A Considered Constellation – BarLume Lighting by ADesignStudio
ADesignStudio’slight installation in BarLume is a considered constellation. Rows of suspended bulbs hang above patrons creating a luminous sky and a warm wash of even glow.
The ceiling of BarLume in Sydney’s new 1 Denison tower is illuminated with artistry and functionality. Alex Fitzpatrick of ADesignStudio worked with architecture firm Bates Smart and international lighting design consultancy Electrolight to create an astronomical sheet of lighting. The project sits in the overlap of practical requirements for the room while inviting a contribution of aesthetic wonder. The result of this tension is a ceiling which dangles a cloud of diffused light from artisan glass spheres.
The light display is comprised of 90 handblown glassworks ordered in precise rows that sit suspended overhead like domesticated suns. A frosted fade has been achieved around three quarters of each sphere by means of sandblasting, which creates the sense of freely suspended light. Each sphere hangs on 3m-long drops that connect to a black-mirrored ceiling. The drops fade into the void above which gently echoes back reflections and refractions of the bulbs below. All of this contributes to create the effect of a plain of marshalled orbs, seemingly floating in space.
The installation also faced many practical considerations. Each of the 90 fittings needed to be installed before the mirrored ceiling and then precisely perforate it through pre-drilled 20mm holes. Every light needed to be DALI Dimmable with a lensed LED to counteract the glare. Plus, each 3m drop required a special mounting system to allow for replacement and repair over the lifetime of the lights.
BarLume had its own considerations also. The suspended orbs work to open up possibilities for the floor below. The rows of symmetrical bulbs provide for an even wave of light throughout the bar. The room can now be reformed and rearranged in a variety of different formations to cater for distinct functions and events. All occasions can enjoy a perfectly diffused glow of ceiling light, washing over tables from the spheres above.
The lighting in BarLume is an extension of ADesignStudio’s commitment to artistry through light. The Sydney-based design studio work with modern and traditional methods to create artisan works of handblown glass lighting. With a practice that sits at the intersection of science and poetry, ADesignStudiobrings a crafted quality to a material that holds, refracts, and scatters light itself. For BarLume, the studio has applied these principles to create a display that both enables and accentuates the space.
