Luminous 15 - Comfort in Public Spaces by Luminous – International Lighting Magazine - ILR

International Lighting Magazine 2015/15 Spring Issue

Comfort in public spaces A museum in a cloud

Coop Himmelb(l)au architecture and Har Hollands lighting

The future of design

Aurora, El Segundo Lobby, California, USA

EDITORIAL Welcome to this special edition of Luminous. We are proud to announce our sponsorship of the UNESCO-led International Year of Light - in fact, we are the inaugural sponsors of this exciting collaboration. The Year of Light not only focuses on the importance of light to the World, but also addresses issues that Philips holds dear - improving people’s lives in a sustainable way. Our pioneering work, in developing highly energy-efficient LED powered solutions, will make a significant contribution to reduce global warming while improving the safety and aesthetics of public and private environments – from streetscapes to personal lighting solutions. In parallel, LED technology provides light at a fraction of the cost of running kerosene lamps, without any of the health, safety or environmental dangers – or the need for major investments in infrastructure. For Philips, light is about so much more than simply giving people the illumination that they need in order to perform specific tasks. It is about a sense of well-being, about feeling safe, healthy and energized. This is why we have chosen ‘comfort in public spaces’ as the main theme of this issue. Our feature on the Musée des Confluences in Lyon is a perfect example of how light can enable an array of spaces and forms to come to life, whilst connecting with the environment, both natural and built. This approach provides a unique and compelling experience for people visiting the museum. We’ll delve further into a project at the Direct TV headquarters in California, where designers worked in a collaborative and creative way, allowing them to complete a truly unique multi-sensory installation. It’s inspiring to see how the design team used technologies like 3D printing to achieve the desired effects and maintain control over the final installation. For our interview, we have the designer Thomas Emde who shares his thoughts about the future of OLEDs which, he believes, will be as radical and beneficial as LED. In this issue focused on the International Year of Light, it is thrilling to see work that continues to propel us forward and shows us that there is always more to discover. Sean Carney Chief Design Officer, Philips

colophon published by | Philips Lighting B.V. – High Tech Campus 48, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands – www.lighting.philips.com editor in chief | Vincent Laganier steering committee | Fernand Pereira, Matthew Cobham editing | Ruth Slavid graphic design concept | one/one Amsterdam printing | APS Group B.V. ISSN nr | 12 NC 3222 635 69883 cover | Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France – Architects: Coop Himmelb(l)au photo | © Gilles Framinet, Musée des confluences, Lyon more info | luminous@philips.com

2 Editorial

COMFORT IN PUBLIC SPACES FEEDBACK

DIALOGUE ART AND SCIENCE BY THOMAS PACHOUD International Year of Light 2015, Grenoble, France

BREEAM for lighting

A guide for lighting designers offers opportunities

LIGHT FOR THE REGION

ORGANIC LIGHT BY OMLED

THE FUTURE OF DESIGN

LINKING COMMUNITIES WITH LIGHT

Interview with Carmenza Henao Londoño, lighting designer, Colombia

Aurora, El Segundo Lobby, California, USA

An interview with Thomas Emde, lighting designer, Germany

Trends in lighting of underpasses

PROJECTS A MUSEUM IN A CLOUD

BRIGHT CITIES MAKE SMART LIGHTING

PARKING AS PLEASURE

Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France

Paral·lel Avenue, Barcelona, Spain

Wembley Designer Outlet, London, UK

32 CONTENTS 3

ÂŠ Thomas Pachoud

4 Onderwerp

Onderwerp 5

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LIGHT, IYL2015

Art and science By Christiane Dampne

Thomas Pachoud

Thomas Pachoud sculpts ethereal light with the thoroughness of an engineer and the inventiveness of an artist in order to confound our senses and open up new horizons. Three innovative projects have been created, with the generic name of Hyperlight, supported by Atelier Arts Sciences. After completing a multimedia engineering course, Thomas Pachoud developed his skills in live entertainment and the plastic arts for seven years by using new tools provided by digital technology, electronics, robotics and programming. As a result, he was given the nickname “the augmenter”, realizing artists’ maddest dreams by inventing the missing algorithms and technologies. These multiple experiences fed his artistic sensibilities, generating his desire to create his own works based on the medium of the laser and he has devoted himself to this since the fall of 2013. This immersion resulted in a plastic, visual and audio installation, which he called Lumarium. It was presented at the “Experimenta” Arts, Science and Technology Fair that was held in October 2014 in Grenoble, France. Holographic lighting architecture A structure rather like a large aquarium, parallelepiped in shape, contains an innovative projection device that exceeds normal technical limits: “The position of the source determines the direction of the light beams, fixing the orientation and the shape of the architectural views at the heart of a conical space,” explains Thomas

