BBC Earth Experience | London

An Immersive, Sustainable Experience in London

Located in London’s Earl’s Court at the purpose-built Daikin Centre, the BBC Earth Experience transforms its urban surroundings into a gateway to the natural world. Created by MoonEye Productions UK Limited, with architectural input from WOO architects and project management by ES Global, this venue features cutting-edge digital screen technology for an unforgettable multi-screen journey.

Lighting Design for Visitor Experience

WOO architects collaborated with leading experts in architectural lighting to deliver a bespoke scheme for the external landscape, façade, and internal exhibition spaces. The project emphasised sustainable lighting design, aligning with the environmental ethos of the experience.

Prioritising Sustainable Lighting for Visitors

To reduce environmental impact, the lighting design focused on minimising light levels, mitigating light pollution, and reducing glare. A modular design approach was adopted, enabling the exhibition to be dismantled, relocated, and reused—eliminating unnecessary waste. Durable and high-performance fittings supported the sustainability goals while enhancing the visitor journey.

Lighting the Path: Collaboration with Landscape Architects

In collaboration with Fira Landscape Architects and Urban Design, careful attention was given to the positioning of outdoor luminaires. Strategically placed lights highlight pathways, natural landscaping, and greenery, creating a harmonious transition as visitors approach the venue.

Illuminating the Venue’s Façade

The façade lighting design draws visitors from West Brompton station and Emperor’s Place, highlighting the word ‘experience’. Dynamic uplights at 30-degree angles enhance the timber struts, while linear lighting underlines the canopy. This vertical lighting approach ensures seamless integration with the interior lighting strategy.

Enhancing the Interior Gallery Spaces

Inside, the lighting design is understated yet highly functional, balancing flexibility and atmosphere. DALI lighting controls provide smooth transitions between day and night settings, while subtle ambient lighting complements the AV screens in the gallery. The darker, atmospheric design creates a natural flow, immersing visitors in the visual journey.

This project highlights how architectural lighting can transform spaces, enhance visitor experience, and embody sustainability. It demonstrates the power of thoughtful, innovative lighting design to connect audiences with nature in new and inspiring ways.

 “The lighting design for the BBC Earth Experience by Michael Grubb Studio was critical for enhancing the visitor experience of the location. A great deal of sensitivity had to be applied to help reflect the journey with its variety of moods; from anticipation upon the approach, to reflection and wonder at the exhibition narrative. The illumination of the building’s façade wording was one of our core design concepts providing a focal point which can be seen in the surrounding areas, acting as a beacon, reinforcing a sense of place for the meanwhile development.”

Kevin Owens, Founder of WOO architects

“The Studio was honoured to create a lighting scheme for such a renowned client and experience. The lighting design has helped contribute to the immersive nature of the experience through atmospheric light levels and has also helped meet the brief of providing a modular and sustainable design which can be adapted and reused.”

Mike Cascarino, Head of London Studio of Michael Grubb Studio