Lighting up M+ Hong Kong

The M+ building in the West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world. Located at the southernmost edge of Kowloon overlooking Victoria Harbour, it is among Hong Kong’s most iconic landmarks, both monumental in its architectural form and radically open in its position in the urban landscape.

Designed by Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup, the building is composed of a podium and a slender tower that fuse into the shape of an upside-down ‘T’. The expansive podium cantilevers above ground and includes 17,000 square metres of exhibition space across thirty-three galleries, three cinema houses, the Mediatheque, Learning Hub, and Roof Garden that faces Victoria Harbour. The tower houses the museum’s Research Centre, offices, restaurants, and the M+ Lounge on level 11. The M+ Facade, facing the harbour, is embedded with LEDs for screening moving image works, which can be seen from the West Kowloon waterfront promenade and Hong Kong Island. Visitors can enter the museum from various points on the ground and lower floors, creating a highly accessible space that offers a continuity between indoor and outdoor areas.

(Text by M Plus)

The lighting for M+ was designed and conceptualised over several years by director of MEGS Lighting, Adam Meredith. There was a need to balance the architect's vision for the circulation spaces with the curator's vision for the exhibition spaces. With 33 gallery spaces, there was an opportunity to create some dynamic environments as per the curator's instructions.

At M+, the gallery spaces had different architectural challenges. To address these challenges, custom items were designed to make the lighting fixtures uniform and flexible enough to be moved anywhere in the building. ERCO provided customisation and followed up to ensure that the fixtures arrived on time and within the budget, which allowed the team to plan their installation and begin work on the exhibition.

Flexibility and ease of use are key considerations when choosing luminaires for a museum with evolving spaces. The luminaires must be adaptable to different exhibitions and lightweight for the maintenance team to handle, especially in large quantities. After several mock-ups and tests, the Parscan 24-Watt luminaire was chosen for its size, weight, and versatility. The gallery also had to be both visually appealing and functional, while respecting the conservation levels of certain areas and avoiding over-lit or under-lit spaces. The goal was to create the best possible visitor experience.