The Mound, Edinburgh, UK
Edinburgh’s historic location of The Mound has been given a facelift with a dynamic, colour-changing lighting scheme, courtesy of Lite.
The Mound is a prestigious cultural area in the centre of Edinburgh, linking the Old Town with the New Town. An artificial slope that was formed from the excavations of the foundations of The New Town into Nor Loch, which was drained in 1765, today The Mound is the site of The Princes Street Gardens.
Facilities management company, Mitie was appointed by Lloyds Banking Group to create a new, dynamic, colour-changing lighting design for the floodlighting on The Mound. Mitie appointed Lite for a full turnkey solution for the project, including the initial design scheme, the supply of products, installation, and commissioning. Lite worked with Consulting Engineers IKM and Installation Partner SSUK to achieve the brief for this project.
Lite carried out the planning of the installation, including two separate lighting trials, supplied the light fixtures, and recommended several solutions from its portfolio of lighting brands.
Due to the historic nature of the building and its iconic location, a variety of challenges presented themselves to the team. As the building is listed, there were permissions that needed to be granted, so as part of the proposal Lite specified that it would not enter the building and would instead install the lighting solution on the outside of the building.
The team created an ideal solution, using lighting trials to select the fixtures that would be placed along the balcony and floodlight the front of the building. Color Kinetics ColorBurst and ColorBurst Compact, ColorBlast, and ColorGraze Powercore RGBW products were selected to create a dynamic colour-changing lighting effect, controlled remotely by a Pharos LPC1 controller. The Pharos controller and cabling were installed on the roof of the building and the exterior.
The result is an innovative and dynamic lighting solution that brings modern, colour-changing lighting to an area steeped in rich history and traditional architecture. The lighting brings The Mound to life and enhances its status as a hub of art and culture in Edinburgh, with the effect appearing particularly striking at night.
Kevin Evans, Solutions Director at Mitie, said: “When we received this project brief, we knew that Lite Architectural was the company to do the job. It is a trusted and reliable partner, and we knew that it would be able to deliver an innovative design solution, the kit and fixtures needed, a full installation and commission of the project, ensuring it met the brief.
“What was most impressive was how Lite handled the challenges and factors that cropped up, completely out of their control, and faced each setback head-on to complete the project without compromising on design or quality.”
Emma Johnson, Sustainability Programme Manager at Lloyds Banking Group, added: “Lite exceeded our expectations upon commission of the project. We were delighted with the result, and The Mound is now one of the best lit buildings in Edinburgh.
“Our Scottish HQ stands out for a striking, stunning effect that adds to the prestige and renowned location and history of the area.”
