The Gherkin, designed by Foster + Partners, is a
fantastic example of how light can be used to highlight
a building's architecture. The dazzling glass-front-
ed skyscraper is one of London's most distinctive
landmarks. The lighting concept was to reflect the
building’s structure, especially its impressive reception
area, and was developed in close collaboration with
lighting designer Zoe Faulkner. Lighting and architec-
ture were to merge into one concept: bold, adaptable,
timeless.
The building's circular floor plan was the starting
point for the concept, which was inspired by the spiral
structure that narrows towards the top. The building
is the focus, and the custom lighting serves as a tool,
in a sense, to showcase this iconic building. Thanks to
the customised special radii in the ceiling, the lighting
reflects the architecture like a mirror. Each illuminat-
ed curve in the entrance hall's ceiling is based on a
FRAME profile system, exactly adapted to dimensions
and angles with specific bending degrees. XAL provid-
ed an expert team for assembly and commissioning
of the ceiling installation. Visitors entering the building
see a homogeneous, illuminated imprint of the build-
ing’s iconic structure.
xal.com/gherkin
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