Royal Albert Hall Helix
Cafe Consort Sculpture
Royal Albert Hall Helix Sculpture
![The Helix - Royal Albert Hall The Helix - Royal Albert Hall](image/s3i/royalhero.jpg)
In 2003 one of London's most famous landmarks, the Royal Albert Hall, celebrated the most recent phase of its extensive restoration programme with a newly refurbished restaurant, the Cafe Consort, graced with a bespoke lighting sculpture manufactured and installed by S3i - Stainless Steel Solutions.
![The Helix installation in the Prince Consort Rooms at the Royal Albert Hall The Helix - Royal Albert Hall](image/s3i/rah-helix-1.jpg)
The new Cafe Consort rooms have been restored to their original proportions, with clearer spaces, velvet panelled inner walls and cut glass mirrors in the windows to maximise light.
![The 'Helix' installation in the Prince Consort Rooms at the Royal Albert Hall The Helix - Royal Albert Hall](image/s3i/rah-helix-2.jpg)
The piece, known as The Helix, occupies the space traditionally reserved for a chandelier. Each Helix is 25m in length, made in stainless steel with 148 discs of lightly etched glass, and spiral through the restaurants like two elongated strands of illuminated DNA.
![The mirror discs have been designed to pivot to maximise their effectiveness Mirror Disc Pivot Design](image/s3i/rah-helix-3.jpg)
The Helix, whilst robust and highly efficient, has the appearance of great delicacy and fragility, and is the perfect complement to the sensitively restored restaurants.
![Each Helix is 25m in length with 148 discs of lightly etched glass Helix Design](image/s3i/rah-helix-4.jpg)
![Installation of The Helix sculpture The Helix Sculpture Installation](image/s3i/rah-helix-5.jpg)
![Detail of mirror disc with pivot fitting Mirror Disc Detail](image/s3i/rah-helix-6.jpg)
Winner: Best Leisure Lighting Scheme
Winner: Best Hotel, Bar or Restaurant
FX International Design Awards 2003
In 2005 it was short-listed for the Bombay Sapphire Award
- Manufacture: S3i - Stainless Steel Solutions
- Installation: S3i - Stainless Steel Solutions
- Lead Design: Softroom Architects; Chris Bagot www.softroom.com
- Design: Carpenter/Lowings Architecture and Design Ltd; Luke Lowings and Valerie Spalding www.carpenterlowings.com
- Engineering: Ove Arup & Partners; Mike King www.arup.com
- Glass: Instrument Glasses, Enfield
- Setting-out: Coffey Construction; Arthur Davies
- Photography: Joseph Burns