Leeds Station Light Switch On

The new lighting system, designed and installed by SYSTRA, brings a sense of cheer to the 31m annual users of the railway station with its mood lifting design. The human circadian rhythm lighting gives a different light colour and intensity dependent upon the time of day, with a cool white colour during the day to create awakening and a warm white during the evenings to be akin to the natural daylight hours.

This autumn the station was unveiled with a gold façade and transparent roof following months of work to transform the southern concourse. The final piece of the project saw the front entrance recently unveiled.

The lighting also subliminally directs passenger flow throughout the station, creating an overall superior customer experience. Leeds is the 3rd largest railway station in the UK and it is the first railway station in the UK to have mood lighting.

Passengers using the station have already noticed a huge difference as natural light floods into the station on sunny days through the transparent roof and on those cloudy wintery days the new lighting system will now kick in to mimic the light patterns of natural daylight.

Incorporating mood lighting into the station was down to Lighting Director Mike Kimmitt, with assistance from Architectural Designer, Max Los of SYSTRA. So far, this technology has only been used in hospitals and care homes in the UK.

Mike Kimmit explained, “The new lighting will reduce the exposure to cool blue light at the wrong time of day and give a warm glow for customers using Leeds City Railway Station especially on these dark wintery nights. This type of technology has been shown to improve overall wellbeing and aide sleep patterns, I hope that the staff and passengers using Leeds Station will benefit from this exciting new technology. I am convinced this type of lighting system will be a regular feature for other major stations, public spaces and transport hubs such as airports, motorway service stations and ports.”