‘Hut 11A, the bomb breakthrough’ is a permanent exhibition at Bletchley Park and tells the story of the Bombe machines. Housed within the Grade 2 listed Hut 11a, the exhibition traces the history of the Bombe machines, from its inception during technological arms race in Europe, to the minds which made the machine a reality and the vital intelligence it decrypted.

The narrative of the gallery creates a full scale, working, replica Bombe: a graphic design language of diagrams, infographics and new touchscreen applications sit alongside digital interactive and replica components, allowing the visitor to follow in the footsteps of a Bombe operator and get hands on with the bombe machine.

We worked closely with the designer Nissen Richards Studio to develop a lighting strategy that was coherent with the design intents and to realise a lighting scheme that could enrich the visitor journey, punctuating the rhythm of the space and at the same time giving maximum focus to the displays whilst adhering to strict conservation lux level on some of the more vulnerable objects.

The Hut itself is a Listed Heritage Building so we could not make incisions into the building structure and the original suspended fittings needed to be retained.

We specified dimmers and used these at low intensity to create an ambient glow as a constant in the space. Along with the designers we developed a freestanding structure to carry all lighting equipment and cables inspired by the diagrammatic quality of early circuitry which also carried the graphic content. We were able to seamlessly integrate linear lighting details as well as micro spotlighting.

We used a control system to add drama and dynamism with spotlights being activated by action and dynamic linear lighting pulsing from one area to another to lead the visitor through the exhibition. This also generates the sense of a living dynamic workspace as it once was.

In this way the historical is brought to life and the visitor can engage on many levels with the material both on an intellectual and sensory level. All fittings were latest technology LED which used intelligently with the control system creates a very low energy, low maintenance high aesthetic installation.