Commercial
Selected lighting design projects
Guangzhou
Guangzhou South Station ICC
Client: Sun Hung Kai Properties
Architect: SOM
Project status: To be completed in 2026
Guangzhou South Station ICC is being developed into a large-scale landmark. This transit-oriented development (TOD) will comprise office towers, a shopping mall, a hotel, residential units, apartments, and public transport facilities..
Our lighting design aims to create a dynamic façade that can be seen from afar, drawing visitors as they step out of Guangzhou South Station.
The towers stand regally atop the busy podium, with the lighting design accentuating the differences. Quiet and cool color temperatures highlight the presence of the offices, while dynamic and colorful features enhance the enjoyable shopping and retail experiences at the podium.
Guangzhou
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Conghua Racecourse
Client: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Architect: Herzog & de Meuron
Project status: To be completed in 2026
The racecourse at Conghua will be equipped with a grandstand that doubles as a clubhouse, similar to the intent of the Happy Valley and Shatin Grandstands.
The grandstand features a parade ring where live broadcasts will be made as the horses make their appearances before the camera, both before and after races.
Other areas include members’ facilities, public areas, passageways, drop-offs, food courts/event spaces, and an exhibition center for members and the public to enjoy.
The lighting design enhances the visitor experience through various lighting elements, connecting the outdoor and indoor passageways. This alignment of design language across different areas provides a smooth transition for visitors throughout the complex.
Hong Kong
One Hennessy, Wanchai
Client : Chinachem Group
Architect: DLN Architects Limited
Project status: Completed in 2019
One Hennessy stands as a 30-storey Grade A office building that features a commercial podium housing various shops and food & beverage outlets. Our services encompassed the design of both façade lighting and architectural lighting for the interior public spaces.
The concept behind the façade lighting strives to make the building stand out in the vicinity at night. Dynamic, color-changing linear lines accentuate the towering stature of the 149-meter structure.
At the base of the building, a gentle wash of warm white lighting serves to enhance the golden hue of the façade, elevating the overall presence of the tower.
Notably, the building has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council, with our design playing a pivotal role in meeting the stringent energy-saving criteria.
Hong Kong
Popcorn Shopping Mall
Client: MTR Corporation
Architect: AGC Design Ltd.
Project status: Opened in 2012
PopCorn Shopping Mall is a vibrant and stylish high- end mall in the district of Tseung Kwan O atop the MTR station, targeting the middle-class young consumers. Arup provided interior lighting design services for the retail arcade areas.
The ripple ceiling concept is one of the key features of mall. We achieved this by designing a series of LED barrisol ceilings backlit with warm white LED to create a series of glowing ripple patterns, resulting in a uniform, harmonious lighting effect. We illuminated the baffles in the ceiling to highlighted the architecture elements in a subtle manner, and also contributing to a warm and welcoming environment as the atrium general lighting.
Our lighting design created a lively and pleasant retail atmosphere that is at the same time high performance, cost effective and meeting the most stringent energy codes.
Hong Kong
YOHO Mall, Yuen Long
Client: Sun Hung Kai Real Estate Agency Ltd.
Architect: AGC Design Ltd.
Project status: Completed in 2015
Arup was commissioned to provide the façade and interior lighting design for the new YOHO Mall in Yuen Long. The complex comprises of a retail shopping mall, footbridges and residential towers, and is envisioned to be a new district center that is designed to demonstrate a modern green lifestyle.
We designed a LED facade to be a dynamic element that becomes an attraction in the district. The general approach to the interior lighting is to be energy efficient, low maintenance, visually pleasing while complying to Hong Kong EMSD’s energy requirements.
kaohsiung
Star Place
Client: President Group
Architect: UNStudio
Project status: Opened in 2007
Arup developed a lighting scheme that is synonymous with the brand identity of the department store, creating a low resolution media facade that differentiated the department store from its neighbours.
The facade glass fins are a unique key feature of the architecture, creating a dynamic pattern that links the new extension of the building to the existing, and becomes an important symbol for the client. Arup determined the most practical, efficient and integrated solution to fill the glass fins with light, and worked closely with UNStudio to determine critical issues with the glass and fixture specifications.
