Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company L'Observatoire International
Lead Designers Hervé Descottes
Other Designer's names Leah Xandora, Akito Aiba, Billy Wong
Architecture Company Charles William Stephens, Kendall King Scott
Client Harrods
Photo Credits L'Observatoire International Courtesy
Completion Date 2024
Project Location London, UK
Entry Description
Since its founding nearly two centuries ago, Harrods has become an iconic British staple and an international marvel.
The design team drew on Harrods’ core values for the updated lighting plan, starting with “take pride,” which led them to retain the iconic festoon lighting. The new fixtures are color-changing, shifting from warm white to cooler white nightly, and adopting colors for special events.
Festoon lighting is enhanced by a new layer of architectural lighting that reveals the building’s layers and history, allowing the Harrods story to unfold on the façade. These layers of light create a hierarchy for the building and its uses, expressing the activity within the store.
The updated festoon and architectural lighting together activate the street level and first floors, engaging people outside and grounding the façade visually, creating a strong base for the building.
The lighting design also pays homage to Harrods and what it represents, capturing the interior magic and displaying it on the exterior. The iconic bulbs are programmed to move across the façade in a twinkling play of brilliance after dark, creating a fairytale-like display for everyone.
Sustainability Approach
The studio’s design for the upgrade of Harrods’ façade lighting ushers the department store into the future. New LED technology modernizes the building’s exterior, reducing maintenance needs and enabling dimmability, while respecting Harrods’ legacy by maintaining the building’s historic character.