retail lighting
Opening Spread A bespoke, arching ribbon of light created by Light Lab provides the primary source of illumination in Samsung KX, complemented by Targetti’s surfacemounted Zeno spotlights. This Page Light Lab’s ribbon of light serves to unify the many different areas of the space, bringing them together under one scheme.
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D
esigned by Heatherwick Studios, Coal
added. “The fixed parameters of the space are what
Adjacent to London’s King’s Cross
Inside, the complexity of the infrastructure of the
Drops Yard is an architectural marvel.
made this such a unique project.”
Station, the chic, high-end retail
building, and the changing functionality of the
space is dominated by two curved, ‘kissing’
Samsung KX space, required the team to create a
of the city’s newest landmarks.
visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and
Samsung KX, a new ‘retail and experience space’.
led space is used.
architects KSS and interior designers Brinkworth,
that the building presented and ensure that this
lighting design and to find an impactful way to
light throughout that the client needed,”
“Our brief was to create a rational lighting solution
of the building, so the success of the project lay in
Associate Lighting Designer at Nulty. “We were
harmoniously within it.”
it came to Coal Drops Yard’s curved rooftops, so
ribbon of light that soars throughout the east and
with the building. Architecture always took
the building. Created by The Light Lab, the circular
As such, Nulty created an all-LED lighting scheme
and ceiling to form a central architectural feature
enhancing the iconic appearance of the near-
workshops and talks. Visible from every aspect of
factored into the lighting design too. “Everything
curves of Heatherwick’s original design, while
to ensure that the lighting design is consistent
“A number of the manufacturers that we
rooftops, making it instantly recognisable as one
day-to-night lighting scheme that is constantly
Situated underneath these swooping rooftops is
can be modified depending on how the experience-
Working alongside project managers Portview,
“Our role was to master the technical challenges
Nulty was brought onto the project to complete the
didn’t impact on our ability to deliver the quality of
illuminate Heatherwick’s remarkable architecture.
continued Sandgren. “We were always respectful
for the space,” explained Anna Sandgren,
creating a lighting solution that could work
working with a clear architectural blueprint when
A key facet in this lighting solution is a continuous
our lighting scheme had to work sympathetically
west retail showcases, unifying the two sections of
priority.”
swoop of light travels up through the floor, walls
that was befitting of its architectural backdrop,
for Samsung KX, designed to host masterclasses,
identical gabled roofs - an element that had to be
Coal Drops Yard, the ribbon of light mirrors the
about the final scheme needed to be symmetrical
enveloping the space in a layering blanket of light.
throughout both linear structures,” Sandgren
approached said that it couldn’t be done because of
