As part of works to install new safety railings to the famed Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral, CBG Light Perceptions were appointed to devise a new lighting scheme to align with the new design.

St Paul’s is recognised across the globe, it is an Anglican cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. Found on Ludgate Hill – the highest point of the City of London – the architecturally beautiful cathedral was built by Sir Christopher Wren. It serves as a protected example of the unequivocal English Baroque Style.

The Whispering Gallery sits 30 metres above the crossing of the nave. It is a circular walkway along the base of the cathedral’s dome structure, with views to the floor below and along the entire length of the Cathedral.

The original lighting design was the work of Speirs Major Light Architecture. Dating back 25 years, the scheme was a combination of cold cathode tubes, dimmed halogen lighting and metal halide fixtures, which were common technologies of their time. The re-engineering of the design by CBG is part of a larger programme to upgrade the interior lighting of St Paul’s to more energy efficient light sources.

As a multi-disciplined building services consultant, CBG were the ideal partner for the project. With specialisms including sustainability, building physics, refurbishment and asset management, the CBG team can holistically assess how to improve buildings and deliver the required outcomes. In 2023, when Light Perceptions joined CBG as the Specialist Lighting team, this enabled the business to offer clients an even more comprehensive service.

To fulfil the requirements of the project and refresh the outdated lighting in the gallery, CBG specified iGuzzini’s Linealuce linear fixtures. This contemporary, high-performance miniaturised luminaire has replaced 64m of cold cathode fittings, to provide uplight to the beautifully gilded, heritage Tijou railings. A warm white colour temperature has been specified.

To offer improved illumination to the Thornhill frescoes, which adorn the dome above the gallery, CBG Light Perceptions specified iGuzzini Palco luminaires with a variety of carefully selected optics. These are controlled in a series of zones to highlight the most important elements of the painting and replace the older metal halide and halogen spotlights.

An additional safety feature added to the gallery is a series of miniature, hidden emergency lights that can be used to provide low-level lighting to the floor of the gallery and also highlight the exit doors in the event of an emergency.

The installation was carried out by a team of electricians from the cathedral’s Works Department.

Bruce Kirk, Founder of Light Perceptions, and a Director of CBG said: “St Paul’s Cathedral is an iconic building and one that receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. As such, it is vital that the lighting creates both an inviting atmosphere and a safe environment.

“Being trusted to work on this historic building is a huge credit to CBG Light Perceptions’ reputation. We are delighted with the results and confident that the new lighting is just the start of a brighter future for the cathedral.”