Lighting design reigns supreme at the Shenzen Museum of Contemporary Art

A complex facade meant a challenge for the design team in charge of lighting this project. The result really is something else

This part of the structure hangs out over architecture, building, commercial building, condominium, corporate headquarters, daylighting, daytime, facade, headquarters, landmark, metropolitan area, residential area, roof, sky, structure, white — This part of the structure hangs out over the path below

In the day, the lighting ensures the building architecture, building, commercial building, corporate headquarters, daytime, facade, headquarters, landmark, metropolis, metropolitan area, sky, skyscraper, structure, tower block, teal

Like a beacon in the night, this art architecture, building, daylighting, facade, landmark, lighting, night, phenomenon, roof, sky, snow, structure, tourist attraction, purple, black

The steel appears to weave effortlessly from one architecture, building, commercial building, corporate headquarters, daylighting, daytime, facade, headquarters, landmark, line, metropolis, metropolitan area, sky, skyscraper, structure, tourist attraction, gray, blue

The different surfaces seem to blend together - architecture, building, condominium, corporate headquarters, daytime, facade, headquarters, landmark, metropolitan area, sky, skyscraper, tower block, teal

Lights are cleverly hidden in the grooves of architecture, building, daylighting, daytime, facade, landmark, line, metropolis, sky, skyscraper, structure, tourist attraction, gray, purple

Architect: HSArchitects

Lighting design: COOP HIMMELB(L)AU – Wolf D. Prix & Partner, GD-Lighting design

Location: Shenzen, China

About the project:

The Museum of Contemporary Art & Planning Exhibition (MOCAPE) in Shenzen, China is one of the latest public cultural projects in Shenzen. It's connected to the larger Museum of Contemporary Arts. With a complex facade consisting of glass, perforated plate and stone set amongst a large steel structure, lighting was a significant challenge. The design team needed to ensure the lighting would illuminate the entire structure and be consistent.

To solve these problems, they utilised a computer technique called building information modelling (BIM). By constructing a 1:1 architectural digital model in Rhino (a piece of BIM software), the team mapped luminaire installation and also made multiple calculations with lighting design software to analyse photometric, power and material reflectance.

In addition, in order to resolve glare issues caused by the building’s concave and convex corners, the team carried out multiple on-site lighting tests. Considering the large quantity of luminaires and their installation difficulties, they decided to use custom-made U-shaped shading grooves with exterior baffles adjustable in heights to block glare, and coat the groove interior matt black to reduce self-illumination.

The construction and commissioning process of this project took advantage of BIM’s convenience, seamlessly integrated building and its façade, perfectly presented luminaire installation, load, wiring and visual effects; which also laid the foundation for future lighting design process on similar complex irregular- shaped buildings.

Story by: Trends

Photography by: He Shu

08 Sep, 2017

Civic and Institutional Design

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