Global engineering and infrastructure advisory firm Aurecon was appointed by the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum to provide specialist lighting consultancy services for a significant upgrade of its lighting system, which included an overhaul of the Temple's interior and exterior lighting sources.
The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum is one of the most striking landmarks in Singapore's Chinatown district. Opened in May 2007 and consecrated in 2008 as a Chinese Buddhist temple, the Tang-styled Temple has particular importance to Buddhists as it is home to a religious relic; a Tooth of the Buddha, which is the centrepiece of the building and sits in the Sacred Light Hall on the Temple's fourth storey.
Aurecon's Principal Lighting Designer, Angela Woo-Scott said, "It was clear to us that we had to strike a balance between maintaining the serenity expected of a place of worship while also creating a system that would best highlight the incredibly detailed design of the building along with its array of artefacts. Lighting can play an important role in defining how people will behave within a given space and this project was an opportunity to use that to maximum effect."
Upgrade and improve
Aurecon proposed new lighting system, to be installed in both public interior and exterior areas (excluding the Temple's museum). In particular, emphasis was placed on improving lighting of the Temple's façade and landscape, as well as the existing lighting control systems. Much of the Temple's beauty lies in the detail; lack of adequate exterior lighting meant visitors and passers-by were not able to fully appreciate the intricacy of the building.
Rather than simply update what was in place, Aurecon was able to show the client how a new lighting system would improve the ambiance and immersive experience to create better overall appreciation of the building.
Working in a culturally sensitive manner
Aurecon's project team approached the execution phase with sensitivity, given that the facility would be operational during the upgrading work and out of respect for the religious landmark. Aurecon ensured a consistent flow of information as the project team reviewed and assessed the Chief Monk's and the management's responses as they adapted to new controls and multiple light programming. By ensuring such clear and frequent dialogue, adjustments could be more easily and accurately tailored to accommodate preferences and to improve the system further.
Solutions to technical challenges
Since the Temple was a finished structure, lighting replacement required extra careful handling to ensure no damage was caused to the building's polished surfaces and finishes, which could not be altered to match lighting fixtures.
Running new electrical cables in many areas proved impossible. In response, Aurecon's project team developed bespoke, onsite solutions to adjust the output and beam angles from light fittings to suit each space.
Throughout the project, the Temple remained fully operational from morning to night, and also when religious ceremonies were taking place. Tasks such as light testing, commissioning and turning were performed in the early mornings. Rope access could be used at these times too, to facilitate facade lighting replacement work.
Commenting on the project's success, Angela, said, "Overall, the client was happy with the new lighting; many spaces in the temple are brighter and lighted correctly with the proper tuning and adjustment of light levels and aiming. The façade lighting has helped the temple display its magnificence at night. Maintenance requirements have also been reduced; it is now easy to control lighting in all spaces. The Temple's fine and intricate details are now highlighted better. Through use of LED technology, electricity consumption has also decreased, thus making an important contribution to the sustainable and responsible use of resources."
