Light IQ and Zaha Hadid Architects collaborate with high end make up brand Il Makiage.
Designed as a mobile, self-contained retail environment to be used in a range of interior spaces, Zaha Hadid Architect's design for the pavilion called for a lighting solution which could create an immersive microcosm whilst integrating seamlessly with the form of the structure.
It was decided early in the project to utilise the inner frame of the structure as the main surface for the integrated lighting. This would allow the lit surfaces to not only create a very flattering shadow-less illumination, as required by the brand, but also provide a large surface from which to project light.
Light IQ carried out an extensive tests and mock ups with several colour temperatures ranging from 3000K to 5700K. A combination of 3000K and 4000K sources proved to be the best solution, suiting both the location of the pavilion (indoors with reduced natural light) and providing the best illumination for products and faces.
A number of concepts were mocked up and tested. The final solution comprised of linear LED tape used behind an opal diffusion material with specific qualities to ensure there were no shadows or dark areas.
The backlighting of the structural elements provides sufficient lighting to the make-up displays and mirrors. There is supplementary lighting in the form of spotlights to accent the merchandise displays and product shelves, and to provide increased contrast.
The pavilion is also softly washed from the outside side to reveal the shape and form of the structure after dark. A small theatrical control system using DMX was utilised to dim the lighting to achieve visually comfortable levels, while retaining high levels of illuminance on the merchandise (around 1,200 lx).
The pavilion design was conceived in London, assembled in Austria (Graz) and shipped to New York. The lighting design therefore had to take into account this process, and utilise luminaires and components which were readily available and fully certified across both continents. Light IQ had to carefully select from a limited palette of lighting products that were suitable to this process.
The final pavilion project in New York's Soho is the first prototype of several pavilions to be built and is a real success given the complexity of the design, timescales, logistics and architectural design.
All images © Paul Warchol / Zaha Hadid Architects 2018
