Project: Beijing Railway Station
Award: Individual Project Interiors, Lighting Projects, 2024
Location: Beijing, China
Design Practice: Beijing PRO Lighting Design Co., Ltd
Client: China Railway Beijing Group Co., LTD
A new lighting scheme was an important feature of the transformation of the Beijing Railway Station, a cultural heritage site dating back 123 years. The Beijing PRO Lighting Design Co., Ltd ‘s creative lighting selection is sensitive to this history and includes a neutral white colour temperature of 3500K for general light use, providing compatibility between the different materials employed in illumination displays and creating a warm ambience. For decorative lighting the studio chose a warm white colour with a Kelvin value of 3000, in keeping with the look and feel of the station’s classical architecture.
The station’s green flat-shell shaped roof is illuminated by concealing all light fixtures above the acrylic forms affixed to the ceiling area at the top of the wrap-around corridor. There are also concealed light fixtures in the sills of the side windows on all four facades, which illuminate the roof.
The decorative lamps and lanterns installed during the original station construction have been retained, while subsequent fluorescent lighting was removed. Black nickel plated-reflectors were chosen for the original lamps, ensuring functionality and eliminating any glare, while maintaining the integrity of the space.
The lighting scheme also provides downward illumination for the main ground level from partially hidden sources, vertical illumination for escalator landings leading to upper levels, lateral illumination for second-floor galleries, and entryway illumination for each train carriage.
Design highlights
The existing decorative light fixtures that were retained have been cleaned and restored, while others were relocated or removed, and new fixtures added. In order to avoid the issue of an excessive visual brightness ratio, the vertical surface brightness of the tapestry was set at 25~30cd/㎡.
Light fittings have been integrated on both sides of a wooden carving, creating a three-dimensional effect. The second-floor light fittings were inserted on the ground between the columns, illuminating both the interior and exterior of the wooden carving and giving the piece depth through the interplay of light and shadow.
Photo credit: Beijing PRO Lighting Design Co., Ltd
- CO-FOUNDER AND LEAD DESIGNER: Li Hui