Scottish Parliament Debating Chamber, arc, Issue 108

“KSLD’s work on the Scottish Parliament Debating Chamber has earned the Scottish firm a lot of plaudits. We spoke with Kevan Shaw, founder of KSLD, to learn more about the new lighting scheme.” Read the full arc magazine article here or on issuu.

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the results have been greatly received by all involved, as Shaw elucidated.

“We had the parliamentarians, represented by the corporate body, the broadcasting department, the events team - when there’s nobody sitting in the chamber they do walkthrough tours - and we had the tourism team to keep happy. But it has been really exceptionally well accepted by everybody, to the point where tour guides now actually talk about the light fittings; they tell the story of the shape of it, the story of the parliamentarians.”

Indeed the chamber has also garnered a lot of attention on the industry award circuit, getting shortlisted for the 2018 [d]arc awards / architectural, and winning first prize at the Codega Awards. However, Shaw remained humble about the awards success, instead saying that he prefers a different sort of praise.

“It’s nice to get awards and external recognition, they’re not the most important things... I actually got an email from an MSP saying how much they love the new lighting. Most of the time, people notice lighting because they don’t like it, but to get to the point where people notice what’s not a really in your face scheme, it’s quite a major thing. And the fact that it’s become part of the story of the chamber, that to me is more valuable than getting awards.”

The Lava Tunnel, Raufarhólshellir, arc, Issue 107

“Nordic lighting designers at EFLA have showcased the beauty of nature, highlighting the amazing colours of the Lava Tunnel in Iceland.” Since KSLD merged with EFLA to form the KSLD | EFLA Lighting Design division, it has been our absolute joy not only to visit, but to help promote this sensational, award winning project. Read the arc magazine feature here or the full Issue 107 here.

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This process of testing everything on site meant that the project evolved organically, in every sense of the word. Gunnlaugsson also believes that this was a big part of the project’s charisma and specialness.

Another aspect that adds to the special wonder is the magnificent natural colour palette. The array of red, pink and orange tones in the rock creates a lasting impression, and it was essential for EFLA to provide the right lighting to highlight these natural colours, without oversaturating them or making them feel artificial.

”Getting the precise colours - via DMX control - was vital to setting the aesthetics of the Lava Tunnel,” Gunnlaugsson said. “As was creating the required contrasts of light and shadow to intensify the natural colours and accent the dynamic geological DNA of the space. We took tests beside one of the three openings in the roof of the cave, where the daylight came in, and ‘copied’ the colours in order to get the most accurate colours.”

Lighting in these three openings also proved to be a challenge for Gunnlaugsson and his team. As the surrounding area is one of the best locations to see the Northern Lights, it was important to cut the light around the openings to prevent light pollution from the cave while at the same time lighting up the highlights around the openings without causing any glare to the guests.
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Interview with Kevan Shaw by Matt Waring of arc, Issue 107

“It’s been a busy few months for Kevan Shaw, Founder of KSLD, following the firm’s success at the Codega Awards, Shaw’s induction into the IALD College of Fellows at IALD Enlighten Europe and the recent merger of KSLD and EFLA. arc sat down with Shaw to discuss all the recent developments.”

Read the full interview at arc online here or the whole arc magazine Issue 107 on issuu, which features our colleagues’ beautiful, award winning Lava Tunnel project.

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Interview with Kevan Shaw, Luce Magazine

Kevan was interviewed by Luce Magazine for this article in July 2018, which raises some very interesting questions. Download the full article linked below or read LUCE 325 issue online.

“Light is to me the visual experience of a space or structure, but it also includes the impact of the visible and nonvisible electromagnetic radiation on the body and mind, as well as just the visual cortex.”

“Light is to me the visual experience of a space or structure, but it also includes the impact of the visible and nonvisible electromagnetic radiation on the body and mind, as well as just the visual cortex.”

“The effect and experience of natural light is always our starting point in designing light.'“

“The effect and experience of natural light is always our starting point in designing light.'“

“I think that our understanding of light and how it affects people is changing. This area of research is incredibly important and will have a lot of impact on the future of lighting design.”

“I think that our understanding of light and how it affects people is changing. This area of research is incredibly important and will have a lot of impact on the future of lighting design.”

Download here

Related Projects

KIPCO Tower

This tower consists of coloured panels, it is set in architecture with random coloured glazing to the spandrel panels. And it was awarded Innovative Lighting Project of the Year in the Light Middle East Awards 2014. Kevan Shaw, of firm KSLD, collected the award at the Awards ceremony in Dubai.

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Lighting the Lean Green Museum

Lighting designer Kevan Shaw looks at the challenges facing the industry in meeting the requirements of conservation and changing environmental legislation.

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Spectrum House (Glasgow, Scotland)

Winner of the Workplace Lighting Category - Ligting Design Awards 2013. Lighting Design: Kevan Shaw Lighting Design (KSLD), Interior Design: Michael Laird Architects: Picture Credits: KSLD

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Halogen Phase-Out Opinion: "We designers are in an impossible situation"

The unintended consequences of the halogen lamp phase-out are making life impossible for lighting designers who have to specify light sources for the future, says Kevan Shaw.

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Lighting Legislation: A Failure to Deliver Sustainability

Lighting Designer, Kevan Shaw, aims a critical broadside at the inadequacies of current light-related legislation, which falls short of its supposed 'green' goals. By permission, this is an edited version of a paper first given at the PLDC Convention in Madrid on October 20, 2011.

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Rewriting History: The Holburne Museum

Eric Parry has successfully, and respectfully, reintegrated the historic Holburne Museum building into its context with his radical extension, writes Joseph Rykwert. Photography by Helene Binet. Lighting Design by KSLD.

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Sustainable lighting design: LED and beyond

Kevan Shaw talks about the future of lighting design as it currently stands in the midst of the LED revolution and how these legislative changes will affect sustainability

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Ashmolean Museum

The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archeology's original l7th century building was described in the 1706 publication, "The New World of Words", as 'a neat building in the City of Oxford.' Rick Mather, a fasdiously neat modernist has upped that particular ante with a virtuous design that suggests in architectural equivilant of Jenga, creating a precisely poised matrix of solids and voids. Lighting Design by KSLD.

 

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Energy Conscious Creative Lighting Design

As lighting designer, it is our responsibility to focus on light quality, quantity and colour rendering, these factors should not be sacrificed when creating energy conscious design. Varying lamp types, lux levels and control systems should be fundamental considerations when on the top of efficiency in design. - Natalie Redford (Bell)

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Aspire Tower, Qatar

And the winner of the best exterior lighting project at the recent 2008 Middle East Lighting Design Awards (MELDA) is... Aspire Tower in Doha, Qatar. The lighting concept, by Scottish firm Kevan Shaw Lighting Design (KSLD), was commended for its sustainable technology.

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Luce e Design: esperienze / experiences

Profile of Design Director Kevan Shaw in Italian magazine Luce e Design.

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Central Methodist Church: Worshiping in the modern spirit of a bygone era

Architectural Record: Snapshot, by Beth Broome. Worshiping in the modern spirit of a bygone era
Lighting Design by KSLD

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Higher Ground

Incorporating a 40m-high water tower was the biggest challenge for architect Latest-Taylor Shannon in creating a new hill-top home in Shooters Hill, south London. Lighting design by KSLD.

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