SILL TAKES OFF WITH TERMINAL 5

Sill Lighting luminaires have played a major role in the lighting schemes at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

The building’s iconic wave-shaped roof is supported by 22 steel ‘torsos’, and as part of the scheme three Sill 467 Plane Projectors were fitted to each torso to uplight the roof area. Each projector is compact yet powerful with a 1000w HQI lamp. With the fittings illuminating the roof area, the light is reflected down to the concourse to accentuate the roof’s structure and the airy, cavernous space below.

Speirs & Major Associates was appointed to the project in June 2000 as principal lighting architects, and was responsible for the detailed lighting concepts for all public areas of the project including the main terminal building (T5A), satellite building (T5B), rail interchange, interchange plaza, multi-storey car park, bus station and drop-off forecourt. Commenting on the lighting requirements for the T5 main building, Philip Rose, associate at Speirs & Major Associates said, “The lighting scheme needed to be functional whilst highlighting the structure of the building. We wanted the building to have the feeling of a light, open space, even on gloomy days or at night.”
On specifying the Sill 467 projectors, Philip Rose explained, “There is only a limited amount of space for the projectors to be mounted on the torsos and the Sill projectors sat well in this structure. The aesthetics of the projectors also complement the design of the torsos. Most importantly, Sill luminaires are well-known for their optical performance and energy efficiency and the 467 projectors certainly delivered on this count”.

Paul Nulty, director of Light Bureau, cited similar reasons as to why he specified Sill 454 projectors for the lighting scheme at the Terminal 5 Drop-Off Canopies, “The Sill products we specified had very high quality optics, and the fittings themselves were neutral so unobtrusive to the design – they looked like they were part of the structure”. This scheme to illuminate the canopies and pavement underneath incorporated some 500 Sill 454 projectors fitted just 300mm away from the canopies’ underside. Working to such a design constraint, Sill Lighting helped Light Bureau design the brackets to accommodate the fittings into this confined space. From this position the projectors, each of which has a 35w metal halide lamp, push the light across the canopies which is then reflected onto the pavement underneath to create a homogenous lighting effect. “The service we received from Sill was exemplary”, added Paul Nulty.

Both specifiers are delighted with the end results. Philip Rose of Speirs & Major Associates, responsible for the lighting at the T5 main building said, “The visual perception of the building is accentuated by the lighting scheme. We tested the Sill fittings prior to installation and so we were confident this lighting design would be a success”.
Paul Nulty of Light Bureau concluded, “We have had some very positive feedback on the lighting of the canopies. The quality of light we have achieved from the Sill projectors is particularly good. By projecting the light towards the canopies, the light then floods back underneath to outstanding effect”.
Sill projectors have also been installed at the terminal’s bus station. The 453 projectors are mounted in pairs on special brackets. This scheme uses 250 pairs in total, and one of the pair is for uplighting the ceiling, while the other is for direct lighting, complete with a batwing reflector to avoid glare to bus drivers.