"It's amazing how the power of light can transform buildings, whether on a permanent or temporary basis. More amazing, to me, is how it surprises people; even when the scheme is relatively simple it makes them see the most familiar places in entirely new ways."
Rob has transformed buildings, their surrounds, and the
rooms they contain for a variety of purposes, including
weddings where lighting has brought a magical sparkle to
the event. “And not just lighting," he notes. "Perhaps my
favourite moment in my whole career was the wedding where
the bride wanted snow... so we made it snow. I just
remember children running outside and looking up in awe -
it was remarkable."
He has also worked to use lighting for other purposes,
notably in Signage by Light schemes where lighting replaced
or supplemented physical signs. "We first proposed this for
Stansted Airport, to use that fantastic roof space to
provide more information to help people move around the
terminal. Using the ephemerally tactile nature of light -
you can reach out to touch it, it can immerse you, but
ultimately there's nothing there - meant that the terminal
building didn't become even more cluttered with material.
It also drew the eye up and away from the many retail
outlets which now fill what was originally designed to be
an transparent space, helping to remind you of how open it
had once been." Surveys carried out during a trial of the
scheme showed that it was noticed, that it was helpful -
and that where lighting was used to promote one particular
out-of-the-way retail outlet it had an immediate and
measurable impact on sales.