Gloucester Cathedral
was
A new system of illumination, believed the first of its kind in the world, installed in ancient Gloucester Cathedral early this year by the British Electric Company.
This "Designed Appearance Lighting," devised by the Company's research labora- tory, enables exact patterns of light, shade and modelling which architects wish to create to be planned even at the drawing-board stage.
the
During recent replacement of the Cathe- dral's 50-year old electric lighting the contractors suggested modernizing illumination to bring out carefully and naturally the beauty of the structure, while duly emphasizing the main features.
The interior was first photographed to locate possible positions for lighting equip- ment. Pictures were then taken from these points to find out what the lighting could "'see." Surveys were made of reflection factors of stone and woodwork. The designed appearance was then trans- lated into values of necessary incident light and direction of light. This calcula- tion concluded with a detailed specification of each unit, giving location and power, type of reflector, its aiming and any louvre or accessory required. Thus many man-hours of experiment were avoided and the electrical installation could be designed and costed at an early stage.
The lighting plan, while revealing the building as a complete architectural whole, was also designed to be appropriate on all occasions. The Designed Appearance was effected mainly by concealed lighting fittings and projectors.
A coherent drift of light was provided from south to north across the cathedral
The High Altar and Reredos modelled by G.E.C. Designed Appearance Lighting.
Three monuments of special interest sary to prevent interference.) "Striplite" to reveal the shapes of the stonework, (that of King Osric of Mercia, reputed lamps lighting upwards ensured that the particularly the nave columns and choir. founder of the Cathedral; the shrine of whole of the openings appeared lighted. The nave altar and High Altar, as the King Edward II; and the Cross carved by Lights for the south transept were mount- principal objects of regard, emphasised. The High Altar and reredos, Gloucestershire Regt.
were fully Lt. Col. J.P. Crane, V.C., D.S.O. of the ed in the choir triforium, mostly concen- while in a Korean trated in a small gallery on the south seen at a distance, were both strongly modelled, and fairly strong modelling was
prison camp) were lighted by concealed side. The north transept was lighted by used
between equipment mounted on the back of the Most of the lighting was carried out with a single type of specially designed projector which could be fixed and aimed in awkward situations.
fittings leaving darker spaces for the screen, and for the organ them. King Osric's effigy was silhouetted choir stalls.
which was left darker than the choir beyond it. Other lights revealed gently against the High Altar. the tracery of the east window and the aspiring height of the choir vault, and adequate modelling was provided for the occupants of each pulpit.
nave
over
Since nothing can be illuminated with- out the equipment being visible from the
Installation was object lighted, the installation was usually
mainly done by only placed outside normal directions of regard two men in about 5,200 man-hours
two years.
Most of the mineral-insulated The drift of light from south to north being thus virtually invisible. resulted in the north
copper-sheathed cables
route arcade wall
(4 miles and aisle wall being brighter than the
Main lighting in the nave was mounted length and over 13 miles conductor length) south arcade and aisle wall: the north on the triforium and clerestory. The was fixed to the stonework with nonfer- wall was made brighter than the arcade, aisles were lighted from the capitals of rous clips, screws and wallplugs, all cables thus revealing the full width of the struc- engaged columns on the south wall and being either hidden or camouflaged. Total ture. The same direction of light was from the capitals of the main columns on loading was 40.7 KVA. There were about carried through in the transepts, which the north side. In the choir, lighting 400 lamps of various kinds apart from were brighter than the aisles, and the equipment was installed in the openings general purpose and power sockets. The tracery which separated them was seen of the large triforium, where a variety of result
was a flexible system permitting from the aisles in silhouette.
fittings were placed (enclosed were neces- many different and beautiful effects.
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