6 light source

Pachoud. “This convergence of the beams to a focal point limits the immersive power of the installations. The aim was to create a form of holographic modular architecture by closely controlling light beams in an opacified space. By aligning them, making them converge or diverge, by allowing them to appear in different areas of the space, we open up the field of possibilities by offering genuine freedom to write the light in the space”. How did he achieve this technically? He used a mechanical device for reflecting the laser rays consisting of two mirrors. A controlled parabolic mirror made it possible to take advantage of the view and gave the illusion of depth increasing by a power of ten. And a cymatic mirror - that is, one that visibly demonstrates the effects of sound - takes advantage of the density and shape of the material in real time while David Guerra’s sound composition brings in the vibrating light image: “The fineness of the sets of beams, impossible to simulate digitally, favors a synaesthetic approach to the sound image,” said Pachoud. The installation is controlled by open-source software so that it can be shared with the community and assist with future collaborative development. Pachoud’s light and sound composition, which lasts for eight and a half minutes, passes through three states in succession: solid, gas and liquid, corresponding to different sensory textures, architectures and effects. This typology of states occurred to Pachoud following a conversation with an architect.

Page 6-7 Lumarium, Thomas Pachoud in association with Pierre Margerit, INSA Lyon, 2013 Atelier Arts Sciences, Grenoble, France

“Following the initial failure to understand the artist’s impossible wishes and the scientist’s realistic position, the collaboration goes well” Thomas Pachoud

He characterizes them as follows: •T he solid universe is made up of angular, symmetrical architecture. It is easy for the audience to understand. So it is the most comfortable of all; •T he gaseous universe is based on chaos. It is unpredictable and highly unstable; •T he liquid universe is organic and alive, built around curves and always in motion. It constitutes an unpredictable universe because it is constantly evolving, but it is homogeneous and transports the audience to an entropic world, a waking dream. Mutual input Atelier Arts Sciences (AAS) joined forces with Pachoud to support his projects. This research platform, which is jointly supported by the Hexagone Scène Nationale Arts Sciences Theater in Meylan in the heart of the Alps, and by CEA Grenoble (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) has promoted fertile meetings between artists and scientists since 2007. “These meetings are immediately paradoxical, because some people’s questions are not other people’s. The artist is driven by his imagination, but the scientist is very open to his unique visions,” said Eliane Sausse, director of AAS. For Thomas Pachoud, “the scientist contributes pure scientific experience”. He explains the differing points of view: “In the artist’s view anything is possible and he looks for ways for this to actually be the case, whereas the researcher’s first response to the artist’s idea is: ‘It isn’t possible’.

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Page 4-5, 8 Hyperlight, Thomas Pachoud in association with Pierre Margerit, INSA Lyon, 2014 Atelier Arts Sciences, Grenoble, France

“Thomas is an engineer oozing with genius and an emerging artist with ideas and amazing potential”

Eliane Sausse

But then he digs and finds solutions. Following the initial failure to understand the artist’s impossible wishes and the scientist’s realistic position, the collaboration goes well. I’m a scientist by training, which has also facilitated the dialog”. Dominique David, a researcher at the CEA and an AAS scientific consultant, believes that the artists have input on several levels. “Their long-term vision is stimulating, since they open up new research directions for us,” he said “They push back the limits of what is possible and reveal new technological possibilities to the general public through their international-style artistic creations”. Five residencies devoted to light Research residencies generally last for two years, with ad hoc periods of collective work at the CEA. There have been 19 resi dencies so far, five of which specialize in light. In addition to Thomas Pachoud’s Hyperlight project, this season AAS is also supporting the stage project Pixel Motion, directed by Yann Nguema of the EZ3kiel group and Arnaud Doucet, in the form of a luminous tablecloth of thousands of LEDs that can be remotely controlled in real time, creating moving, multi-shaped light images. “A prototype has been made, but this ambitious project will only see the light of day if lighting manufacturers grasp it,” said Eliane Sausse. She continued: “The crossover between artists and scientists brings innovations in both fields and can also stimulate industry. Our partner, the CEA, is contributing money and making available the

