Situated on the edge of the Solent, Gosport Harbour has long been defined by its rich maritime history. To mark the millennium, a distinctive family of bespoke lanterns was commissioned, bringing both character and light to the quayside. Now, 25 years on, this coastal landmark’s lighting story continues with more than 100 replacement lanterns that preserve the design of the original scheme while delivering improved efficiency and control.

DW Windsor was approached to deliver a lighting upgrade, providing a like-for-like design that combines heritage detail with contemporary performance. From the outset, the project was shaped by a deep respect for the site’s identity and setting. The original lanterns featured a bespoke design, taking inspiration from nautical elements and echoing the form of a ship’s masthead. Today, that same spirit lives on, with replica lanterns engineered to retain their distinctive form while offering all the benefits of LED technology.

One of the biggest challenges lay in translating a design conceived for lamped technology as a high-performance LED solution. The original version relied on two separate light sources: a SON lamp for functional white light and a metal halide lamp for decorative blue illumination. The new version mirrors this approach with two dedicated LED sources — a precise white light directed to the ground through modern optics, and a soft blue core that creates the signature glow defining the lantern’s character. The result is a luminaire that enhances the harbour’s distinctive night-time identity.