A pleasing harmony of lighting and architecture has been achieved within the recently completed extension to Chailey Heritage School in Sussex . Building services consultant Crofton Design specified fittings from RIDI Lighting’s ALE and AIDA ranges of architectural luminaire solutions to provide an aesthetic and functional lighting system for all areas of the new building.

Chailey Heritage School is an independent, residential school for pupils with disabilities. The successful completion of a new hall, library and improved administration facilities led to architect Hazle McCormack Young being commissioned to design a new building for the primary teaching department. At a cost of £2.3m, the unit is now a purpose built facility on the site of a former hospital ward building.

Crofton Design tackled a two-fold lighting design challenge. An effective scheme for the large, open areas of the building (such as the main hall) had to be developed, and at the same time the learning environment in every classroom had to be enhanced by the lighting scheme. In the main hall and circulation areas Crofton specified, suspended and wall-mounted AIDA luminaires from RIDI, as the unobtrusive lines blend seamlessly with the sculpted wooden ceilings. The AIDA also provides predominantly indirect, shadow-free performance that works with the available natural light to produce an understated but effective end-result. In the classrooms, the soft contours of the suspended ALE luminaires provide first-rate illumination to meet the various teaching requirements. To meet energy efficiency targets, all lighting in the hall and classrooms is dimmable, and low energy lamps have been used where possible.

AIDA is manufactured by RIDI in Germany to exacting quality standards. Its design makes it an ideal choice for UK office schemes as the shallow body achieves completely shadow-free upward light to meet and exceed all requirements for the CIBSE office lighting standard LG3a and LG7. The square perforations in the shallow profile housing also create an eye-catching pattern for enhanced visual appearance.

The ALE range now offers the lighting specifier or contractor an easy method of varying the direct / indirect light ratio. By using an aperture in the top of the housing that runs the complete length of the luminaire, the upward light can be varied between 10, 20 or 30%. Manufactured in the same high-grade sheet steel as the luminaire housing, the covers are easily interchangeable. With a low-profile depth of just 60mm, RIDI’s ALE series provides unobtrusive and functional design which blends seamlessly into any environment. A rigid, scratch-resistant housing makes the range ideal for public sector lighting specifier seeking an architectural luminaire at an affordable price.