Carefully integrated lighting design at the Sammy Ofer Centre in London
Sammy Ofer Centre, London, UK
The Old Marylebone Town Hall is an iconic building and has a rich heritage in terms of the famous people who have been married there over the decades. London Business School leased the building from Westminster Council in 2012 and commenced a £60M fit-out to create a new facility called the Sammy Ofer Centre after it’s patron, whilst also improving the spaces used by Westminster Council.
The architect, Sheppard Robson said of the project “Architecturally, the building needed to broadcast the ambition of the client and have a strong urban presence along Marylebone Road…the project also needed to accommodate civic and political uses.”
The architects designed a new central glazed link which creates a centre-piece and distinct entrance to the London Business School. Internally, most of the building is dedicated to education and includes six lecture theatres, 32 seminar spaces, a library, offices and a student lounge. There is a major extension to the rear with a substantial theatre replacing the 1960’s infill.
Light Bureau’s approach to the project was sensitivity to the historic building (most of which is listed), keeping lighting interventions to a visual minimum and carefully integrating details. Internally, what is seen is intended to be subordinate to the heritage areas of the project.
Another success was the restoration of the Portland stone facades, which had deteriorated over the long life of the building. Light Bureau designed a modest lighting scheme to announce what is a culturally and architecturally significant building; the quality of warm white light picking out key features is restrained but effective.
Light Bureau worked on Concept and Detailed Design with the architect and MEP consultant Battle McCarthy.
Client: London Business School
Architect: Sheppard Robson
Photography: Alex Upton, Diane Auckland, Hufton + Crow
Date completed: 2018
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