Small is Beautiful
Mega mixed development, Shanghai, China
While you may find it odd to see a picture of a mega development at the top of this blog, it is meant to contrast with the sometimes very small projects that can be as rewarding as doing high end multi-star developments. In fact, a small project can sometimes be much more challenging as there is nowhere to hide!
At the recent IES Western Australia lighting award ceremony we were awarded one of the highest honours (an Award of Excellence) for our mini project, the re-lighting of the Cabernet wine tasting cellar at Cape Mentelle, in Margaret River, about 300 km south of Perth. By simply re-using the existing infra-structure both physical as well as electrical, introducing the latest remote controlled LED lighting technology, we were able to create a flexible lighting environment that not only provided a dramatic background with great visual impact of illuminated barrels, as well as colour options for corporate events. Gone was the glare and bland lighting, in the warm moody lighting ambiance of a reimagined cellar.
The response by both client and public has been overwhelming. This was typically the result of some creative thinking with a very small budget. In comparison, while we only spent roughly about $30,000 for just the lighting upgrade (supply and install!), a project like the development shown in the picture above will probably reach a figure of $30 Mio for supply and install.
Big projects like that require specifically time and coordination management skills. Yes, design expertise is of course critical, but contrary to a small scale project like our Cape Mentelle, big projects require a lot of coordination with a multitude of people that are involved. Often you don’t even meet them! In a small project it is often one on one, as was the case in Cape Mentelle, which also created a lasting friendship’s bond. While the big prestigious projects may be ego-striking, Personally I find the smaller projects much more creatively challenging and therefore also more rewarding, with the personal relationships created a big bonus. Please let me know your thoughts and experiences on this…
