Waddesdon Manor
We have been working continuously on the re-lighting of the extensive Rothschild collections at Waddesdon Manor since 1989. The original collection, given by James de Rothschild to the National Trust, has been expanded by the present Lord Rothschild and other family members. The main refurbishment program in the mid 90s renewed the roof and brought the existing infrastructure of the house up to modern standards. Until the late nineties the late architect Dr. W. (Bill) Allen worked with us to create the new lighting for the existing collection areas.
Wallace Collection
Gallery 4 of this prestigious London collection was reopened to the public in 1997 after extensive refurbishment to restore many lost historical features and decoration. This allowed us the opportunity to introduce modern lighting systems and lighting controls.
Ancient House Museum
This National Lottery funded refurbishment of the Ancient House Museum in Thetford was completed in the summer of 2006. The project consisted of extensive refurbishment and repair of the existing fabric of the building as well as the provision of a new pavilion to link parts of the building together to ease wheelchair access. The architects were Purcell Miller Tritton.
The Houses of Parliament
We have been involved in two projects carried out in The Palace with the architects Bickerdike Allen Partners. The first was the re-lighting of the Peers’ Dining Room. This room was re-lit to produce a more restful but more interesting environment. The many pictures around the room were well lit to provide an interesting backdrop to the room.
Rylands Library, Manchester
This grade 1 listed building was one of the first public buildings to be designed to use electric lighting. Nearly all the original light fittings are still in place. Our role on this project was to devise ways to provide additional lighting for various spaces without compromising the historic interiors or diminishing the role of the historic lighting systems. We also designed the lighting systems for the main public spaces in the new public entrance and facilities building. Reopened 2006.
Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln
We lit the chapel of this college in conjunction with the architects Bickerdike Allen Partners. For which we both received a Highly Commended award in the National Lighting Awards.
Grand Houses open to the public
We have lit all or part of many great houses that are open to the public. These have ranged from Palaces, to Castles, to Stately Homes. They have been in the ownership of The National Trust, private trusts or private owners. For each there has been individual problems to overcome and new challenges to meet. For some there have been individual rooms or works of art to light. In others there have been great ceilings or panelling. In nearly all of them there have been cost and conservation restraints.
Upton House – National Trust
We designed new and refurbished lighting systems for the 1930s squash court at the house in 2009. The lighting was to appear historically correct during the summer when the court is displayed as originally used, but must be simply converted to provide display lighting for exhibition use during the winter. In 2009/10 we designed new lighting for two rooms within the house.
Cardiff Castle
During 2009 we surveyed and prepared a report on the lighting of six spaces within the newly restored principal rooms in this splendid building. Painstaking work will be needed to carefully weave wiring through and around the structure to small well concealed lighting sources.