Zumtobel helps create a 21st-century digital broadcasting environment for BBC Wales

Zumtobel luminaires have made an important contribution to the sustainability credentials of the new digital broadcasting studios and office headquarters of BBC Wales. Zumtobel has provided a wide selection of featured and functional luminaires for the project making an inspiring and creative statement. The BBC Wales headquarters located in central Cardiff, is an impressive 21st-century style digital broadcasting house and contains workspaces for more than 1,000 people as well as radio and TV studios. The large facility has a full-height atrium that is configured as a public street at its base and is built over five storeys on the site of the former central bus station.

The floorplan is predominantly open-plan, with only 30 percent of workspaces at traditional fixed sit-down desks, whilst the remainder range from high-stool bench workspaces to less formal upholstered seating in more relaxed areas. Acoustics are constantly manipulated to support the function of the space in question and battens and paneling feature in the interiors. Colour rendering was important in some of the areas due to the nature of the operational side of the building.

To fulfil the brief, Zumtobel worked closely with the BBC and their design team which resulted in a specification combination of SLOTLIGHT infinity, PANOS evolution, ARCOS, ONDARIA finished in black, SUPERSYSTEM, VIVO, CLEAN and PURESIGN luminaires.

For the reception area, SLOTLIGHT infinity, ONDARIA, VIVO and ARCOS luminaires have been installed. SLOTLIGHT provides a continuous vein of light and is available in a choice of lighting and control gear options that deliver a truly integrated, low energy solution. ONDARIA is a family of circular ambient luminaires with an ultra-thin profile, direct/indirect distributions and excellent detailing. Optical lens offerings include the Luminance-Reducing Optic (LRO) for office environments and soft Opal Optic for multiple applications.

VIVO LED spotlights stand out thanks to their high colour rendering index and extremely uniform light distribution. The ARCOS LED spotlight system makes an impression through minimalist design and clear shapes. Available as a spotlight and a wall-washer, it provides a perfectly consistent balance of finely accented lighting with wide coverage. ONDARIA has also been used to illuminate all of the corridors throughout the building.

Variations of SLOTLIGHT infinity, including bespoke variants of SLOTLIGHT in criss-cross and rectangles, illuminate the modern open plan offices.

SUPERSYSTEM and ONDARIA have also been installed in the breakout areas and SUPERSYSTEM in the tea making area. General or accent lighting, direct or indirect distribution, small or large objects, near or far: SUPERSYSTEM can handle demanding challenges with ease, allowing ultimate creativity combined with consistent, simple aesthetics. SUPERSYSTEM focuses primarily on the lighting effect in the room, integrating a wide selection of architectural lighting instruments. The system offers adjustable accent lighting with a variety of options including spots/gimbals, horizontal down-lighting, perfect vertical wall-washing and indirect lighting.

The kitchens have been illuminated using CLEAN cleanroom luminaires with the emergency lighting provided by the strikingly elegant, state-of-the-art PURESIGN luminaires.

For the meeting rooms, PANOS evolution downlights with a 4000 K colour temperature provide an outstanding lighting quality and a consistently excellent colour rendering (CRI > 90).

The successful combination of PANOS evolution and SUPERSYSTEM illuminates the Radio Studio and SUPERSYSTEM for BBC Wales meeting rooms.


Client: BBC cymru wales

Project year: 2020