8 light source

premises and above all researchers’ working time: the equivalent of 18 months of full-time working. Depending on the projects, six or seven researchers collaborate with the artist for several weeks”. What is the specific nature of AAS? It provides support for the creative process, particularly in the performing arts, and the permanent presence of an effective team for setting up projects and managing them over time by finding solutions to the difficulties encountered. Several of the creations that have emerged from the residencies and which incorporate high-tech devices are currently touring in Europe and internationally, such as the exhibitions Les Mécaniques Poétiques (Poetic Mechanics) by EZ3kiel, XYZT Les paysages abstraits (XYZT Abstract landscapes) by Adrien Mondot and Claire Bardainne, the choreographic performance Hakanaï, or Bionic Orchestra 2.0, an immersive augmented beatbox concert by Ezra, featuring his interactive digital glove thought up in conjunction with the engineers from the CEA and Thomas Pachoud. New creations to come “AAS has decided to support Thomas by putting its trust in him, since he’s an engineer oozing with genius and an emerging artist with ideas and amazing potential,” said Sausse. “Lumarium keeps the promises implied by the original intention and is proof of the efficiency of his concept. We’re waiting impatiently until his technology can be deployed on a stage”. This enthusiasm is echoed by Dominique David: “I didn’t think he would go so far so fast,”

Terza Luce show, Michele Tadini in association with Angelo Guiga, CEA - LETI, 2013 Atelier Arts Sciences, Grenoble, France

he said “His installation conceals an aesthetic power and constitutes the embryo of important research to come. Pixel Motion foreshadows the development of a 3D television that does away with the need for a flat screen”. And what does the designer himself think of it? “I’m happy with my first work because I’ve overcome problems of lack of time and money,” he said. “The technical problems were not obstacles but stimuli for finding solutions that led me to find other ideas that I hadn’t imagined at the start. So they fed the creative process! Lumarium is an initial constructive stage that forms the basis of my research directions for the future, particularly relating to the three states of matter: solid, gas and liquid. In order to get to the end of each state I have to build a specific installation for each one”. His second installation, planned for the fall of 2015, will explore the liquid state in the form of a massive black box which the audience will enter. Here again a light bath will confuse our perceptual data. Pachoud’s third creation – a choreographic performance – will lay the foundations of a show for 2016-2017. Hyperlight is an innovative, abundant and fascinating body of research that will be monitored by i-meetings, and seen at the next Arts Sciences biennial in Grenoble, from 1 to 10 October 2015.

Websites www.creapach.fr www.atelier-arts-sciences.eu www.cea.fr/english-portal

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Top: Palos verdes Left: Urban Plaza, EK Hotel - Rodrigo Samper Right: Carmenza Henao Londoño

CARMENZA HENAO LONDOÑO, LIGHTING DESIGNER, BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

Light for

the region By Mauricio Gómez

Pioneering, experienced, meticulous, passionate, creative, but with a stamp that is recognized by experts in the field... that’s the description of Carmenza Henao Londoño, Colombia’s first independent lighting designer and one of Latin America’s most important figures in professional lighting design. What kind of career have you had? I’m an industrial designer, not an architect. I ended up in this profession when I was offered the opportunity of becoming a business consultant in a lighting firm. I fell in love with light and hardly 18 months had passed before I sold the timber company that I owned to my partner and threw myself entirely into lighting. How did you become Colombia’s first independent lighting designer? I worked for nine years at the first company, then became independent, and in 1992 I took part in the design of the Centro Andino Mall in Bogotá. This was the first project in which someone in Colombia was paid for doing a design. That was when lighting design became a profession in Colombia. After that I worked with another company, where I created the lighting division, alternating this job with independent consultancies. In 2000, with the building industry in deep crisis, I resigned and set up my own business which concentrated on advising without selling. I wanted to free my mind. My first project was a small office, where I was able to keep the commercial side of

the work separate. Without question the issue of rates was never simple, but without having a deliberate plan, I created lighting design in Colombia. It was an unconscious decision in terms of what it meant to the rest of the world, but very conscious as regards what it meant for Colombia. My first step was to show all the companies that I was not competing with them, and that they were my closest allies. Fortunately I received their support. People then started to follow in my footsteps, and awareness was created among suppliers and customers. I love what I do, I’m crazy about it, and every day I like it more. Life has always given me an excellent team of people to work with. I owe what I do to my husband and my team. I couldn’t have done it on my own. I’ve always been industrious and committed. I learned from magazines and catalogs as well as by attending trade fairs, taking training courses and traveling a lot. What does light mean to you? Everything. Light is a social topic that covers everything: man’s best friend, the

sun, reflections, shadows. Light has been converted into a responsibility, light revives spaces, beautifies, shows defects. Without light nothing functions. It’s a tremendous responsibility since we are replacing and competing with what is supplied by the universe. What is your best lighting design and why? There’s one project that’s very important to me: I did it with Philips. It’s the San Felipe de Barajas Castle in Cartagena. This has particular significance because it was a huge responsibility, because it has remained valid until now, and because it’s an iconic work that you don’t often have the opportunity of illuminating. How was Asdluz founded? Asdluz, the Colombian Lighting Designers’ Association, was founded by thirteen of us, all independent lighting designers. It was born of the need for a united association relating to this activity and the need to create policies in Colombia relating to the profession. The first thing that we created was the EILD, the Ibero-American Meeting of

