Pitzhanger Manor
Pitzhanger manor in Ealing is the former country house of renowned neoclassical architect, Sir John Soane. Sutton Vane Associates were commissioned to light the interior and exterior of the Grade I listed building and contemporary gallery as part of a major conservation project. The exterior lighting was designed to be very discrete and enhance the beautiful neoclassical architecture. Early site tests showed that the exterior could be well lit without embedding fittings into the building, helping to maintain the historical integrity of the manor. Existing heritage lamp posts were retrofitted to provide better illumination, and spotlights hidden inside the lamp body to provide further discrete lighting to the façade.
To continue to maintain the historical integrity inside the manor as well, general diffuse lighting is created by period appropriate fittings but once again retrofitted to provide the necessary lighting. In addition, tiny spotlights and linear striplights are used to add further layers of light. Event lighting was also specified to cater for the many different occasions that the manor hosts. This lighting was intentionally overtly contemporary to help link the 1800s building to the very modern gallery space.
The general strategy for the gallery space was creating a scheme that was as flexible as possible so that it could suitably adjust to the different exhibitions in the space. This was done using track mounted spotlights with adjustable beams that can be individually dimmed, offering maximum illumination flexibility. The spotlights have high colour rendering properties, ensuring that whatever is lit is thoroughly enhanced through light.
