The stone core walls at the
perimeters of the office areas
are lit with recessed, continuous
wallwashers, while accent lights
add illumination to work areas
in architectural pods
N
i
ge
l Yo
u
ng
/
Fo
st
er
+
Par
t
n
ers
▼
artwork by Olafur Eliasson: No future is possible
without a past. Both elements of the piece are
integrated into pathways for arrival and circulation.
The first has an undulating surface of milled and
polished aluminium measuring almost 40sqm; the
second intervention is directly above, at the base
of a dramatic bronze-clad, stepped ramp that flows
through the full height of the building. Also made of
polished aluminium, the second part shimmers like
the surface of a pond. Grazing LED uplighting at the
base of the Vortex’s three walls helps create the watery
ripple effect, while clusters of fittings within three
ceiling slots provide subtle downlighting.
The helical ramp, which is hypotrochoid rather
than a regular spiral, forms a smooth, continuous
three-dimensional loop reaching to the central
skylight, and thus channels natural light. Linear
LED fixtures recessed behind custom louvres at the
underside of each step bring out the warmth of the
bronze but also provide illumination to adjacent work
spaces on each level. Narrow cut-outs in the ramp’s
sidewalls allow light to graze across the treads.
The ramp is intended to provide an informal meeting
place where people can hold brief impromptu
conversations without creating a jam.
The overall lighting on the office floors comes
