The Rowe, formerly known as Central House and former school of Art, Architecture and Design, has undergone an ambitious renovation. Architects AHMM have remodelled the Whitechapel building (on the edge of London’s square mile) to include an additional 6 floors while retaining the façade of the original 60’s building. As a result, the building is two designs in one with the original 6 storey building echoing the original concrete construction (to align with the façade). The further floors are constructed in a more modern style steel structure. RIDI Group were asked to provide a holistic solution that would work across both parts of the building but with a totally different lighting design. The package was to supply every item of lighting from one supplier and within budget – something achieved by using a balanced portfolio of products.

The RIDI LINIA system was chosen as the main backbone across the building. Being a prewired busbar system, it has the flexibility to operate with a wide range of integrated LINIA products as well as allowing the more architectural Spectral products to be suspended from it. The system was tried and tested at 1FA and the developer, Fraser Property, was totally convinced it was the way forward once he viewed a few project examples such as 1FA. The system was also provided in 11-core guise to accommodate emergency and DALI requirements of the control system.

The lighting design for the first 6 floors involved working with the exposed light concrete surfaces and for this the scheme utilised direct/indirect Spectral Purelight and Iris, suspended off the surface fixed LINIA trunking. Both luminaires offer a good contrast ratio and comfortable glare control as a result. The result is a bright and welcoming space with good all-round illumination. Visual brightness of the Purelight is a particular highlight of the scheme.

A double height atrium space, featuring a large installation, a café and a library was lit using RIDI’s Cirqua spotlight, also mounted onto the LINIA trunking system to create a track and spot feel.

The lift lobbies across all 12 floors featured a consistent theme throughout which involved heavy black steel elements and powerful multicoloured coloured lift doors and frames. The lighting concept was to provide a lightwell approach to the space and here panels of 750×750 Spectral NOREA-SKY products were used throughout. These aluminium framed products feature an innovative washable from membrane that creates a very soft homogeneous light and also provides some acoustic absorption to the area too.

The colour themes of the lift lobbies were also applied to the staircases and here, wall mounted Spectral Purelight’s were used to great effect. On the lower floors, a black suspended steel mesh system was installed in the corridors and here black linear RIDI VENICE luminaires were used in between the panels. Elsewhere RIDI ADLR black surface mounted canister downlighters were used in toilet circulation areas. Toilets utilised Brightgreen D900+.

To complete the project RIDI PFZO’s were using in plant rooms and the RIDI IRL tubular industrial looking luminaire was used to dramatic effect in the 2 large cycle stores. Various emergency products from the RIDI RG Solutions range were also used over the entire project.

Finally, RIDI group partner LANDA provided the entire exterior lighting to the rooftop gardens and terraces as well as the many balcony areas. (outside lighting story to follow)

More info on the Landa Range