Platform 11

Plaza Bocagrande, Ospinas y Cia Architect: Taller De Arquitectura De Bogota, Daniel Bonilla

Lighting Designers, an event that brought together manufacturers, designers and architects. It was attended by 500 people and allowed us to get to know one another and to create awareness of the profession.

worked out the consequences of the changes that we’re making, so there are still many intangibles. We can’t forget that light is at the service of man, and not man at the service of light.

How do you feel after being presented with the EILD’s award that recognizes the lighting work that you have done during your life? It is not common that colleagues recognize the work done. I did what I did without thinking of what I was sowing. This award allowed me to realize what I have managed over the years to achieve the recognition of the profession in our market.

I believe that there is a commitment to energy saving, but we must take care not to overlook brightness and color rendering, which as far as I am concerned are as important as comfort and aesthetics. LED technology has changed our way of thinking. It has increased people’s awareness of energy saving.

It was a very emotional, I feel proud. It never crossed my mind that I might win it, and I appreciate it. I believe that they placed a great deal of responsibility on my shoulders. And a huge commitment to working for the people who will come after us. How do you see the future of professional lighting design? The technology is changing: we haven’t

12 Platform

What do you need to take into account on a lighting project? You don’t design for yourself, you design for the client. If you go to my home it has lots of contrasts and shadows, for instance, but that is not what everybody wants. The hard part is to interpret the client’s wishes and at the same time be satisfied with the result as a professional. That’s what makes a design successful.

You need to know who you’re designing for and also do a good job of managing all the aspects relating to technology, standards, budgets and energy awareness. What are the standards in Colombia as regards lighting? We have access to state-of-the-art technology. Fortunately I’ve been able to work with many foreign firms, and it’s very gratifying to say that we’re at the same level. We’re independent, up-to-date, serious about technical and design aspects, and disciplined. Who do you admire in the field of lighting? In Latin America, Claudia Paz is an inspiration. She’s very visual, has impressive creativity and has created a milestone in the profession. I saw Elías Cisneros for the first time at a conference in Chile and I saw the light in his heart.

Here in Colombia, Édgar Prada has been an inspiration in the technical area, and I’ve met people who have inspired me at lighting companies. I wouldn’t have achieved anything if it hadn’t been for the people around me. What did it mean to be a judge for the Iluminet awards? It was a huge honor. When you see the stature of the judges with whom the projects are being discussed you feel very proud. Many top-class projects were submitted and when I had the opportunity of seeing them I encountered a great deal of professionalism, quality and creativity. The judges we had there were Anne Bureau, Gustavo Avilés, Mauricio Ginés … people with tremendous careers, so finding myself at the same level as them is in itself a huge compliment. We’re doing things well in Colombia. When we evaluated the projects we did so without knowing who was doing them, and Colombian projects proved to be

Paralelo 26 Architect: Contexto Urbano

La Porciuncula Square and church

outstanding. One of them is worth mentioning in any part of the world: Un Litro de Luz (A Liter of Light), a proposal that proved to be outstanding. Do you think there is a trend towards repetition in lighting design? The personal stamp isn’t bad, there’s a brand of repetition that I try to manage in all of my projects, so when I’m told that this space is an architecturally balanced space, for me that’s a success. It’s very difficult to repeat designs because every space is different. Even when you’re lighting spaces that are the same, you have to bear in mind that the client and the decoration are different, so even if you use the same products it will look different. You’d have to make an effort to be repetitive. It doesn’t bother me that they say “Carmenza Henao was here”, because there’s a balance in the design, not because it’s repetitive…

Websites www.carmenzahenao.com www.asdluz.org www.eild.org www.premios.iluminet.com

Platform 13

AURORA, DIRECTV HEADQUARTERS, EL SEGUNDO LOBBY, CALIFORNIA, US

The future of

design By Maureen Quinlan

Design firm Electroland LLC not only created a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors to DIRECTV’s headquarters in California, but in the process came up with a new way of working that may well represent the future of the design process

When DIRECTV decided to move its headquarters to El Segundo, in Southern California, the corporation chose a building with a history that carries the directbroadcast satellite provider’s own legacy. The former airplane hangar, now a modern office building, was previously home to Hughes Aircraft Company and Electronics, the company that engineered the technology of broadcasting television signals to a satellite in the sky and back down to a larger number of customers. The digital television provider wanted to do something unique to honor the

14 CONCEPT CORNER

combination of its history, a shift into the modern business of content creation, and the special concentration of Southern California’s industries of manufacturing, engineering, art, and Hollywood. The company hired Electroland LLC, a design and architecture firm that specializes in interactive public media art, to create a one-of-a-kind entrance installation. Electroland principal Cameron McNall realised that furnishing the building’s spacious lobby would require creative thinking, quick collaboration, and an innovative way of installing a large-scale art piece.

