Our selection of case studies showcase a cross section of recent QODA projects.

Handel and Hendrix Museum

QODA LIGHT developed the lighting design for the Hallelujah Project at the Handel and Hendrix Museum. Working alongside Architects Peregrine Bryant and interpretation designers Outside Studios. The project aimed to return the internal spaces back to their original form, as Handel would recognise, whilst improving the visitor’s flow and experience. The lighting design is being sensitively developed, allowing visitors to appreciate the many spaces in an atmosphere akin to the 17th Century whilst ensuring any artworks and artefacts are beautifully lit within a safe yet engaging environment.

Royal West of England Academy

QODA LIGHT worked with the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) and Childs Sulzmann Architects on the ‘Light and Inspiration project’. The project aimed to transform the experience for visitors and communities within the spectacular Grade II* listed building. The magnificent Sharples and Winterstoke galleries benefitted from upgraded lighting with modern flexible systems allowing the artworks to be wonderfully viewed. Additional galleries are also enjoying a similar approach. The lighting for the reception and main circulation routes all benefitted from upgraded lighting, sensitively introduced to complement the interior spaces. A newly refurbished Café and Loggia will also provide new facilities for visitors to the RWA.

Ponsbourne Park Farm

QODA were appointed as MEP and Sustainability Engineers by Clear Architects to provide an operational net-zero development following design principles of the Passivhaus Standard. Park Farm is a 35,000sqm multi-use scheme consisting of new buildings and retrofitting historic farm buildings to provide 34 dwellings for locals and flexible multi-use community spaces. The retrofit portion will re-purpose and restore the disused buildings and will include enhancement of the existing historic walls and landscape of the old farm.

QODA Light, our specialist lighting team, developed the external lighting design strategy for the surrounding area and community spaces to provide a safe environment for vehicular and pedestrian transit, whilst ensuring the sensitivity of the surrounding environment is well considered, with light pollution kept to a minimum. QODA carried out the design for site-wide rainwater harvesting, communal irrigation, solar PV farm and electric vehicle charging. The site featured ornamental garden walls, orchard and vegetable patch along with improvement works to a tennis pavilion to create a new coffee / community shop and sports facilities for new villagers. Two strategies were developed to provide suitable, sustainable and economical heating to both the new and retrofit dwellings. The new dwellings were served from a communal ground source water loop connected to de-centralised heat pumps. The existing retrofit dwellings were supplied via a two-stage air source heat pump.

The Jam Factory, Oxford

Situated in a prominent location in Frideswide Square in Oxford, the Jam Factory has recently been refurbished to provide modern flexible office space. To complement this, a sensitive façade lighting scheme has been designed to accent the architectural features of the building. The sympathetic design uses small, concealed LED spotlights to highlight various elements of the façade.

Quay Stores, Milford Haven

Located in Milford Haven, Quay Stores are a Grade II listed former warehouse complex. The project was to transform these dilapidated buildings into a new ‘Cultural cluster’. QODA worked with Purcell Architects to bring the Stores back to life whilst adding a new multi-purpose venue. There are extensive external spaces and lighting design is critical due the existing bat commuting corridor. QODA LIGHT have developed an external lighting strategy in conjunction with Novel Tullett Landscape Architects, where the lighting modelling has informed the external material specification and ensures light spill is eradicated on the bat roosts and commuting corridor, whilst still providing a visually interesting space for visitors.

Sherborne House

QODA LIGHT are working with Spase Architects and Sherborne House Trust, developing the lighting design on the Grade I Listed building, which the Trust is seeking to transform into an accessible events and art exhibition venue. Featuring a café and restaurant, the building is also set to boast an additional flexible office, artists’ studio, and workshop space whilst a contemporary multifunction rear extension has also been proposed. One of the may significant features is the staircase, decorated with a magnificent mural painted by Sir James Thornhill, who also worked on the Painted Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral, and works at Chatsworth House. We are developing bespoke luminaires to increase the general illuminance levels, whilst also adding discreet display lighting to light the mural.

Charterhouse pedestrianisation master plan

As part of the campus-wide pedestrianisation Master Strategy at Charterhouse School, QODA LIGHT were appointed to support the client and design team. The task was to establish a lighting strategy for the Old School, Queens Drive and Dukes Drive areas of the site, which was then broken down to suit the phased programme proposed. Our solution included selecting a family of luminaires that considered the relationships between different areas and reinforced the landscape architect’s designs – all with the added challenge of considering the sensitive historic nature of the buildings and their surroundings.

St Peter’s College, University of Oxford

St Peter’s College recently acquired Castle Hill House for student accommodation. The site gave QODA, working with Design Engine Architects, some unique challenges. Part of the city’s historic fabric, and with numerous level changes, the brief for the building included a Passivhaus approach. The QODA LIGHT team carried out a daylighting study to optimise building massing, room layouts, window sizes and position. Via parametric solar studies we advised on the optimum spacing between buildings to reduce ‘canyon’ effect and the impact of solar energy. A climate-based façade design was then developed to give the occupants the right levels of daylight and sunlight.