Few buildings are clad entirely in onyx. At The Reserve in Singapore, the translucent stone serves as both the façade and lighting feature, shifting from a solid exterior during the day to a softly illuminated surface after dark with the help of a lighting scheme by Light Collab.
Designed by Freight Architects and MonoLab Studio, the alternative asset centre was created to house high-value assets, including precious metals and fine art. During the day, the building presents a restrained appearance. After sunset, light reveals the depth, veining and natural variation within the stone, giving the façade a markedly different character.
Yah Li Toh led the lighting design with Desmond Yap at Light Collab. Instead of relying on conventional façade lighting, the team worked with the onyx’s translucent qualities, using light to reveal the material after dark.
A key challenge stemmed from the façade’s construction. The onyx panels are visible from both the exterior and interior of the building, including offices, meeting rooms, and visitor lounges. With no backing behind the stone, conventional backlighting solutions were not an option.
To address this, Light Collab developed a customised LED system integrated directly into the façade framing. Concealed wiring and carefully controlled optics direct light precisely onto the onyx surface while minimising spill into occupied spaces. The system allows the stone to glow evenly after dark without exposing the lighting infrastructure behind it.
As daylight fades, the illuminated façade reveals details that are far less noticeable during the day. What appears as a solid stone volume becomes a softer architectural form, with light drawing attention to the material’s natural patterns.
Inside, the lighting strategy extends to one of the building’s most distinctive spaces: a 30-metre-high working vault used to store silver bullion. Rows of silver bars are arranged on shelving systems reaching up to 16 metres in height and are visible from a suspended meeting pod on Level 5.
Lighting the vault required a different approach. The scheme needed to provide consistent illumination across the full height of the storage racks, highlight the reflective qualities of the silver, and meet operational requirements. The installation allows the scale of the space and the stored assets to remain clearly visible without overwhelming the architecture.
Throughout the project, lighting is used to support the building’s materials and functions rather than compete with them. From the illuminated onyx façade to the towering silver vault, light helps reveal the materials, scale, and details that define the building.
What appears as a monolithic structure during the day becomes something altogether different after dark, as light brings the onyx façade to life.
All Photos: Courtesy of Light Collab.
