Rowbots is a rowing gym (co-founded by footballer Gareth Bale and Olympic rower Will Satch, no less) that needed a raw and innovative lighting scheme to work with the “post-apocalyptic” interior design theme. In partnership with Sarah Mannerings Studio, we created a bold lighting design defined by contrasting tones of blue and amber illumination and graphic lines of light that add elements of drama.
To reflect the brand’s identity we used a lot of blue light. But we had to be careful because too much and you stop seeing it as blue and start seeing it as white (hello colour theory). So we added amber light to the design to act as a counterpoint and make sure the signature blue looks as it should.
An eye-catching fibre optic feature in the reception area instantly sets the tone for the studio. Travelling down from the ceiling and across the desk, the cascading lines of blue light look like electrifying exposed circuitry.
In the workout studio, a lighting system can be controlled via an app to change between different colour schemes, depending on the required pace and mood. For instance, blue light is used during warm-up and cool-down sessions, whereas amber light is used during an intense workout.
For the changing rooms, we used graphic lighting to highlight the ceiling and mirrors, while forward-facing, vertical lines of diffused illumination accentuate the corners of each shower cubicle. In contrast to the studio, the lighting scheme in the changing rooms provides a calmer, more tranquil environment.
Images © Jim Catlin
— Paul Nulty
— Sarah Mannerings, Sarah Mannerings Studio
