The space on the Fifth Floor at Marble Arch which in a previous incarnation was a combination of back of house offices and store rooms, has been developed into a unique and multifunctional space at one of M&S’s premium locations. Where once stood just another office or store room there now stands a modern, clean and user friendly Press Centre.

Albeit M&S already had a Press Centre at their new headquarters in Paddington Basin, it was felt that they needed something a bit more modern and in a more desireable location which was easily accesible by all, while utilising existing yet possibly underused space. The Flagship store in Marble Arch in the heart of Londons West End fitted that bill perfectly.

The initial brief from M&S was to create an intersting and open multi purpose space, but also very dynamic, somewhere that could be used by M&S and there clients. The main uses for the Press Centre were to be, firstly for heads of M&S to give both TV and Radio interviews and to be able to present and sell M&S to the fashion and business press about the continuing growth and improvemnet of the company.

Secondly the facility needed to be able to show off their continuously changing new seaonal ranges of clothing, while at the same time to show off a wonderfull modern and interesting space and show the press the direction M&S is wanting to take in terms of future stores. Thirdly the Press Centre would be used for entertaining clients and host out of hours social functions, which is why it is fully equiped with at state of the art Hi-fi and Audio visual system.

The lighting in the Press Centre needed to be able to suit all functions and be able to change at the touch of a switch, this required a fully contollable lighting system, driven by DSI dimming panel and two wall recessed dimming plates at both entrances and 5 pre programmed basic scene settings which could be easily changed by staff at the simple touch of a switch.

The access to the press centre from either the Ground Floor VIP entrance lift lobby or the second floor lift lobby are also lit to impress and create a sense of anticipation before arrriving on the Fifth floor lift lobby and entrance.

Clean open spaces with white walls and ceilings and light coloured flooring greet the staff or clients, these lobbies are lit with recessed plastered in trimless compact fluorescent circular downlights and twin 12V AR111 gimbal spotlights,while keeping with the consistency of square apertues throughout the design. As you enter the space plastered in trimless narrow beam 12V AR111 gimbal spotlights create pools of light leading you in from a narrow corridor into the main Press Centre.

On either side of the corridor are merchandised niches in the shape of slim boxes with smaller items such as shoes and handbags. These are illuminated by recessed narrow beam high output LED’s which pick out the merchandise perfectly and make them come to life while the the nature of the white backed glass tiles make the box apear to glow with reflected light. Full height recessed alcoves house manequins which intern are dramatically lit by pairs of recessed trimless 12V AR111 gimbal spotlights.

At the back of the main space a feature wall covered in textured tiles is awash with coloured light either in a fixed state or continuously colour changing depending on the scene setting, creates interest and draws you into the space The main space is lit with a mixture of mabient and accent lighting. The ambient in the shape of rows of recessed T5 fluorecents behind an opal diffuser creating a very soft ambient light, which can be dimmed up for retail displays or down for finctions and presentations.

Interspersed with these are again more pairs of recessed trimles 12V AR111 gimbal spotlights, while the three remaining perimeter walls which are merchandised are lit by using runs of recessed triple lamp plastered in 12V AR111 gimbal spotlights, dappling the walls and making the merchandise dazzle and apeal to the press or clients.