Cover photo: Young V&A by De Matos Ryan – ph. Shoreditch London ©HuftonandCrow
Maximizing natural light, impactful architectural lighting – with a focus on safety – and anti-waste measures are the cornerstones of the lighting project by Speirs Major Light Architecture (SMLA) for the Young V&A. Located in East London, this branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum is dedicated entirely to children. The institution houses over 30,000 objects dating from 2300 BC to the present, including toys, design pieces, and costumes designed for or by children.
Suitable for ages 0 to 14 and with free admission, the museum recently underwent a comprehensive renovation led by AOC Architecture and De Matos Ryan, culminating in its reopening in the second half of 2023, highlighted by the new lighting system.
The restoration of the Young V&A
Restoration work to enhance and revive the original Victorian structure housing the Young V&A began in 2019. The building, a mid-19th century prefab with a brick base and upper arches of iron and glass, saw the reopening of its large windows and the restoration of its mosaic floor. Emphasizing zero waste – a central theme in the new lighting – construction debris was transformed into terrazzo-style worktops, and much of the material from the old installations was reused.
The heart of the project is the central Town Square, a large atrium and multipurpose space from which galleries, the bookshop, and the café are accessed, providing a safe area where children can move freely and securely.
Speirs Major lighting for the Young V&A Town Square
With a focus on accessibility, SMLA’s lighting project guides visitors through different exhibition spaces, accessible via the helical staircase built at the back of the space, while preserving and enhancing the building’s historic fabric. The skylights of the barrel roof were reopened; through a meticulous study of daylight, SMLA selected the transparency level of the window filters to prevent glare. The new artificial lighting reveals the roof structure and highlights key architectural elements, providing functional illumination for the town square when natural light dims. Skylights on the sides of the square remain shaded, as simple warm white light proved ideal for the displays.
La nuova illuminazione artificiale rivela la struttura del tetto e mette in risalto gli elementi architettonici chiave, fornendo ovviamente un’illuminazione funzionale alla piazza della città quando la luce naturale si affievolisce. I lucernai posti ai lati della piazza sono rimasti oscurati, perché una semplice luce bianca calda si è rivelata ideale per le esposizioni.
From SMLA: «As the building is a listed heritage asset, great care was taken to ensure the lighting did not impact the original material structure. An unobtrusive custom ledge detail was designed to accommodate the lighting equipment, which includes twin rows of individually controlled linear lengths of colour change (RGBW) LEDs for uplighting, and clamps for functional spotlighting to the adjacent spaces.»
SMLA lighting for the Young V&A: reuse of existing equipment and tailored study of each space
A crucial aspect of the project was the reuse and conversion of as many existing fixtures as possible. The best fixtures were reinstalled in the new Temporary Gallery. In the basement, once used for storage and offices, a new cafeteria for school groups and a series of classrooms were created.
These spaces have little natural light, so SMLA achieved the right atmosphere with ring-shaped pendants, lights integrated into cabinets, and uplight spots within the small arched windows that face ground level. Each room is equipped with a simple control interface for ease of use and flexibility.