Portland Road Bridge Lighting Project – The People Have Spoken

This was the design which was selected by local residents who attended our consultations for the Portland Road Bridge lighting project earlier this month.
Two concepts for lighting installations were shared at our event on Wednesday 1 May at Caribbean Dreads and again at the Clock Tower Market on Saturday 4 May.
Michael Grubb Studios developed the two concepts to show people different approaches to the brief, which asked for designs to make the bridge a more inviting space for pedestrians, transforming the space into a connector of the two sides of Portland Road. White lighting was proposed in each concept and both focus light on the footway and walls of the bridge, making the mosaic more visible and the architectural features stand out.
One concept was a traditional response to the architecture of the bridge, similar to lighting you will see on heritage buildings.
The second was an artistic response, based on the theme of the pedestrian’s journey through the space. The idea was movement through a tunnel of light, from a warm-toned, sunset light through to cooler, moonlight tones.
68% of people who responded preferred the artistic concept. People felt that this approach could help to improve the identity to the area, welcoming people in a fun and interesting way.  There were two variations on this concept and people favoured the simplicity of the straight installation which echoes the lines of the bridge’s architecture.
People were interested in how the lighting scheme could be animated, either through movement or via the lighting changing colour. The designers will also be looking at the potential for incorporating this within the project budget.
The next stage of the project is to develop technical designs and secure all the necessary permissions. The aim is to install the new lighting mid-Autumn. Watch this space for further updates.

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