The Trafalgar St. James London, Curio Collection by Hilton.

“The hotel has used innovative lighting company Light Cognitive to create the most realistic lighting effect possible.”
— Forbes

At The Trafalgar St. James London, a redundant underground office floor was transformed into six Garden Suites through a precise architectural lighting and daylighting strategy.

The brief was clear: convert a windowless basement into viable luxury hotel suites while preserving spatial integrity and guest experience. Light Cognitive developed bespoke engineered skylight and daylighting systems that replicate sky depth, natural diffusion and circadian rhythm.

Integrated into the architectural ceiling plane, the installations dissolve enclosure and establish a credible sense of daylight within a subterranean environment.

The intervention converts low-value square metres into a differentiated luxury suite category within a redevelopment that earned multiple international awards and design nominations.

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“A clever alternative to natural light.”
— The Telegraph

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“The basement, previously underutilised, has been converted into a vibrant commercial asset, featuring innovative lightwells that emulate sunlight throughout the day by using ceiling lightboxes to simulate natural daylight cycles, enhancing the guest experience and unlocking new revenue potential.”
— Sleeper Magazine

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Custom Skylight & Daylighting Systems: Light Cognitive
Interior Design: DLSM Studio
Lighting Design: Elektra Lighting

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