Young V&A,
Bethnal Green, London
Illuminating the Barrel-Vaulted Ceiling of the ‘Town Square’
Formerly known as the Museum of Childhood, the Young V&A reopened following a monumental, multi-year transformation led by architects De Matos Ryan with lighting design by Speirs Major. The reimagined cultural destination balances the civic grandeur of its Grade II* listed Victorian ironwork structure with versatile spaces dedicated to championing young creativity.
Central to the architectural redesign was restoring natural daylight into the soaring central ‘Town Square’ by reopening historic Victorian skylights. To complement this daytime illumination and provide dynamic night-time programming, Speirs Major designed a sophisticated lighting scheme that highlights the magnificent 19th-century barrel-vaulted roof, spiral staircase, and cast-iron column bases.
400m+ Concealed Roof Integration
Over 400 metres of Architape linear LED luminaires (combining high-CRI white and dynamic RGBW channels) were seamlessly embedded within the structural iron ribbing of the roof.
Completely hidden from visitor sightlines from the ground, the fixtures project an ultra-smooth, uniform wash of light across the vast ceiling vault. The system effortlessly shifts from warm architectural white during public gallery hours to rich chromatic scenes for special evening performances.
Responsive Day-to-Night Programming
Integrated photocell daylight harvesting balances the artificial output with incoming skylight, reducing energy consumption while maintaining optimal light levels for delicate museum exhibits.
Full DMX/DALI control across individual roof bays allows the museum curators to sculpt zoning, highlight seasonal art commissions, and celebrate historic architecture through the power of light.
Products Specified in This Project
RGBW Luminaire
High Output
RGBW Tape
Designing a museum, gallery, or listed civic space transformation?
Our technical engineering team provides full architectural roof-truss integration details, DMX control schedules, and museum-grade conservation photometrics.