Close collaboration with a local lighting manufacturer was also important to develop a product that fits perfectly into the architecture, making it easier to install. The interior design concept also follows the approach of full integration with the architectural features, leaving a clean appearance.
seoul
Amorepacific Headquarters
Client: Amorepacific
Architect: David Chipperfield Architects
Project status: Completed 2019
The lighting design of the new Headquarters for Amorepacific, Asia’s largest cosmetic company, located in Seoul, has received several international lighting design awards. Most recently, it won the German Lighting Design Award in the category ‘international project’ and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) Award of Merit – both significant indicators of outstanding professional lighting design.
Our engineers and designers based the building’s lighting design on a sustainable modular luminaire system with a unique interchangeable optical lens. The system was specially developed for Amorepacific’s headquarters and can be adapted for versatile future uses, providing more than 12 different light distributions and 30 possible combinations.
Awards & recognition:
- 2018 LIT Lighting Design Award – Interior Architecture
- 2019 IES Illumination Awards – Award of Merit
- 2019 International Association of Lighting Design (IALD) – Award of Merit
seoul
Hanhwa Galleria Department Store
Client: Hanhwa Stores Co Ltf
Architect: UNStudio
Project status: Completed in 2005
The façade of the Hanhwa Galleria Fashion Mall in Seoul is more than a simple media façade. During the day, the building skin has a mother-of-pearl effect. During the night the façade of the building becomes a tangible light layer – it is luminous, rather than being illuminated.
Arup’s lighting team worked very closely with the architects and the Arup structural team to perfect the system of backlit discs, mounted to the structural reinforcing of the original concrete facade. Many mockups and tests were done throughout the project in order to finalize details such as the dimensions of the glass and the optics on the LEDs.
The result is a facade that uses technology in a timeless way, perfectly fitting the contemporary image of the building.
Awards & recognition:
- 2005 International Association of Lighting Design (IALD) – Award of Excellence and Radiance Award
shanghai
Central Plaza
Client: Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd.
Architect: Ronald Lu & Partners Ltd.
Project status: Opened in 2020
Originally the Office of the Public Directors of the French Concession built in 1862, this magnificent red-brick French-style house has been completely renewed and connected to the newly built office podium to form a large shopping mall. With ‘fusion’ as the core design concept, we have rejuvenated the building through various lighting sources, retaining its historical and cultural characteristics while adding contemporary elements and vitality.
Lighting illuminated the main entrance elevation and highlighted the red bricks. Cove lighting was incorporated in the secondary entrance to connect the old and new building blocks. A narrow beam up/downlight at the office entrance create a dramatic effect on the renovated façade.
In the atrium skylight, visually fashionable and linear lights were used to express the modern simple design language.
Awards & recognition:
- 2021 Asian Association of Lighting Designers Asian Lighting Design Award – Award of Special Light
shanghai
Shanghai CR Land Times Square
Client: CR Land
Architect: nendo x onndo
Project status: Completed in 2019
Times Square is a luxury retail mall in the Centre of Lujiazui, Shanghai. The 9-storey mall with 51,000sqm was closed after 20 years of operation and reopen its doors in December 2019 with a refreshed brand image.
Arup designed the lighting for the facades, landscape and interior common areas and themed zones. We worked closely with the Japanese design architects nendo x onndo to fully express the new branding concept of “The Beauty Theater” from exteriors through the interior design, elevating the mall with an innovative, immersive theatrical spatial experience.
The bespoke light fixtures were developed and integrated into the iconic facade, while maintaining a glare-free appearance that also allows for easy maintenance. The result is a lighting scheme that reinforces the layering expression of the facade curtain feature, presenting an elegant stage in the urbanscape after dark.
Awards & recognition:
- IES Illumination Award 2020 – Award of Merit
- Darc Awards Architectural 2020 – Shortlisted Finalist for “Best Interior Lighting Scheme High Budget
shanghai
Shanghai Shipyard 2E2-3 (Gala Avenue West)
Client: CSSC Complex Property Co Ltd
Architect: Benoy
Project status: Completed in 2019
Located at the centre of Shipyard developments by the Huangpu river, the Shipyard Plot 2E2-3 tower boasts a jewel-like facetted facade.
