Cathedral porch features discreet lighting scheme

Lighting designer Anna Craddock of Bruce Munro has created a discreet lighting solution for a new steel and glass internal porch at St Giles's Cathedral in Edinburgh.

The stained-glass window and steel filigree internal porch were both designed by Icelandic artist Leifur Breidfjord.

The lighting project was led by architect Philip Flockhart at Morris and Steedman Associates in Edinburgh.

The aim was to achieve a low-maintenance scheme that was also energy conscious.

A set of four light-emitting-diode (LED) boxes have been suspended above the glass.

Each box is 1m wide and just more than 1m long and is topped by frosted translucent acrylic and bottom plate located within a lightweight aluminium frame, finished to match the metalwork of the porch.

The translucent faces allow daylight onto the horizontal surface of the rectangle and avoid shadowing on the stained glass.

Each light box is fitted with 24 miniature warm-white LED downlights, recessed into the bottom face of each box to shine through the glass roof of the porch.

Together, there are 96 1.2W LEDs and there are LED drivers for each individual light box positioned remotely to facilitate access.

The light boxes are cantilevered above the porch and are each supported by a single fine stainless-steel rope, which can be unclipped.

Overall, the dimensions are 4m (length), 1.1m (width) and 6cm (depth).

The total loading is 96 x 1.2W.

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