A pioneering project that sets to redefine the retirement living market, Auriens Chelsea fuses the comfort of a 5-star hotel with the ambiance of a private members’ club.
Our goal was clearly defined: design a beautiful lighting scheme that adds depth to the interiors and prioritises the physical and emotional needs of the residents. We conducted detailed research into illumination levels for later living and worked with Auriens’ handpicked design team to deliver an inclusive lighting scheme for both the residences and public areas.
Light levels have been layered to create schemes that are homely yet accessible. Illumination has been boosted at a higher level through recessed downlights and coffer lighting to improve wayfinding and aid visibility. In areas like the apartments, restaurant and library, tuneable white light has been used to mimic natural daylight. At a lower level, table lamps stand where residents may stop to read and concealed lighting within joinery improves the legibility of books and items on shelves.
Within the apartments, the lighting has been tailored to the astronomical clock and changes throughout the day, transitioning from warm to cool white and back again. The system supports the body’s natural circadian rhythm and offers the best conditions for sleep and wakefulness. To help residents navigate the space at night, a pre-set night-time scene illuminates the path from bedroom to bathroom.
Attention to detail continues throughout the public areas, including the luxurious pool where an artificial skylight with tuneable white light creates the illusion of natural daylight flooding in. In the speakeasy bar, lighting has been integrated under the counter and around the shelving to draw the eye, and linear coffer lighting used in the restaurant reveals the architectural detail of the Georgian ceiling.
Images © Sim Canetty-Clarke
