2021 YEAR IN REVIEW
2021 was an important year for us all at Nulty as we celebrated our tenth birthday. Throughout the year we enjoyed looking back at a decade in lighting design and had fun reflecting on how far we’ve come and what we’ve learnt along the way. It’s clear to us as we mark this small but significant anniversary, that the art of lighting design has evolved over recent years. There are more layers of complexity to what we do, and we all have a collective responsibility to design in a sustainable and considerate way.
With this in mind, we’ve pulled out some key moments from the year that we’re really proud of. They are projects and initiatives that gave us the chance to do the things we love best – to interrogate light, to champion the importance of light, and to demonstrate how we as designers can have an impact on the spaces that we inhabit.
Dubai 5 Years On
When we reflect on what our team in Dubai have achieved this year it’s hard to believe the studio is only five years old. With projects such as the Al Ain Museum and Fort in Abu Dhabi in the pipeline, and some of the region’s most prominent giga projects ongoing, our Dubai studio is on track to deliver some really creative work, on a far greater scale than ever before. Amidst the buzz of Expo 2020, we were also delighted to design the lighting scheme for Rove Expo 2020 Hotel – the only hotel on the Expo site located next to the now world-famous Al Wasl Plaza.
A Retail Renaissance
Tackling the lighting design for Browns’ new home at Brook Street was one of our most rewarding projects this year. The eccentric floor plan of the Grade II* listed building presented a number of spatial and aesthetic challenges, but our team worked closely with Dimorestudio to create a luxurious scheme that works sympathetically with the building. One of the highlights of the project is the iconic “Yellow Room”, where light has been integrated with precision to preserve the character and features of the room.
Image: Bozho Gagovski
Staying Cool in Bangkok
We love a collaboration so earlier this year our Bangkok studio teamed up with Nikken Sekkei Thailand to design a lighting scheme for its Stay Cool Pavilion at Bangkok Design Week. Here, we used light to emphasise the materiality of Nikken Sekki’s temporary installation, which featured BIOSKIN facade technology – a countermeasure to the urban heat island effect.
Image: Weerapon Singnoi
The Dark Knight Illuminated
It’s not often that you get the chance to bring the mysterious world of Batman’s Gotham to life in a listed building in London’s Soho. But that was our brief at Park Row, where light plays an integral role in creating the experience of going out in Gotham City. From the Batcave, where Nulty Bespoke’s ten-metre long installation lights up in a pulsating sequence to reference the echolocation frequency of bats, through to The Iceberg Lounge where clear glass plinth lights adorn each table, every detail has been carefully thought out to reveal subtle cues to an unseen reality. Take a look here.
Image: FRENCH+TYE
Light for Lebanon
In September we provided support for Light for Lebanon, an online fundraising event that raised awareness about the need for solar-powered lighting in Beirut following the devastating blast in 2020. Organised by Light Reach and Lebanese lighting designer Manal Kahale, Light for Lebanon aims to provide lights for personal use, security lighting and streetlights for public spaces. Find out more about the on-going initiative here.
Inclusive Design for Later Living
Auriens Chelsea on Dovehouse Street presented us with the opportunity to delve a lot deeper into lighting requirements for later living. The results of our research can be seen all throughout this beautiful scheme, where layers of light have been used to improve wayfinding and aid visibility. Elsewhere in each of the apartments, our lighting scheme has been tailored to the astronomical clock to support the body’s natural circadian rhythm and provide optimum conditions for sleep and wakefulness. Discover more here.
Banner image & this image: Sim Canetty-Clarke
