.PSLAB collaborated with architects and designers
SHH to create lighting products for two new restaurants within the Barbican
Centre. .PSLAB answered a brief from SHH to make the most
of the location in order to bring the Centre’s food and beverage offer up to
the level of the Barbican’s long-established reputation.
They served both as lighting designers and
manufacturers on the project, which encompassed the Barbican Foodhall, the
Barbican Lounge, as well as the outdoor terrace spaces.A site-specific treatment was created for the project, with light fixtures conceived to suit the 'rough' style of the building fabric and also to abide by the restrictions encountered within a listed building.
The ground floor is spatially divided into
multiple seating areas by means of low ceiling levels; due to the duct system
and various seating layouts, .PSLAB accentuated this division by breaking the
space using vertical elements throughout, whilst maintaining the idea of
transparency and light. Floor-to -ceiling shelving structures were developed,
holding multiple glass jars housing energy-saving light bulbs. The lacquered
steel metal structure complements the roughness of the space.
The jar-shelving structures were then adapted into
ceiling suspended modules to provide functional light. Smaller modules of these shelves were repeated
into wall-mounted fixtures over the seating booths. In the two remaining sections, .PSLAB developed
black steel tubes fixed on the coffer edges, extending downwards to shed light
over the tables
For the bar area, .PSLAB inserted black steel
hoops, each carrying a clear halogen bulb topped with a brass circular
reflector, reflecting and directing the
light. The longitudinal perception of
the bar is highlighted by the repetition of the hoop-like insertions and their
reflection in the glass façade of the terrace, acting as a mirror.
Over the dining area, .PSLAB developed a series
of hoop chandeliers equipped with directional projectors within the fitting,
making it functional for the dining space.
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