Sitting on the banks of the river Mersey in Liverpool, the Grade II listed Cunard Building embodies the rich maritime history of the city. Constructed in the heyday of Liverpool’s shipping industry between 1914 and 1917, the building was the headquarters of the Cunard Line until the 1960s and also home to Cunard’s passenger facilities for trans-Atlantic journeys departing from Liverpool.
When the building’s current owners recently decided upon bolstering its evening appearance on the waterfront, they turned to local install specialists Adlib for an architectural lighting concept, who specified 24 Colorist Panel 36Qa and 14 Colorist Panel 8Qa ILUMINARC fixtures to accentuate the building’s Italian Renaissance-inspired architectural aesthetic.
“It was a tough task to illuminate one of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings and UNESCO World Heritage Site,” commented Adlib Installations Manager Richard Murphy. “The Colorist fixtures, however, offered a perfect solution to tastefully illuminate the building’s façade and draw attention to the building’s subtle sculptures.”
Murphy and his team positioned 24 Colorist 36Qa fixtures along the ground to illuminate the lower three floors of the building, with the 14 Colorist 8Qa fixtures positioned midway up the building to provide coverage to the upper three floors.
“The Colorist panels provide excellent even coverage to the building’s façade,” continued Murphy. “As a result, the simple beauty of the building is highlighted, with the building clearly visible from the other side of the river: a testament to the brightness and clarity of the fixtures.”
The quad color RGBA LED source of the fixtures enabled Murphy to douse the iconic building with saturated colors. “The Colorist fixtures offer strong saturated color washes and softer pastel colors, thanks to the addition of an amber LED,” continued Murphy. “What’s more, the color quality is very consistent, which is absolutely essential given the large surface area of the building.”
As the installation is a permanent outdoor feature, Murphy was also required to take into consideration several practicalities for the long-term installation. With the Colorist fixtures IP rated for outdoor use, they are able to withstand the outdoor environment.
“Aside from the quality of the light itself, the Colorist fixtures were chosen for their robustness and reliability,” he concluded. “As a result, the whole package gives the Cunard Building the best combination for the long-term installation, and ensures this piece of Liverpool’s maritime history is visible for all to see.”
