Project challenges
LET THERE BE LIGHT?
This was a complex brief, with the client specifying a light and airy feel throughout, whilst setting numerous technical challenges, such as a pool which could drain itself and turn into a dance floor?
Solution: What looked like an idyllic outside patio was, in fact, an underground basement. Over 1,000 LED lights, each with 6 diodes and underpinned by a complex DMX programme, allowed features such as an ever-changing cloudy sky to be programmed into the ‘pool ceiling’, giving the illusion of being outdoors.
SUPER-PRIME, GRADE I-LISTED:
A house of this size required Darke & Taylor (D&T) to work alongside many other contractors, yet within the confines of a listed building. This meant working with non-construction professionals, such as interior designers, for whom the aesthetics were key, rather than the engineering protocols.
Solution: D&T prides itself on working towards the client’s end vision and being part of the solution. This required a significant amount of compromise, for example, working with wooden beams rather than RSJ’s and ensuring that all original features stayed in place.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FINISH:
There were a number of original bespoke lighting pieces commissioned for this property. These all had to be assembled and installed by D&T, with no two the same, and each costing many thousands of pounds – there was no room whatsoever for any mistakes!
Solution: Meticulous planning, expertise and a good working relationship with the builders, ensured that D&T could foresee potential issues early on. For example, the chandelier weighed almost half a tonne and required a strengthened ceiling, which D&T was able to specify early on in the rebuild process.
Gallery
“We are very pleased with how the programming went, this has been a complex design and installation process with a lot of interface, and we really appreciate the first-class coordination and input from the various contractors and consultants.”
Nicholas Reynolds, Design Director, Xavio Design of Mayfair