With a tight budget, strict time constraints, and a crowded construction site, McNall and his team faced significant challenges. However, the end result was an installation that McNall says is unlike anything ever seen before. The team designed a 36m long, 8m tall curved structure that would display low-resolution video using light. The installation also incorporates ambient sound and an interactive component. Electroland’s first task was to find a material that would create the curved shape it desired. The team identified a polycarbonate plastic that could be

ÂŠ Electroland

Client DIRECTV

computer-printed and custom-fitted like a puzzle, reducing manufacturing costs and time. The team then tackled the task of installing more than 47,000 LED nodes. They divided the seemingly gigantic installation into 600 panels, in order to design and map the display panel by panel. Designers then installed iColor Flex MX on the panels and addressed them using custom software capable of tracking movement and displaying video on a three-dimensional surface. This was all completed in-house, reducing the time spent at the site and streamlining installation. The result was an elegant compromise between the client’s requirement for

commercial content and flexibility and Electroland’s artistic approach. The curved archway translates the future of lighting design, content creation, engineering, and the arts in a memorable display of light. “I’m very happy we got something that’s very forward-looking using the technologies we implemented,” McNall said. While the client was pleased with the aesthetic outcome, McNall says the biggest success of the project was the inventive installation process. “This project allowed the designers to be involved in the fabrication and installation of it all,” he said. “I’m excited about the level of control our designers had. This is the future of how designers will work.”

Designers Cameron McNall, Damon Seeley, Electroland System design David Glicksman, Ari Sachter-Zelter, Electroland 3D design Matthew Au, Maysam Ghaffari, Electroland Production and installation Electroland Lighting solutions Philips Color Kinetics iColor Flex MX Websites www.directv.com www.electroland.net

CONCEPT CORNER 17

MUSﾃ右 DES CONFLUENCES, LYON, FRANCE

A museum in a cloud

ﾂｩ Gilles Framinet, Musﾃｩe des confluences, Lyon

By Isabelle Arnaud

20 PROJECT I

Designed by Austrian architects Coop Himmelb(l)au, the Musée des Confluences, a faceted steel and angular glass building that sits on a peninsula at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, houses a natural history museum in Lyon, France.

According to Markus Prossnigg, project partner at Coop Himmelb(l)au, it’s the urban site itself that inspired the shape of the new building that the practice has designed in Lyon, France. “The structure is made up of three main parts, known as the crystal, the cloud and the plinth, and divides up the exhibition spaces, the public entrance foyer and the auditoriums and workspaces,” he said. The Musée des Confluences houses collections of earth sciences, anthropology and natural sciences. The architect was concerned that the museum should not be cut off from the city but should address it, acting as a meeting place for the city and allowing pedestrians to walk through it and enjoy views of the rivers.

This determined the way that the exhibition spaces were designed. “That’s precisely why we created the cloud floating on pillars above the plinth and oriented towards the river,” said Prossnigg. “It contains a spatial sequence of black boxes that admit no daylight, and offer movement and fluidity.” By contrast the crystal functions as a transparent urban forum facing the city and giving access to the museum. Visitors can easily find their way around and through the cloud, as if having a vertical walk through the “connecting space” which traverses all these elements and weaves a network of routes between them to serve the requirements of the exhibition spaces. It leads in a loop, as a corridor or over bridges and catwalks, from the crystal to the other end of the cloud.

PROJECT I 21

Movement in opacity and transparency in hard space The cloud, which is all about movement and darkness, constitutes the principal body of the museum, housing ten exhibition spaces on three levels, as well as an upper level of administrative offices. Four of the galleries are intended for permanent exhibitions; the other six are for temporary exhibitions. The crystal is like an urban square, a light and transparent envelope inviting visitors and preparing them for the museum experience. Its crystalline, angular form results from its glass-and-steel construction. Large panes of glass are mounted in steel frames: these assemblages, designed to resist movement, make the various folded surfaces seem reflective. The gravity well - a central element - provides a contrast both to the structural efforts and to the luminous sculpture.

