KUCHING, June 20 — The new St Peter’s Church in Padungan showcased a lighting mock-up tonight to enhance the visual impact of its stained glass windows, said its rector Rev Fr Vincent Chin.
He said this was a crucial step in the church’s lighting design process to ensure the windows were illuminated to their full potential — allowing the intricate stories and vibrant colours to captivate both worshippers and passers-by.
During the lighting mock-up, a section of the church was fully equipped with light fixtures to simulate the final lighting conditions, enabling Rev Fr Chin to assess whether the lumens had the desired visual effects.
“The church wanted to explore an innovative lighting design strategy that would allow the stunning stained glass to be appreciated even during nighttime.
“By illuminating the windows from within the church, passersby can enjoy the vibrant colours and follow the rich storylines conveyed by the stained glass,” he said.
He added that during daytime, the natural light filtering through the windows will highlight the intricate details and diverse array of colours of the stained glass, but often loses the full visual impact when viewed from the exterior.
To ensure the desired effect was achieved, a dedicated team of light specialists, architects, contractors, electricians and church representatives joined forces for the lighting mock-up.
According to Rev Fr Chin, gothic architectural designs commonly found in churches often depict significant events in Jesus’ life such as the Last Supper and His crucifixion. Additionally, these colourful masterpieces also portray various aspects of the church’s history with a particular emphasis on revered saints.
“Given that St Peter is the patron saint of the church, the largest piece of stained glass — measuring 13 feet wide and 38 feet high — is a depiction of St Peter himself,” he said.
Following a previous mock-up attempt, the team identified areas for improvement and relayed their feedback to the light specialists.
“We have told the light specialist of the previous mock-up attempt’s shortcomings, so we expect better results this time,” said Fr Chin.
In a previous report, the stained-glass windows stand as a significant feature being brought in by Italian artisans Roberto Fasoli and Ernesto Raducci to inject an aura of magnificence into the new St Peter’s Church building.
It is reported that the work’s progress is now at 70 per cent while full completion is expected by October next year. — Borneo Post
