Highbury Square

Location: Highbury North London

When Arsenal Football Club relocated from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, the famous art deco stadium began its transformation into a major mixed use, residential development.This exceptional conversion of the Highbury terraces to the prestigious Highbury Square development required unique design solutions.

The Highbury stadium was built in 1913 and served for more than 90 years as Arsenal Football Club’s home ground, celebrating thirteen league titles in that time. To say this was a ‘sacred’ space for many would bean understatement. When it became evident that the landscape concept maintained the dimensions and aspects of the Highbury pitch, it was clear that the lighting design should be spectacular.

The lighting design of the external realm presented a number of lighting and design challenges. Chiefly there was a duty of care to respect the heritage of an address with a significance greater than its Grade II* Listed art deco facade. There was also the desire to create a landscape environment that could be interacted with on a human scale and which would serve as a lighting canvas visible from the surrounding apartments.

Working with celebrated landscape designer, Christopher Bradley-Hole, Hoare Lea Lighting looked at creating an illuminated environment that would be the focal point of the communal areas. During the day the architecture and flora define the character of the space while at night the lighting renders and enhances these forms to create a distinctive, vibrant character. Dimmable, compact fluorescent column mounted luminaries create a soft illumination level on the main thoroughfares around the gated central ‘Pitch’. These provide a comfortable  ambience for passage through the site whilst controlling upward light spill into overlooking apartments. In illumination level terms these perimeter walkways were considered the only area where a specific
and uniform lighting was required – leaving the pitch to stand out as the centrepiece.
The pitch is announced by a linear LED halo incorporated into a hard landscaping up stand. This visually frames it against the perimeter walkway lighting treatment. LED point sources illuminate steps and ramps to
highlight level changes.
Pathways within the pitch use low level bollard luminaries in a non-uniform arrangement to create drama and contrast while highlighting key routes and intersections. The patterns of illumination encourage discovery and allow users to find intimate spaces within the landscape. The focal points of the space are the large, glass, water filled forms. These sculptural elements also disguise vents from the car park beneath. Within the water, controlled injections of air create swirling bubble forms. These provide a perfect surface for illumination. After tests and mock-ups, it was decided that linear RGB LED luminaries should be used to wash light into the glass
forms. These illuminate the bubble patterns and the structure of the glazed boxes providing a spectacle that can be enjoyed from the pitch and the overlooking apartments.
A colour-changing sequence is designed to link with the bubble sequences providing a narrative between light, light colour and bubble pattern. The lighting design presents the culmination of four years’ work and leaves an elegant legacy for the famous Highbury pitch.

www.hoarelealighting.com/

Products used: HLX , RLX55