22 PROJECT I

During the day, the museum is flooded with daylight that models the building, following the various changes of natural light in quantity, colour and direction. The appearance of the building changes with the changing ratio between direct sunlight and diffuse light from the sky. “At night,” said Har Hollands, whose practice, Har Hollands Lichtarchitect is the lighting consultant on the project, “artificial lighting gives the structure a specific appearance since we can plan which elements of the complex to light and determine the amount of light for each element, from which directions the light should come, choose the preferred colour of the light and control the changes of the lighting to generate a desired effect.

At night the gravity well, at the heart of the crystal, acts like a lantern projecting light on its glazed skin, emphasizing its architectural lines and generating dynamic special effects. How is all this achieved? Direct floodlighting with ColorReach Powercore gen2 lights the plinth and the gravity well in blue. There is indirect blue linear eW Cove QLX Powercore lighting behind the mesh of the second-level ceiling behind its mesh. The lighting controls are made by Pharos and Dynalight.

Light, the expression of safety, form and atmosphere Awash with natural light during the day, the Museum appears as a series of silhouettes at night. It seems to float, supported by blue light that is reflected in the tanks underneath the building. Is this the ultramarine of Lyon-born industrialist and connoisseur Émile Étienne Guimet? No, it is the sky blue of Himmelb(l)au.

“An architectural lighting and lighting climate for an urban space satisfies functional, aesthetical and emotional needs; we try to integrate these various aspects by translating pragmatic demands into a fascinating night-time experience”, said Hollands. The general lighting for the Crystal is performed by a number of LED lighting systems: linear eW Cove QLX Powercore luminaires integrated in the steel parapets of the stairs and bridges in a way that prevents a direct view of the lamps from normal viewing positions; and, Decoflood2 LED floodlights mounted on the steel structure or concrete walls or beams. A colour temperature of 3000 Kelvin and colour rendering index of at least 80 create a warm atmosphere in which visitors feel at ease and comfortable.

PROJECT I 23

Other projectors, embedded at ground level, have moving heads and an adjustable beam angle. They can generate a wide range of colours from cool blue to warm red. The control system within the crystal regulates the light output of all the lighting for the stairs and bridges in the interior in various sections. Groups of Fugato Accentuation Fixe 260 Compact

24 PROJECT I

Intensity and colour variations Some parts of the circulation area are lit by downlights which are recessed in the concrete, set in the false ceiling or placed above the steel grid ceiling. Lighting of the stairs and walkways leading up to the entrances to the crystal is done by dimmable fixtures that are integrated in the parapets.

downlights and Decoflood2 LED floodlights are also used to create a changing lighting environment indoors. The control system also directs the lighting of the exterior area around the crystal and of the outdoor terrace.It sends signals to the eight projectors that have been built-in to specially made grooves and covered with transparent glass, directing the light of the projectors, controlling the quantityand varying the beam width and colour. There is no daylight in the permanent galleries, and yet there is a warm atmosphere in the high-ceilinged rooms, especially in the “Origines” and “Éternités” galleries where Selecon Display profiles contribute to the display of various objects in a didactic and harmonious way, guiding the visitor towards enlightening knowledge.

Client Conseil Général du Rhône

Gallery scenographers Klapisch-Claisse, Du & Ma, Zen + dCo

Planning architects Coop Himmelb(l)au & Partner ZT GmbH Wolf D. Prix, Markus Prossnigg, Mona Bayr, Angus Schoenberger

Gallery lighting designs Gelatic, ACL, 8’18’’

Local architects Patriarche & Co Execution architect Tabula Rasa Project managerment Chabanne & Partenaires Design structural engineering B+G Ingenieure, Bollinger und Grohmann GmbH Executive structural engineering Coyne et Bellier, VS_A Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning ITEE-Fluides Acoustics Cabinet Lamoureux Building lighting consultant Har Hollands Lichtarchitect

Light sources Philips LED lighting Luminaires Philips Decoflood2 LED: crystal hall and second level Philips ColorReach Powercore gen2: plinth and gravity well. Philips eW Cove QLX Powercore, 2700 K: steel parapets. Philips eW Cove QLX Powercore bleu: indirect ceiling lighting Philips Fugato Accentuation Fixe 260 Compact: reception and first level Philips UnicOne 541 Suspension Micro, Efix surface: museum shoop. Selecon Display profile: “Origines” and “Éternités” galleries Philips ColorGraze MX Powercore: “Origines” gallerie Lighting controls Pharos et Dynalight : plinth and gravity well Installater Eiffage Energie Rhône Alpes Websites www.rhone.fr www.museedesconfluences.fr www.coop-himmelblau.at www.hollands.info

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26 PROJECT II

PROJECT II 27 Avinguda del Paral.lel, BARCELONA, SPAIN

Bright smart lighting

By Alberto Barberá Duelo

Barcelona illuminates new forms in urban development.

