Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company Syntax Lighting
Lead Designers Ana Stojadinovic
Architecture Company Curator & Manager: Philip Levine, Andreia Costa
Client The Smallest Gallery in Soho
Photo Credits The Smallest Gallery in Soho
Completion Date 2020-2024
Project Location 62 Dean Street, London, United Kingdom
Entry DescriptionEstablished in 2017, The Smallest Gallery in Soho, ‘A small space, with BIG ideas’, is a historic shop-front in the heart of Soho. The aim of this creative space is to display artwork that captures people’s attention on their journey through Soho and encourage them to stop, think and be inspired.
It hopes to transcend the rapid changes and the dispersion of the creative cohort — that was once so vibrant within the area — by exhibiting free and engaging art works to view from the street.
Each installation is site-specific, conceived by a different artist and on display for 2-3 months.
Whilst the lighting requirements are always different, the lighting budget for this ongoing project is minimal. So, we have assembled a simple toolbox of equipment which we continuously reuse and adapt, and occasionally upgrade, to effectively illuminate each unique piece.
In line with the gallery punchline, lighting design approach aims to create maximal impact with minimal means.
Accent lighting is provided by basic track mounted spotlights, fitted with compatible LED lamps with appropriate beam angels, colour temperatures, colour filters and lenses. Linear LED luminaires serve for even wash-light illumination, for indirect ambient lighting, or for internally illuminated elements.
Wall switch and sockets are complete with simple plug-in timers, set-up for daily on/off time-based control.
Sustainability ApproachAll lighting is with energy efficient LED sources. A standard set of equipment is being reused and adapted to suit specific requirements of each installation. A few times a specific piece of equipment was provided by manufacturers on return basis. If needed, light levels can be balanced by manual local dimmers.
Simple plug-in timers, set-up for daily on/off time-based control are used for energy saving, and to allow for daytime/ night-time lighting scenario and simple dynamic on/off effects.
Lighting is normally on from 3pm-11pm.
This is an excellent example of recycling, creatively and efficiently re-using existing light fittings and basic control tools, resourcefully adapting old luminaires to new uses to successfully serve many art installations, all of them very different, but always impactful, for many years.
