York Minster Revealed
Sutton Vane Associates completed a dramatic new lighting scheme in the West Nave in York Minster. The new scheme is more discrete, energy efficient, and flexible than the previous scheme. The beautiful new light renders the magnificent colours of the interior perfectly.
As the appearance of the space is so wonderful, Sutton Vane Associates decided that there should be no modern light fittings visible to the visitors when they arrive. Luminaires are located at triforium level to illuminate the Nave, and above the capitals to illuminate the aisles. Special brackets were designed to support the lights in these places without having to drill into the historic stonework. A new principle for lighting the seats, called The Cross Light principle, was developed to prevent glare and to help hide the light fittings.
The Minster can take on a range of personalities, with specially programmed lighting scenes for public visiting hours, worship, ceremonies, concerts and other events. Each half of each bay can be individually dimmed so the lighting can travel up the nave as a wave of light, to follow events. The different lighting scenes can be easily selected by using hidden push buttons or an intuitive app on a tablet. The statues of the Kings in the screen were lit to show their faces in a friendly way to make them look more human and to show off the gold and red colours.
Sutton Vane Associates won a 2017 Lighting Design award for lighting the York Minster.
“Wow – These guys have totally nailed it – the ultimate go to.”