PARAL·LEL MODEL "I" AVENUE REAR VIEW

SIDE VIEW

SECTION

Traffic Camera

PHILIPS UrbanLink BGP370 Warm White 3000K

Occupancy Sensors and other Smart Devices Traffic Sign

IT Equipment

Traffic Lights

Control Gear (Street Lighting)

Control Gear (Performance Lighting) E L E C

O L C

E L E C

Paral.lel column range

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41º22’34N. Welcome to Paral·lel Avenue (Avinguda del Paral.lel). This was once the most theatre-dense area in Europe. Over the years, the Paral.lel drove modernity into local culture with an extraordinarily successful blend of music, art and entertainment, and now is introducing a smart revolution in urban forms in the city. Planner Ildefons Cerdà conceived this avenue in 1859 as a broad boulevard in Barcelona that would become the southern boundary for the old city under this geographical name, chosen because of its perfect alignment with parallel 41 North. It finally opened to traffic in 1894, and experienced rapid growth, becoming a host for the most popular forms of culture from abroad, from flamenco and operetta to vaudeville, theatre and cabaret. Nowadays, the area is an important landmark in the city’s cultural activity, with a lively nightlife. In the 21st century, it has become a priority for the local authorities, as it serves as a strategic connection between four districts in the city, and links the Barcelona Trade Fair Exhibition Center at Montjuïc – a historical institution that receives 2.5 million visitors annually – with the city center and the port facilities, the landing point for international cruises. The main goal of the urban intervention in Paral·lel Avenue has been to facilitate the flow of people between the areas that offer culture, business and leisure. In line with the global strategy for the city, pedestrian mobility has been reinforced and the urban experience of the street has been enhanced, with the creation of six new public squares through the redesign of traffic crossings, a landscape alteration that slows traffic to prioritize pedestrians. These new open public spaces can accommodate temporary uses. They can be closed to traffic for civic demonstrations and events, and they are designed as a container for interaction, a place for new things to happen. A central bicycle lane has been created along the whole

PARAL·LEL MODEL "I" CIVIC SQUARES FRONT VIEW

Lighting integrated with other features The street lighting for this revitalization project had to be integrated with the rest of the IT infrastructure planned for the future of Barcelona as a smart city, and every smart element is to be linked by a fiber optic data “highway”. Montserrat Periel, the metropolitan area architect who is in charge of public space projects, was commissioned by the municipality to take over the entire project and decided to create a special support to integrate lighting with other features. “One of the first premises of this new design was the minimization not only of the visual impact of the urban element, but also of the presence of IT hardware utilities on the streets,” he said. “We conceived the Paral·lel-BCN pole as a support for more than just lighting devices: it is actually a multi-purpose urban element and the housing for occupancy sensors, traffic cameras, Wi-Fi transceivers and other features, thanks to its open design and the integration of power lines and control connectivity”. The base element of this modular support is a pole shaped like a tuning fork. Made from painted galvanized steel, it has a base section of 25 x 25cm and splits into two parallel wings above 3.5m. “The section is discreet for an urban element at ground level, but visually weighs too much on the upper view, and we didn’t want the pole to disturb views of the surrounding buildings”. Seen from the front, the element is almost transparent as it reaches its final height at nine meters. The space inside the wings provides the housing for smart elements such as the sensors and cameras, and for the lighting fixtures. WiFi access points are provided by Cisco Systems. “Everything happens there”, explains Periel. “We wanted the structure to solve the needs of technology and to be honest, to explain its functionality in a straightforward fashion, without ornament”.

PARAL·LEL MODEL "L" AVENUE SECTION

SIDE VIEW

Paral·lel Avenue, and now stands in the middle of both traffic lanes, for safe riding.

SECTION

SIDE VIEW

PHILIPS ColorBurst PowerCore 2 RGB

PHILIPS DecoFlood 2 Image Projector

CISCO Access Point PHILIPS UrbanLink BGP370

PHILIPS UrbanLink BGP371 CISCO Access Point

PHILIPS ColorBurst PowerCore 2 RGB

PHILIPS UrbanLink BGP371 Neutral White 4000K

WiFi Antenna

Warm White 3000K

Neutral White 4000K

WiFi Antenna PHILIPS UrbanLink BGP370

PARAL ·LEL

Warm White 3000K

Control Gear (Street Lighting)

Occupancy Sensors and other Smart Devices

IT Equipment

Control Gear (Performance Lighting) E L E C

Control Gear (Street Lighting)

