Application: Architectural, Street & Area, Commercial Application
Details:
Location: Reading, United Kingdom
Year: First phase (Friars Walk) completed in 2025
Reading Station Hill is a landmark mixed-use development in Reading that connects the central railway station with the town center through a newly created public realm. Built on the site of the former Friars Walk shopping center and surrounding transport facilities, the project transforms a previously underused area into a vibrant destination for residents, commuters, and businesses. The development introduces modern office buildings, residential towers, and landscaped public spaces that guide visitors from the station into the city center. At the heart of the project stands One Station Hill, the tallest building in Reading and a focal point of the redevelopment.
The lighting concept supports the architectural vision of the district while creating a welcoming and secure environment after dark. Through a layered lighting approach, pathways, landscape elements, façades, and architectural details are subtly illuminated to enhance orientation and visual comfort. Close collaboration between lighting designers and landscape architects ensured that both soft and hard landscaping elements were carefully integrated into the lighting concept, helping to create an inviting and vibrant urban environment.
Inventronics lighting solution
The lighting design integrates LED strips, linear LED modules and flexible linear lighting systems to highlight architectural elements while providing functional illumination across the public realm. Inventronics LED drivers with DALI control enable precise dimming and seamless integration into the project’s lighting control infrastructure. The lighting solution was carefully integrated into architectural and landscape features throughout the development.
Lighting applications include:
- Balustrade and handrail lighting along Friars Walk
- Rooftop terrace perimeter lighting
- Bench lighting integrated into seating elements
- Linear lighting within entrance canopies
- Planter and landscape feature lighting across the public realm
The flexible linear lighting systems allow designers to create continuous light lines and discreet illumination while preserving the clean architectural appearance of the development.
Why Inventronics
For architectural lighting projects, lighting designers typically select solutions based on the flexibility and performance of linear lighting systems rather than driver specifications alone. Inventronics offers a comprehensive portfolio of flexible linear lighting solutions supported by compatible drivers and control technologies, enabling seamless system integration.
Manufactured in Italy in wholly owned production facilities, Inventronics flexible lighting systems combine high product quality with a broad global portfolio of constant voltage solutions and accessories. The company’s extensive experience in architectural lighting and strong collaboration with lighting designers help ensure that each installation meets both design intent and technical performance requirements.
Inventronics solutions are backed by a 7-year product warranty and a 10-year system warranty, providing long-term reliability for demanding architectural installations.
Key advantages
- Reliable driver performance designed for long operating hours
- Compatibility with modern lighting control systems such as DALI
- Remote installation capability with driver-to-luminaire distances of up to 50 m
- More than 1,000 constant voltage products and accessories supporting diverse architectural applications
- Compact driver designs enabling discreet integration into architectural elements
- High efficiency supporting energy-conscious urban lighting projects
These features help ensure consistent lighting quality while supporting the long-term performance of the installation.
Finally, the project highlights the value of close collaboration between Inventronics and the lighting design community, combining technical expertise with a service-driven partnership approach.
| Project partners | |
|---|---|
| dpa lighting (London office) | Lighting designer |
| Penn Elcom | VAR & Inventronics Certified partner |
| Andy Stagg | Photography |