ZUMTOBEL Lighting has created a new lighting solution for the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour at University College London (UCL),
A purpose-built, state-of-the-art systems neuroscience research facility. The design of the building includes a translucent, full-height, cast-glass façade which acts as an ‘envelope’ with a high thermal performance and helps to diffuse natural white light around the building, keeping lighting costs at a minimum, and achieving a BREEAM excellent rating.
The Sainsbury Wellcome Centre is a £75m, seven-storey building bringing together world-leading scientists to investigate how brain circuits process information to create the neural representations that guide human behavior. The building can accommodate up to 150 scientists and 50 dedicated support staff, with centrally located computational laboratories spanning three floors.
The main lighting scheme had originally been designed around Zumtobel’s PANOS A pendants but, following discussions with Ian Ritchie Architects Limited and their lighting consultant EQ2 Light, it was decided that the best solution was to strip the luminaire right back to the bare bones. This presented Zumtobel with the challenge to develop a pendant downlight without a housing that could be installed with the cabling hidden. The product also had to be supplied in two parts (fitting and rod) and the driver had to be located remotely, away from the luminaire.
