Providing a great internal environment starts with the building envelope. Daylight, views and access to outside must be balanced against solar shading and energy consumption,.Solving this equation through the detailed design of the facade is the starting point for designing lighting at Max Fordham.

We have particular expertise in the introduction of daylight into gallery and museum spaces where tight conservation requirements must be taken into account. Examples include our award-winning refurbishment of Tate Britain, the Stirling Prize-winning MAXXI gallery in Rome and innovative analysis techniques applied to reintroducing daylight into the Hayward Gallery. 

Providing a great lighting scheme starts with understanding the context in which it sits. Thinking about how people will arrive, interpret and enjoy every space is the starting point for designing lighting here at Max Fordham.

Our approach is to integrate abundant natural light with an innovative, responsive and interesting artificial lighting scheme which will deliver all the technical requirements and really enhance every space in the project.  We like to think of these subjects from first principles.

The practice and our specialist lighting team in particular, have a wealth of experience working on buildings and sites large and small across a wide range of project types. It is this diversity that allows ideas and approaches to flow between sectors and gives us a wider view of the opportunities available within each project.

Heritage lighting requires a sympathetic approach and eye for detail. This can often involve the design and specification of bespoke light fittings or the refurbishment of existing ones.

We strive to improve energy efficiency through re-lamping or employing advances in lighting technology. This must be done with care to maintain the atmosphere and original design intent of the building.

The skilled application of feature lighting can really enhance the appearance of a building. Depending on the nature of the building this can be done through emphasis of architectural details, the use of colour, or animation.

Lighting can be used to support the daytime appearance of the building or to give it a completely different night time feel. We are also experienced in lighting building-integrated art works – working closely with both the artist and architect to devise the most suitable lighting strategies.

Arts and Culture has long been a sector that is closely associated with Max Fordham. We have long-standing relationships with a number of large cultural institutions such as the Southbank Centre and Tate Galleries.

We believe that creative lighting design can enhance the experience of visiting a cultural venue. It can be used to create drama, provide a different ambiance throughout the day or even have the ability to change to suit a particular show. 

Lighting sensitive objects such as works of art or historical artefacts requires a precise approach to maintain light levels within recognised international limits.

The introduction of daylight into a gallery space is visually attractive but can be particularly challenging.

We have a wealth of experience in this area, having worked on a large number of galleries and museums; many of which are daylit. Examples include Rome's MAXXI gallery, the Hayward Gallery, Tate Britain, Tate St. Ives and Westminster Abbey.

Lighting for sports venues often presents a host of technical challenges, with different activities and levels of competition requiring very different solutions. We have extensive experience of designing sports lighting systems, ranging from indoor badminton courts to football stadia. We have designed for all levels of competition right the way up to our Olympic Water Polo arena for the London 2012 Games.

Sustainability is embedded into everything we do at Max Fordham. Selection of high efficiency luminaires, paired with considered placement and aiming, is essential to achieve a low energy scheme. We have also successfully introduced controlled daylight into several high performance sports venues.