DpL 3.0

Vitra London

Sumptuous vistas of calm and elegance, famed with beautiful lighting touches.

2021

Year

2021

Client

TP Bennets Architects

Location

London, UK

Category

Retail

Founded in 1958, this Turkish ceramic manufacturer has become a global brand in producing bathroom products. Their flagship showroom opened in the heart of London’s design neighbourhood – Clerkenwell

Spread across 2 floors in the award winning Turnmills building, the brand has the luxury of space to exhibit its products.

The key factor with retail lighting is to ensure the emphasis is always on the product. Lighting is a powerful tool that can direct the eye to wherever you want it. It can be both a highlight and a distraction. We were especially careful, in this instance, to always challenge ourselves and ask “should we do…..” to check what was right for this project.

Track spotlights were suspended and finished to match the exposed M&E architecture. These provided the general lighting to the space, with an intentional view to use both light and shadow to direct the eye across the space.

A bespoke stainless steel perforated canopy floats effortlessly within the central space – delicately looking like a oversized lampshade with diffuse backlighting. The rippled mirrored underside reflecting the seating hub below to create a sculptural moment in the centre of the space.

Each product arrangement was carefully composed with a touch of lighting flair – just enough to make each one a special vista. From back lit mirrors and circular openings to lit frames of light and even a back lit working tap stand waterfall – the space oozes elegance and style and proves that retail lighting need not be a harsh and unnecessarily over-lit experience.