Cumberland Art Gallery.

The Royal Collection glows bright.

Hampton Court Palace’s Cumberland Art Gallery occupies a suite of rooms designed by William Kent in the 1730s as apartments for George II’s son, William Augustus – Duke of Cumberland. After an extensive refurbishment, the gallery now allows visitors to view artworks from the Royal Collection in a stunning new setting.

Bespoke commission.

While respecting the architecture, the client wanted a gallery feel, and the lighting design immediately announces this as a different type of space. Working within a listed building presented challenges and our CGI team’s LightSIM software was used to create a virtual reproduction of the design, which proved effective during discussions with the client. Each fitting is bespoke and we carefully considered their appearance to ensure the scheme complements the space by day and night. These fittings, developed in favour of traditional linear picture lights, lend a contemporary elegance. One such example is the powered picture rails, which use LED spotlights to highlight the paintings.

In the spotlight.

Within a number of rooms, stone windows are discreetly lit with LED up-lights. Located on sills, these provide a subtle wash, adding to the scene and preventing windows becoming ‘black holes’ at night. Individual dimming control of every fitting was also vital, allowing different types of artwork to be hung in the same space, and the lighting adjusted accordingly. Each spotlight is mechanically adjustable and can be moved within a disc and angled to light a painting. The result is a high level of flexibility, the ability to achieve precise lux levels on the art pieces, and – as a whole – the chance to create a bespoke visual impression.

Click here to view our award-winning 360VR CGI visualisation.