Light Forms Renold Building Lighting: Sustainable Solutions for Manchester’s Iconic Modernist Landmark

Leading lighting manufacturer Light Forms has contributed bespoke and sustainable lighting solutions to the refurbishment of Manchester’s iconic Renold Building, a project delivered for Bruntwood SciTech with interior design by the award-winning agency SpaceInvader.

The Renold Building is a striking example of modernist architecture and has newly been granted Grade II listing status, 20 years after its initial application. In the course of this project, the building’s interior has been transformed into a vibrant centre for community, business, and innovation, championing material innovation, creative reuse, and a strong sustainable ethos. The project reflects the building’s legacy as an educational space while looking to the future, providing co-working, office space, and meeting facilities.

For this project, Light Forms created a series of truly unique lighting solutions that reflect the building’s sustainable and innovative spirit. Eighty bespoke cardboard tube pendants were designed specifically for the project, forming a key feature that emphasises the circular design approach. In addition, disused fluorescent tubes found in a storage area on site were repurposed into striking feature pendants, while old metal shade pendants, discovered tucked away under the stairs, were refurbished and reinstated to take pride of place. Light Forms Lightrod 80 fittings were utilised in both suspended and wall-mounted versions, providing versatile and elegant illumination, while Tin Can pendants were incorporated in circulation areas to complement the building’s industrial aesthetics.

Through these installations, Light Forms has helped to breathe new life into the Renold Building – blending creativity and sustainability to illuminate a space that celebrates both its history and its future.

Paul Shoosmith, Director at Light Forms, said, “Working on the Renold Building allowed us to celebrate its heritage while embracing sustainability and creativity. It was the perfect project to showcase what bespoke lighting can achieve. Every piece created was designed specifically for this space, from cardboard tube pendants to repurposed materials, making the lighting as distinctive and innovative as the building itself.”