Aside from ensuring that the aesthetic interpretation of one of the nation’s most prized interiors was properly considered, the lighting design brief for St. Paul’s demanded considerable flexibility from the lighting systems. This not only included providing lighting for worship, tourism, special events, and state occasions, but also security, cleaning, and maintenance.

The Speirs and Major lighting design for St. Paul’s is made up of five distinct schemes and each of these lighting layers can either stand alone, or work in conjunction with any of the other schemes to provide the ultimate in flexibility.

The new system controls 250 lighting circuits, while providing the simplest user interface possible. The main interface is located at Triforium level next to the stage board and the Viseo LCD offers users an easy to use, highly secure, whole cathedral control system. By linking the Lutron GRAFIK 7000 central processor with GRAFIK Master RF technology, RF tabletop controls have also been used to control light levels in areas that cannot be reached with individual room controls due to cabling issues.

Kirk comments: “The results speak for themselves; the installation offers the ultimate in lighting flexibility not only for the cathedral’s daily requirements, but its major events as well.”