PROJECT

St Paul’s Cathedral Lighting & Controls

CLIENT

City of London Corporation

LOCATION

St Paul’s, London

SECTOR

Public Sector

Public Realm

PROJECT OVERVIEW

L&K delivered electrical and lighting-control works for the City of London Corporation across the Cathedral Courtyard and Main Entrance / Front Lighting areas of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Each phase addressed the specific electrical and lighting-control requirements of its respective area.

Phase 1 — Cathedral Courtyard

The Courtyard phase focused on electrical infrastructure and lighting-control arrangements serving the courtyard, including electrical provision for public-realm uses.

Phase 2 — Main Entrance / Front Lighting

The Main Entrance phase focused separately on lighting illuminating the Cathedral’s front / main entrance and the existing electrical and control equipment serving that area.

SCOPE OF WORKS

Phase 1 — Cathedral Courtyard

Replacement and upgrade of feeder pillars
Replacement of outdated time-clock control
Integration with City of London urban control equipment
Remote monitoring and maintenance-management capability
Lighting synchronisation with daylight conditions
Electrical provision for concerts and stallholders

Phase 2 — Main Entrance / Front Lighting

Works to lighting illuminating the Cathedral’s front / main entrance
Removal and upgrading of existing switchgear
Upgrade of mains electrical equipment
Conversion from mechanical time-clock switching to CMS control
Integration allowing the City’s Urban Control System to control the front lighting
Electrical and lighting works supporting the Cathedral’s front / main entrance lighting.

THE CHALLENGE

The two phases required distinct responses within a sensitive, high-profile public-realm setting.

In the Courtyard, the existing lighting-control arrangement relied on an outdated time-clock system, so operation did not consistently align with changing daylight hours.

At the Main Entrance, the requirement was separate: works focused on the lighting to the front of the Cathedral and the existing switchgear, mains electrical equipment and control arrangement serving it.

THE WORKS

Phase 1 — Cathedral Courtyard

L&K replaced the Courtyard feeder pillars and replaced the outdated time-clock control arrangement, integrating the courtyard lighting with City of London urban control equipment.

The Courtyard installation provides remote monitoring and maintenance-management capability, aligns lighting operation with daylight conditions, and provides electrical provision for concerts and stallholders.

Phase 2 — Main Entrance / Front Lighting

For the Main Entrance / Front Lighting phase, L&K carried out works to the electrical and control equipment supporting lighting to the Cathedral’s front / main entrance. Existing switchgear was removed and upgraded, mains electrical equipment was upgraded, and mechanical time-clock switching was converted to CMS control.

The CMS integration allows the City’s Urban Control System to control the front lighting.

PROJECT OUTCOME

The works improved the reliability and control of the Cathedral’s external lighting across both the Courtyard and Main Entrance areas, while allowing the City of London to manage the lighting through its established control systems.