Project Description
LDP Ltd was engaged by Westlake Girls High School for the lighting component of their covered outdoor sports courts.
Overview
Westlake Girls High School provided the following brief to LDP:
- Provide lighting with two level switching suitable for;
- Netball local competition/Tennis training
- Tennis Competition
- Provide half area switching for flexibility
- Use reflected light to enhance the structure at night and to minimise glare
- Consider other potential uses of the space
The school sought to have a building, not only as a flexible multi-purpose all weather venue for sports, assemblies and functions, but also one which provided identity and expressed the quality of the school.
The initial brief required 3 level switching of the complete space – Low (100 lux – Netball Training), Medium (250 lux – Netball competition & Tennis training) & High (350 lux – Tennis competition). The school later requested this to be changed to the following 2 level switching arrangement to better meet their needs;
- Medium (250 lux) – whole space
- High (350 lux) – whole space
- High – northern half
- High – southern half
The school staff, students and outside user groups have been very positive about the lighting. The building has become a prominent feature to anyone travelling along the northern motorway by day and even more so at night with its subtle even glow defining the elegant lines of this iconic structure.
Architectural Integration
The architect developed an organic design with the main structure comprising hollow steel tubular members which curve at a variable radius, vertically and horizontally.
Architectural integration was particularly complex in order to avoid surface run conduits and minimise visibility of elements other than the structure, combined with space limitations to get cables through flanges in the structural members.
LDP determined the minimum openings needed in the structural flanges and joints and worked with Structurflex so they could optimise the steel thickness. Structurflex were also concerned that the structure should remain moisture tight to avoid corrosion. LDP developed a methodology using custom IP65 sealed metal junction boxes on top of the structure, with welded steel conduit connections and IP68 glands. These elements are essential to the architectural integration of the lighting design solution.
The end result is an elegant structure with clean lines with the minimum of unwanted attachments and superb architectural integration.
