lighting
PROJECT
A Towering Achievement Telecommunicationtower light design makes Dutch town a landmark.
W
hen Alticom, Meppei, Netherlands (alticom.nl), a Dutch telecommunication infrastructure company, purchased 24 telecom-
munication towers from National Dutch Telecom (KPN, kpn.com), The Hague, Netherlands, it was hard to imagine the structures as a city’s prominent landmarks. Built in the early 1960s, the transmission towers were outdated and in need of serious upgrades. Originally constructed for the distribution of TV and telecommunication signals throughout the Netherlands, Alticom took on the project to update the systems and set up sustainable data centers within the towers. In 2010, the data center of Alphen aan de Rijn was completed as a second data center, following the construction and successful delivery of the data center in the Zwolle tower. The idea to illuminate the radio mast came from a local resident who presented the plan to the city’s Economic Development Board Alphen (EDBA). The goal was for the 443ft. tower to become a focal point of the city and to be visible and recognizable from a distance. When the EDBA approved the idea, ETK Lighting BV, Bodegraven, Netherlands (etk.nl), was brought in to develop the project. ETK Lighting BV provides project-based lighting solutions, starting with calculations and lighting plans. ETK also is a supplier of fixtures and related equipment. To make the vision a reality, ETK Lighting enlisted Ac-
claim Lighting, Los Angeles (acclaimlighting.com), to ensure that the tower would be a landmark for the City of Alphen aan den Rijn. The project also involved the local
Top right. Originally constructed for the distribution of TV and telecommunication signals throughout the Netherlands, Alticom took on a project to update tower systems and set up sustainable data centers. The idea to illuminate the radio mast came from a local resident. Right. Built in the early 1960s, the transmission towers were outdated and in need of serious upgrades.
46
COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE
JULY 2018
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
