Hurley Liquor Panorama – Lighting Design Breakdown
Client: Hurley Liquor
Location: Panorama, SA
Application: Retail
Products: Infiniti, Garda, Venice 1, V1 Multi, Electra
Colour Temperature: 3000K
Recognition: IESANZ Award of Commendation 2024
Project Overview
Hurley Liquor Panorama presented an opportunity to redefine the retail lighting experience for one of South Australia's leading independent liquor retailers. While the original brief sought to replicate the lighting approach used within their Marion flagship store, a detailed review of the existing environment identified opportunities to significantly enhance the balance between visual comfort and product presentation.
The resulting lighting design was developed to create a more refined retail experience that prioritised controlled illumination, strong product visibility and a welcoming atmosphere that encourages customer engagement throughout the store.
The Challenge
Retail liquor environments demand a careful balance between product visibility and customer comfort.
For Hurley Liquor Panorama, the objective was to develop a lighting solution that enhanced the presentation of thousands of products across extensive shelving displays while maintaining a comfortable and visually balanced environment. Particular consideration was also given to premium wine displays, where excessive light levels can negatively influence both product presentation and long-term preservation.
Design Strategy
The design centred on a layered lighting approach that prioritised vertical illumination over excessive floor brightness. By increasing light levels on shelving and display surfaces while carefully controlling horizontal illuminance, the scheme established stronger visual contrast and a more considered retail atmosphere.
By utilising Versalux proprietary products, a target vertical illuminance of approximately 400 lux was achieved across the primary display areas, ensuring products remained clearly visible and accurately represented without overwhelming the space. This approach allowed merchandise to become the focal point of the customer experience while maintaining a calm and comfortable visual environment.
Throughout the project, particular emphasis was placed on optical control and glare management. Carefully selected distributions were utilised to deliver light precisely where required, reducing unnecessary spill light and creating a more balanced and efficient outcome.
Lighting Solution
The primary retail environment was illuminated using Infiniti fitted with a unique dual-asymmetric optic. The controlled optical distribution is designed for enhancing the visual importance of products on retail shelves, and as such it significantly enhanced shelf illumination while reducing excess brightness across circulation areas.
To further improve visual comfort and highlight key merchandising zones, Garda track spotlights were specified with integrated honeycomb louvres and gold reflector technology. This combination reduced direct glare while introducing additional warmth and refinement to featured product displays.
Feature lighting was incorporated throughout the central promotional displays, utilising Infiniti in combination with Venice downlights and integrated track lighting. These elements established clear focal points within the store, providing visual distinction for seasonal campaigns and featured products without disrupting the overall lighting hierarchy.
Within the premium wine room, suspended track lighting paired with V1 Multi 10-element luminaires introduced subtle grazing effects across the displays. The controlled contrast and directional lighting enhanced visual depth and texture, reinforcing the premium character of the space while maintaining consistency with the broader design language of the store.
Across all areas, warm 3000K colour temperatures and high-performance CRI 90+ light sources were selected to deliver accurate colour rendering and a welcoming retail atmosphere, ensuring products were presented at their best while contributing to a comfortable customer experience.
Project Outcomes
The completed installation delivered a highly balanced retail environment with exceptional product visibility, reduced glare and strong visual consistency throughout the store.
By prioritising vertical illumination and carefully controlling optical performance, the design achieved a more comfortable shopping experience while enhancing the presentation of both everyday and premium product ranges. The end user reported extremely positive feedback regarding the ambience, functionality and overall effectiveness of the lighting scheme.
The success of this Panorama store led to the adoption of similar lighting strategies across multiple locations within the Hurley Liquor network, establishing a consistent and recognisable customer experience throughout the brand.
Industry Recognition
The project was recognised by the Illuminating Engineering Society of Australia and New Zealand (IESANZ) SA/NT Chapter, receiving an Award of Commendation in 2024 for excellence in lighting design and execution.
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