Together with the architect and Arup facade engineers, our lighting team developed a facade lighting scheme that reinforces the facade features, modelling and accentuating the facets.
Cool white lighting (>5000K) illuminates the facetted building envelope, while the atrium and podium facade are lit in warm white (3000K) to create a high contrast.
Light from within the building is used to produce an internal glow for the atrium and podium, enhancing a sense of depth and welcoming the visitors after dark.
Awards & recognition:
- 2021 LIT Lighting Design Awards – Winner in LED Exterior Systems
- 2022 Asian Lighting Design Awards – Award of Excellent Light
- 2022 IES Illumination Award – Award of Merit
shanghai
Xujiahui Centre Lot 1 & Lot 2
Located in Shanghai’s vibrant Xuhui district, the Xujiahui Centre Lot 1 and Lot 2 is a mixed-use development with luxury boutiques and high-quality office spaces. Arup provided facade lighting design for twin towers, retail podium, feature canopy and sunken courtyard.
To reinforce the key elements of the architecture, we designed the light fixtures to be integrated into the facade details to keep a sleek façade appearance.
The sculptural canopy is another feature element, connecting the retail podium to the office tower. We adopted small customized programmable spotlights to outline each triangular structure frame to create interesting accents while expressing the continuity of the canopy and ensure minimal glare from the mall canopy lighting to office tenants.
Awards & recognition:
- 2021 Asian Association of Lighting Designers Asian Lighting Design Award – Award of Special Light
Shenzhen
Shenzhen Stock Exchange
Client: Shenzhen Stock Exchange
Architect: OMA Stedebouw B.V.
Project status: Completed in 2013
Arup has worked closely with OMA architects to develop the lighting design from exterior to interiors.
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange is composed of two elements: a vertical (tower) and a horizontal (podium). The exterior lighting reinforces the unique architecture of these two distinct forms and deliberately putting the structure in silhouette. The tower lighting also highlights the unique structural grid in contrast to the surrounding curtain wall buildings in the central business district.
During holidays, festivals, and special occasions, subtle red glow at the base of the podium facade will be created.
Singapore
Clarke Quay
Client: Capitaland Ltd
Architect: Alsop Architects Ltd
Project status: Completed in 2006
Preserving much of its colourful history, Clarke Quay is a unique riverside mall with covered streets and outdoor spaces. The challenge was for Arup to create a seamless, comfortable space for visitors, amid Singapore’s hot and humid climate.
To overcome this, Arup designed a fabric canopy that sits above the mall’s pedestrian walkways. Made of resilient and recyclable material, it deflects heat and diffuses sunlight – thus reducing the ambient temperature and the need for artificial lighting in the day. In addition, air blowers were installed to expand the passage of breezes from the river into the mall.
The result is an ‘urban forest’ in the heart of the city that is as comfortable as an air-conditioned glass covered atrium, and ten times more energy efficient.
singapore
Wisma Atria
Client: YTL Starhill Global Property Management
Architect: DP Architects
Project status: Completed in 2012
Wisma Atria is one of Singapore’s first shopping malls that was completed in the late 1980s. The mall underwent its second transformation in 2011 to re-energise the vibe of this strategically located retail and lifestyle space.
Arup provided a range of integrated services as well as delivered a stellar design in record time. The striking crystalline gem façade comes to life through our lighting design scheme that dynamically expresses the unique identity of the architecture. The grand staircase that spans the length of the mall presents a whole other dimension by night, as a moire pattern lights up in a range of moving patterns and colours. The social media moments generated by visitors gave the mall additional publicity.
The impressive facade and affective lighting feature adds a new excitement and a timeless elegance to this historic shopping mall.
Lighting design scope consists of facade, landscape, and front-of-house areas for retail, office and residential zones.
For facade lighting of the iconic and complex curved louvers, our lighting team worked closely with our facade team, utilizing parametric tools to determine the beam angles and aiming angles required to illuminate the facade evenly, while avoiding light spill into the interior spaces. The landscape lighting was focused on the ‘Green Heart’. Circulation lighting in landscape was designed below eye level to be unobtrusive, while focus is placed on the greenery and water feature, resulting in a natural, open, visually comfortable and safe garden environment.
