New Lighting for the OWO Residences by Raffles
A historic British landmark has undergone a remarkable 6-year restoration and transformation — from government office space to a luxury hotel and residential community. London’s former Old War Office (OWO) building – which famously served as Winston Churchill’s headquarters during World War II and was reportedly the inspiration for Ian Fleming to write his renowned James Bond series – is now the site of the OWO Residences by Raffles and the OWO Raffles London hotel.
The handsome state rooms and grand offices of the past have been transformed into 120 spacious guest rooms and suites with views of the historic Whitehall and Horse Guards buildings and within walking distance of the River Thames, Buckingham Palace, St James’ Park, and the Houses of Parliament.
The residential building features 85 units and marks the first-ever Raffles-branded residence. Raffles, which operates luxury hotels around the globe, tapped architectural lighting manufacturer Lucent Lighting to illuminate the newly renovated Old War Office through the specification of several of its lighting solutions.
Opened last year, the property is now home to 9 destination restaurants, three bars, a 120-room Raffles London at The OWO, and 85 Raffles branded residences. Furthermore, the OWO Residences by Raffles are the very first Raffles residences in the UK and Europe.
The award-winning international lighting design team at dpa lighting consultants were appointed to design the lighting for all of the front-of-house interior areas. Their brief also covered the exterior façade lighting. To fulfil large parts of the sophisticated and bold lighting design, in keeping with the Raffles brand and status, dpa lighting consultants specified a number of solutions from Lucent Lighting’s portfolio.
Incorporated into the lighting design are Lucent’s cutting-edge products, such as the Edge90 Accent Trimless + LED51/2, Edge90 WallWasher Trimless + LED51/2, Edge60 Accent Trimless + LED35/2, Micro40 Focus Accent Trimless, Plus XL Bevel Accent Trimless + LED71, Focus90 Accent IP65, TubeLED Midi + Surface MonoPoint (SMP), and TubeLED Mini SuperSpot + Surface MonoPoint (SMP). These solutions contribute to the seamless transition of the visitor experience, ensuring the illumination of The OWO aligns with the highest standards and enhances the overall ambience.
The lighting presents the magnificent interior spaces in a way that enhances the visitor experience, allowing guests to really enjoy and appreciate all that The OWO offers. Lighting plays a special and memorable part in taking guests on a seamless journey through the day into the evening and the night, setting the perfect scene.
At the helm of The OWO project is the Hinduja Group, an international multi-billion-pound turnover business with experience in restoration and renovation of historic buildings and Onex Holding, a private investment group with a strong track record of developing and operating strategic and critical infrastructure.
