LIGHT + TECH 119


GREEN SPA, LUJIAZUI, SHANGHAI VERMILION ZHOU DESIGN GROUP


A completely black interior – walls, floor and ceiling – with virtually all indirect lighting is a bold concept. A spa environment is, after all, meant to de-stress not distress. But what could potentially be an intimidating, and distinctly unrelaxing, Stygian gloom is mitigated by subtle interventions: strategic low-level navigational lighting, an illuminated multimedia art wall (Chasing Cloud by artist Yang Yong Liang), and rippling light that reflects from the art wall into a tank of black water. According to the Wuxing, or Five Elements, black represents water, and when water meets black, it becomes the colour of Chinese ink, which stands for inclusion. ‘Because the whole design concept is black, we didn’t want people to feel unsafe, especially when they come in from outside,’ says Vera Chu who, with Chia Huang Liao, was responsible for the lighting. ‘So when the lift opens, the curved shape of the entrance with the task light at floor level guides the guests inside. And then the light from the digital art film at the end invites them into the interior.’


That idea was inspired by an ancient Chinese fable, says Chu: the ‘Tale of the Fountain of the Peach Blossom Spring’. ‘The fisherman beheld a hill, with a small opening from which issued a glimmer of light,’ Chu recounts.


Using light-absorbing black was conceived as an antidote to the bustling brightness of urban life. ‘In the modern city, a kaleidoscope of lights represents the progress of civilisation, but it signifies disturbance and noise,’ says Chu. The cave-like interior with its unique lighting suggests refuge and sensory respite.


‘The indirect light reflects the textures and give a sense of scale for the ceiling height,’ says Chu. ‘We have combined functional, task and ambient light together and added some playful touches.’ –


Client: Green SPA Management and Consultancy


ALL IMAGES: YUNPU CAI


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