The Mound is one of Edinburgh’s many historical gems. Linking the Old Town with the New Town, The Mound was created when the foundations for the New Town were dug out and deposited into Nor Loch, which was drained in 1765 and forms today’s Princess Street Gardens. The site is home to a number of culturally significant institutions, including the National Gallery of Scotland, the Royal Scottish Academy, the University of Edinburgh’s New College and the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland.
As part of a dynamic project commissioned by Lloyds Banking Group, Pharos Architectural Controls was appointed alongside a cohort of specialists to create a dynamic, colour-changing lighting design for the façade floodlighting on the historic Bank of Scotland Head Office, now home to the Museum on The Mound.
The brief presented a unique opportunity to create a beautiful installation that would enhance the already-famous façade of the historic building and instil a sense of pride in The Mound as a stunning jewel in Edinburgh’s architectural crown.
Facilities management and professional services consultants, Mitie, appointed LITE for their full turnkey solution. Following a series of lighting trials to select the correct fixtures in key locations, LITE designed a solution that would allow them to overcome a number of different challenges. As is often the case with heritage architecture, there were unique stipulations placed on the project due to the historic nature of the building which meant the team had to complete the entire installation without ever needing interior access to the museum.
As a specialist in providing lighting control solutions to the architectural market, Pharos was the perfect partner for this project. LITE selected the Pharos Designer LPC 1 (Lighting Playback Controller 1) for its lighting design, a rugged and compact, all-in-one control solution that requires minimal power, allowing it to be installed virtually anywhere – on this occasion, in a weatherproof enclosure on the roof. The LPC, designed for 24/7 operation and total reliability, features individually controllable and independently running timelines and scenes that allow users to fully customise and pre-programme lighting effects that can be both sensitive and traditional whites, as well as dynamic colours to mark awareness days and annual occasions for the community.
David Robertson from LITE Architectural Scotland, said: “This project gave us an opportunity to let our imaginations run wild, and working with the best in the business to provide the solutions we needed to bring our vision to life, was a must.
“The Pharos technology allowed us to design a suite of lighting displays that can be customised depending on occasion and provides an endlessly beautiful spectacle that will continue to keep the city talking but the flexibility and choice demonstrates real value for the client.”
Ryan Sainsbury, Regional Sales Manager for the UK at Pharos Architectural Controls, said: “Working collaboratively with specialists on projects like this is always something to look forward to. Our technology provides the best solutions for installations of all sizes and with the addition of this beautifully crafted and intelligently designed lighting, I have no doubt that The Mound will take its place among Edinburgh’s best-loved spectacles in providing a real wow-factor to locals and visitors alike.”
Project Credits:
Client: Lloyds Banking Group
Facilities management and professional services: Mitie
Application Support: LITE Ltd
Consulting Engineers: IKM
Installation Partner: SSUK
Lighting control solutions – Pharos Architectural Controls
Photo Credits: Courtesy of LITE Ltd
