralighting.co.uk
open later in the year, the Zedwell Hotel is
well lit, but other spaces were left deliberately dark
to hang out, and the hotel has limited food and
To achieve this minimalistic lighting effect,
means that a host of London’s bars and restaurants
the walls, hidden behind vertical wooden
Predominantly located below ground, with entry
and spotlights from LightGraphix and Orluna,
95% stripped of daylight, meaning that artificial
courtesy of Lumotubo, brings a more general,
Elektra Lighting was therefore brought in to design
desired warm CCT.
the required ambiance, while also taking into
standards”, so we took it to a new place,” Knowles
Neil Knowles, Director at Elektra Lighting,
body to tell your suprachiasmatic nucleus that it is
recent scientific advances in circadian lighting
“We didn’t want it to be gloomy though, so we lit
from the start, with all lighting being very warm,
field, and means that the space feels well lit, even
wakes you up.
it’s not.
central master body clock and keeps you awake at
light to make it a warm, inviting hotel.”
104
www.arc-magazine.com
PROJECT DETAILS Zedwell Trocadero, London, UK Client: Criterion Hotels Lighting Design: Elektra Lighting, UK Lighting Specified: LEDFlex, LightGraphix, Lumotubo, Mr Resistor, Orluna