Customised lighting solutions for the Basilica of Begoña in Spain
The interior lighting of basilicas and religious buildings is a challenge because they have a number of architectural elements that need to be illuminated and highlighted.
This article addresses...
- COMBINED TOP AND BOTTOM LIGHTING
- DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING
A combination of elevated and ground level lighting
Lighting projects for the interior of basilicas and religious buildings can be rather challenging because they involve illuminating and highlighting a range of architectural features.
This particular case presented us with a marked opportunity to innovate because, given the lack of options available on the market for this type of building, we opted for bespoke manufacture of the light fixtures that we needed. The project called for suspended lighting that could illuminate the pews and the area at ground level, but also the vaulted ceilings.
We rose to the challenge by using a combination of lights with different characteristics.
For ground level illumination, we opted for a light source with an opal shade to reduce glare. Meanwhile, at the top, we fitted two pivotable light sources with a 120° beam range in order to leave the vaulted ceilings completely awash with light.
LEDs with a chromatic reproduction index in excess of 90 were chosen to accent the 17th century artwork housed in the basilica.
This gave us two different effects:
- Uniform illumination at the bottom making the most of the height at which the fixtures were fitted;
- Ornamental lighting inside the vaulted ceilings and around architectural features making the most of the fact that both fixtures can be pivoted and the beam of light can be redirected by hand.
Design and manufacture: a winning combination
Once a solution had been designed, it was time to develop a structure that would complement the aesthetics of the building and work for all the aforementioned lights. This was possible thanks to Secom Iluminación’s manufacturing capacity and the company’s technical resources based in Spain.
An octagonal frame with just the right dimensions to ensure that it integrated fully into the aesthetics of the building was designed.
Additionally, we were provided with designs based on religious themes that we replicated on the light fixture corners using a laser beam cutting device. The symbols were backlit with golden light, making for an outstanding decorative feature that was wholeheartedly embraced by the client.
