The first Virgin hotel in Europe, situated in the historic India Buildings at the top of Edinburgh’s famous Victoria Street. The site is complex;
– public areas including restaurant and bar in the listed India buildings,
– meeting facilities and most rooms are in a new-build 10-story block behind,
– function / wedding facilities are in a converted church at the rear.
Working with the human physiological response to light, we used circadian lighting in all public areas, changing colour temperatures and reinventing the spaces throughout the day. Bright and white during daytime creates a stimulating ambience and this shifts later towards warm, sexy candlelight at night, promoting a relaxed and intimate feel.
Quality of light comes from the harmony of 2 elements; fitting quality and light quality. We specified high-quality fittings made to last, ensuring a consistent experience over the years. Using deep recess light sources and black baffles enhances visual comfort. The soft glow provided by concealed indirect lighting sets the mood and adds depth to the interiors. High-quality chips give high-quality light, with excellent full-spectrum colour rendering. We used a consistent set of products across the entire site to maintain a uniform look.
Lighting design revolves around the Virgin hotels brand – keyword “Exclusivity for all!”. Intermixing a passion for food and beverage, music, culture, and the local landscape creates a vibrant and inclusive environment for travellers and locals alike.
Within this overall theme, we created a series of individual spaces which the guests discover for themselves, each with a unique lighting solution.
• Function spaces are grand with RGBW lighting creating an immersive experience of those airy spaces.
• Multifunctional space offers a variety of lighting solutions suited to varied use from music concert to business conference.
• F&B areas – the bar, main restaurant and Scarlet Lounge use high CRI lighting, enhancing the food and beverages and increasing appeal. In these areas lighting changes dramatically throughout a day with lighting becoming darker and less uniform over the course of the day – a total of 9 different scenes in each area.
• In the entrance areas we make features out of the original listed stairs and corridors providing more exceptional arrival moment to a typical transition space.
• In the gym, lighting is bright and invigorating.
• There are several smaller interesting areas – the snug, the library, the bridge and so on which are all lit uniquely.
• The façade is not flooded but instead lighting accents the feature elements of this listed building,
We specifically introduced enhanced “instagram moments” to inspire visitors to take pictures to post them in social media. These pockets are personal backdrops for today’s social media society. Lighting is specifically positioned to make the space look great and to make you look great.
Overall Virgin Edinburgh is a must-see bolthole for all visitors to the Scottish capital, and provides both a sanctuary, a base and a destination all in one.
