Qingyuan Pop-Up Sales Gallery

This sales gallery in Qingyuan, China, was designed with lightweight materials for easy construction and dismantling, such that it can be reused in new locations every 1-2 years. To complement this, the lighting scheme was devised with a very selective plug and play luminaire palette.

Set against a park-like backdrop, the tent-like structure of the gallery was cladded with a translucent skin that introduces ambient daylight into the interiors. The interior of the gallery was planned as an indoor garden and the soft daylighting creates a comfortable atmosphere for visitors. As the day wanes, the lighting appearance is reversed, with the envelope transforming into a large-scale lantern that not only lights the interiors but also becomes an eye-catching iconic feature to passing traffic. During dark winter months, the artificial lighting helps to boost the light levels in the interiors.

For Glint Lighting Design, the design aim seemed simple - to create a soft, shadow-free and even glow on the polycarbonate surfaces while allowing for optimum daylight transmittance through the façade – but it was one that required careful strategy. In the end the lighting team arrived at a solution that was meticulously planned and integrated into the architectural façade system.

A cavity space of consistent width between double polycarbonate skins allows artificial lighting to be emitted both ways, towards the interior and exterior. It was quite challenging as mechanical and electrical equipment needed to support the gallery spaces was also located in the cavity. The presence of these equipment and truss structures could compromise the pristine look of the façade if they were allowed to cast shadows or seen in silhouette. The team had to exercise great caution to navigate these ‘landmines’ and we had to understand very precisely every detail that in the cavity space. The translucency of the polycarbonate had to be carefully balanced and we reviewed several mock-ups with the architect to help with the material selection.

Tiltable linear light grazers with specific optics are employed to respond to various geometric conditions of the cavity. The main goal was to maximize light throw and spread and to minimize light spills that might cast shadows of the truss structures. 4000K (neutral white) colour temperature was chosen for a clean, high tech feel. A cool white ‘portal’ was thus created, encapsulating the landscaping and more intimate showroom spaces that flow underneath and bathing them in soft, pure and comfortable lighting.