Bat Cave

By Savitha Hira

Photography: Ben Rousseau

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Lighting designer Ben Rousseau certainly lives up to his title of “master of illumination” with aplomb! He has recently transformed a 3000 sq. ft. basement in a 10,000 sq. ft. London home into a snazzy relaxation cove. The client calls it “Bat Cave”.

Ben Rousseau showcases two strong traits through his projects – a magic wand with light and its effects, and a penchant for transforming dark, seemingly-wasted spaces into buzzing wannabe spots.

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In his most recent flamboyant transformation, Ben turns a basement into a recreation space, or in more hip terms, the perfect chill-out zone. Designing for a design enthusiast and knowledgeable client, who shared Ben’s passion for design, lighting and technology, has added to the eclectic quotient of the space.

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Picture this:

A beautiful bar and lounge area with a metallic-silver coffered ceiling, illuminated by 2 levels of colour-changing LEDs  and a feature colour-changing Bubble chair below. To one side, a multi-faceted bar counter in pearlized and silver flecked Tadelac with strips of warm white LEDs is complemented by a matching bulkhead above in a protruding form with some high powered direction LED spot lights. A rear bar shelving system in matching finish but as three illuminated arcs that close in the wall to a point, creates three sharp flashes of light - a bespoke geometric extrapolation.

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Beckoning you closer, approached via a rotund opening in the wall is a high gloss contraption with polished resin purple floor and purple vinyl tubular seating highlighted by LED down lights and mirrored walls to create infinity reflections. A 900 mm diameter iris light by Ben in red LEDs marks this as the Snug Zone, where one can soak into a cozy nook.

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A few steps up, you can see the car park with the classic Aston Martin DB4– transformed into a life-size installation dressed in a laser cage with 12 red lasers, each bouncing off 2 perpendicular mirrors, making a grid formation on the ceiling above. A safety mechanism designed with 5 photovoltaic beams stops people from looking directly into the laser beams. Above the car are 3 industrial Japanese lights evenly running across the car, making the laser cage formation visible and adding drama to the space.

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Behind is a games room in completely bespoke American black walnut with a 7ft pool table. The illuminated details of the pool table with its indigenous stainless steel legs and mirrored edges above, completes the Bat Cave.

In party mode, a multi-functional laser projects downwards onto the floor from the centre of the coffered ceiling, a haze machine makes the lasers visible and another haze generator below the front of the car ups the laser-effect there, adding a quotient of awe to the installation and the space.

Want to play Batman anyone?