Workspace reinvented: Zumtobel illuminates 200 Gray’s Inn Road, a remodelled office complex in London

One of the challenges during the renovation was to carry out the reconfiguration work while ITN, the UK's biggest broadcaster, continued working in the building. ITN, alongside other top-level media companies such as ITV and Warner Bros., has its headquarters in a historic office building in the heart of London: 200 Gray's Inn Road in the borough of Camden. The building's entire ground floor and reception area has been remodelled by British architecture firm Conran and Partners, bringing it into a new era of design. Customised, flexible lighting solutions from Zumtobel contribute to the contemporary space concept and offer the perfect lighting for every scenario.

The ground floor of 200 Gray's Inn Road was originally designed as a traditional reception area. Thanks to the new, spacious open-plan layout and a dynamic utilisation concept, the boundaries between work and leisure have blurred following the redesign by London architecture firmConran and Partners. Inventive, adaptable lighting solutions from Zumtobel perfectly complement the contemporary design approach.

Work and relax

As a response to the ever-changing world of work, the reception area has been remodelled to provide a bright workspace which, thanks to the cosy atmosphere, is more reminiscent of a hotel lobby. The spacious room gives a feeling of being at home, inviting visitors to linger a while. "Outtakes", a cafe open to the public, and the equally open-plan contact zones are popular places to visit and are no longer just areas that are solely associated with work. The reception area invites employees to take pleasure in their working day and enjoy some variety. The idea behind the redesign was not just to remodel the reception area, but also to extend the building envelope. Additionally, the aim was to create a lighting scenario that would improve the general workplace situation and contribute to all employees' wellbeing. To this end, Zumtobel supplied inventive, tailored solutions consisting of SUPERSYSTEM tracks and ONDARIA, PANOS infinity and RESCLITE PRO luminaires.

A perfectly orchestrated interior concept

To emphasise the aesthetics of the original material,ONDARIAluminaries were installed in the exposed concrete ceilings. The round, surface luminaires ensure uniform illumination in the room. Pleasant light distribution and soft shadows create a cosy atmosphere, while stimulating luminances increase performance. To quickly and easily meet the lighting needs in the reconfigured office environment, the ONDARIA luminaries were fitted to a specialSUPERSYSTEMtrack solution. This frame construction enables other accent lighting elements, control modules and acoustic panels to be integrated too. The timeless design of the ONDARIA is a perfect complement to many different room concepts. Its clear geometry emphasises the architecture without distracting attention from the interior concept.

Light precisely where it is needed

PANOS infinitydownlights were also fitted to the SUPERSYSTEM frame construction for pinpoint accent lighting. The downlights provide focused light exactly where employees need perfect lighting to help them with their work. PANOS infinity can be adjusted to daylight and the user's preferences. In addition, the amount of light can be controlled. With up to 135 lm/W and high colour rendering exceeding 90, PANOS infinity downlights are twice as efficient as conventional downlights and offer energy savings of up to 70%. The low maintenance costs also allow savings to be made.

Reliable lighting in emergencies

The building's safety lighting is also ensured by means of a Zumtobel solution. The high-efficiency, intelligentRESCLITE Procombines a minimalist design with the highest technical standards. The latest generation uses innovative lenses to direct light around corners (escape 90°) or from the wall to the floor (escape wall) if needed. That means a single luminaire is sufficient to illuminate two corridors converging at right angles and two routes simultaneously. The high-performance version also reduces the number of luminaires required.