The Union Church

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The Union Church was founded in 1886, located closely to the Bund in Shanghai. It was once destroyed because of the fire in 2007 and rebuilt in the next two years. It hasn't been properly reused for many years until 2021, and it will be transformed into a music performance space. The aim of lighting design is to create a ‘small and beautiful’ spiritual space meeting the need of performing.

Dimensions & Packaging

The project covers a total of 410 square meters.

Tags

Lighting Design, Architectural Lighting, Functional Lighting, Visual Effects, Performance Lighting

Production Technology

The functional light is used to create a uniform lighting environment and achieve stage lighting. The main pendant light is a ‘creative highlight’, combining both the lighting and acoustic requirements. It is fitted with recessed lights and candle-shaped lights and can match well with the architectural style. The vertical lighting is designed to shape the space volume. In-ground recessed wall washers with narrow beam angle (15 degree) are used to well express the wall texture and the Gothic arch.

Design Challenge

The challenges of the lighting design were focused on installation methods and acoustic requirements. Since the protection requirements of ‘no damage to walls’, the design team almost re-create a new truss structure inside of the space. The lighting fixtures are installed on the new structure, leaving no nail hole in the wall. Because of the spatial reverberation, we creatively embedded thick acrylic panels on the pendant light to meet the needs of the reflection sound to the stage.

Project Duration

The project started in June 2021 in Shanghai and finished in September 2021 in Shanghai.

Operation Flow

The Union Church has been properly reused in 2021, and it was transformed into a music performance space. The interior lighting focuses on the spiritual expression of the church and meets the needs of the music performance space.

Research

The difficulties in this project were no damage install the light fixtures and acoustic requirements. The interior of the church was reconstructed using 3D software to adjust the installation of the luminaires to reduce damage to the walls. In terms of acoustic needs, we worked with acoustic consultant and creatively embedded thick acrylic panels on the main pendant light to meet the needs of the reflection sound to the stage. In the end, we were able to achieve the design concept at a low cost.

Inspiration

The Union Church has a storied history and has been rebuilt according to its original form, respecting the former materials and structure. The lighting design also inherited the concept and aimed to restore the spirit of the church. The installation of the luminaires was innovative while meeting the functional and characteristic lighting to protect the main structure of the church.

Image Credits

Image #1: Photographer, Lu Yawen, The Union Church, 2021.
Image #2: Photographer, Lu Yawen, The Union Church, 2021.
Image #3: Photographer, Lu Yawen, The Union Church, 2021.
Image #4: Photographer, Lu Yawen, The Union Church, 2021.
Image #5: Photographer, Lu Yawen, The Union Church, 2021.

Patents

Copyrights belong to Lu Yawen & Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.(TJAD), 2022.

Colors of The Union Church

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