Leadenhall Market
April 2022
PROJECT NEWS
DW Windsor delivers complementary lighting solution for iconic London landmark
In the heart of London, Leadenhall Market is a covered market dating back to the 14th century. The current building was constructed in 1881 and today hosts an array of boutiques, shops, restaurants, and bars. With stunning architecture, Leadenhall Market perfectly combines a modern retail and leisure experience with a historic look and feel.
As part of improvement works to replace outdated lighting equipment, a survey of the existing scheme – a mix of fluorescent and discharge lamp colour/types – recommended a unified Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) approach. This was to improve the ambience and lighting in the market, during the day and at night.
It was a key part of the brief that the new lighting scheme illuminated the most difficult to access, high-level areas ‒ the interior roof and entrance facades. Reliability was also imperative as access to the luminaires would be problematic.
As the responsible party for Leadenhall Market, the City of London Corporation led the project working with Minor Works M&E Framework Contractor Sykes & Son Ltd. Having worked with DW Windsor previously, City of London's Senior Principal Building Services Engineer, Simon Collins, was familiar with their extensive range of high-quality lighting solutions. Simon specified customised luminaires from DW Windsor's architectural lighting brand, Pulsar, to fulfil the project's challenging requirements.
As a Grade II listed structure, the fabric of the building needed to be preserved. Therefore, the luminaires were positioned between the ceiling rafters to provide a grazing effect, highlighting the roof's intricate design. In addition, a colour temperature of 2700K was chosen to match the market's existing lighting. Finally, additional projectors were used to illuminate the ornate stone facades at each entranceway.
The luminaires in the new scheme are controlled via a combination of light sensors and time clocks to allow some fittings to be on during the day, which is particularly important on overcast days and during the winter months when interior light levels are reduced.
Simon Collins from City of London, said: "Leadenhall Market is a wonderful part of London's heritage, and it needed a considered approach to the upgraded lighting. Reliability was crucial, as the height of the space makes accessibility a challenge.
"Having specified DW Windsor on a significant number of projects, with varying levels of complexity, they were the clear choice for the Leadenhall Market refurbishment. The exceptional quality of DW Windsor solutions, alongside market-leading reliability rates, ensures our absolute confidence in the performance, aesthetics and longevity of the market's new lighting."
Simon Collins, City of LondonDave Larken, from Sykes & Son Ltd said: “The iconic Leadenhall Market is a thriving and busy retail hub which proved a challenge with the need to work at extremely high levels from various cherry pickers and scissor lifts, to suit the access/weight restrictions of the Market.
The various stakeholders including Sarah Goddard, Leadenhall Market Complex Manager at City of London and the shop owners were extremely helpful and accommodating throughout the project. It was a truly fantastic project to be involved in and highlighted collaboration at its best with all partners working seamlessly together to achieve the end goal.”
Paul Murphy, from DW Windsor, added: "Leadenhall Market is an important heritage site that also generates a significant level of income and tourism for the local area. The new bespoke lighting we supplied has dramatically improved the experience in the space, and the high reliability of our solutions is key, as accessing the lighting in the high ceilings will not be an easy task.
"We worked closely with Sarah Goddard, Leadenhall Market Complex Manager at City of London throughout the project. It was a true collaboration and a testament to how smoothly redevelopment works can run when a partnership approach is adopted."