Control Gear (Performance Lighting) E L E C

O L C

E L E C

PROJECT II 29

The right optics for the right light This unique structural element, this technological hub of services, is shaped by the different lighting needs. The simplest configuration of accessories housed inside, at 5.5 meters, is a vertical implementation of the UrbanLink by Philips Lighting, a new development with modified optics that was customized for this project. This configuration stands in the middle of the avenue, on every pedestrian crossing, and includes an additional element: it holds a set of traffic lights with traffic cameras on top. The challenge for the optics department was to match the required levels of light for pedestrian walkways with this vertical disposition at this height and with the distance between the nine meter poles dictated by the demands for traffic lighting. And with a widened walkway of eight meters... “They were working on this vertical disposition at Philips, and it was just what we were looking for to match our specific needs, it was a product in development, and they managed to certify it and implement it on time for our project," says Periel. Lighting solutions already tested and certified “Performance” features have been added in specific locations to the street lighting with the RGB, ColorBurst Powercore floodlights and

30 PROJECT II

DecoFlood 2 image projectors. The floodlights have been used on the poles meant for the new civic squares and along the length of the avenue, while image projectors have been included at certain key points along the avenue. The colored light will be used for special occasions and events, and is DMX-controlled by Philips Color Kinetics technology. The pole has an “L” shape when equipped with a set of UrbanLink luminaires aimed at the bicycle lane and another one for traffic lighting, implemented inside a 2.5 meter arm. “This form is defined by the functionality,” said Periel. “We wanted to use, as far as possible, a product that was already tested and certified, without the need for a new development, so we adapted the overall design to this specific model”. The global energy demand is reduced by more than 30% compared with the previous high-pressure sodium installation. According to the city’s lighting masterplan, presented in 2012, which sets specific values for Paral·lel Avenue, road lighting is set to a level of 22.5 lux and 25 lux for bike lanes, in neutral white 4000K. Pedestrian walkways are lit at a warm white 3000K, at a level of 20 lux. Every fixture meant for functional lighting is point-to-point controlled, allowing different lighting levels to be delivered for better

Smart lighting is connected to the grid.

Parallel urban project plan

Client City of Barcelona

optimization, using the CityTouch lighting management software interface. The better distribution of light enhances the user experience through comfort and a clear perception of safety.

Project Development AMB Area Metropolitana de Barcelona Public Spaces Department

The main challenge of the project is the vertical alignment of the UrbanLink luminaire, which allows clear views of the urban environment from the walkway, and was an idea that came from the architect. “It was the first time that we used this vertical concept in Europe, and we had to certify the product and test the photometric performance,” said Marc Reignier, senior customization project manager at Philips Lighting. “We are proud to have successfully achieved the results in the required time. On this type of project, we always have a project team to support the business and make sure we satisfy our customers’ requests at all levels. Different people from technical, O&E, customer service, production, logistic, and quality departments were involved from Philips”. Floris Provost is the design manager for iconic projects, and was responsible for conceptualizing the experience that citizens would have of the renovated environment, and helping the team to design the solution given to the architects, “We translated the concepts into a specifically designed light solution that is able to achieve perfect vertical and horizontal light quality in combination with controllable RGB lighting generating the atmosphere,” he said.

Conceptual Design Montserrat Periel i Piquer, AMB Floris Provost, Philips Lighting Technical Development Marc Reignier, Gil Soto, Rocío Fernández, Philips Lighting Lighting Solutions Philips UrbanLink, ColorBurst PowerCore and Decoflood 2 projector Control Solutions Philips CityTouch Lighting platform, Point to point operation Pharos System, DMX control Website www.amb.cat

PROJECT II 31

WEMBLEY DESIGNER OUTLET, LONDON, UK

Parking as pleasure By Ruth Slavid

A car park at Wembley in northwest London has a stylish design and a lighting solution that provides even economical light with the elimination of visible support and clutter. It succeeds magnificently in its aim to make users feel safe and secure.

We set about doing something that would be interactive.

Car parks are essential in our cities yet they are a much neglected and unloved building type. Too often their design is seen as an afterthought, making them both unpleasant places to use and a blight on the landscape. The car park recently constructed at the London Designer Outlet is anything but. It is bright and colourful, benefitting from daylight by day and sophisticated and innovative lighting at night. It was important that the car park was something special because of its position. Wembley is on the northwest edge of London. It is best-known as the home to Wembley Stadium, the most important place for football in the UK, and also houses London Arena where large concerts take place. Alongside the construction of the new stadium, designed by Foster and Partners, the entire area is being redeveloped by

developer Quintain over a period of around 20 years, which is about halfway through. Part of this is the London Designer Outlet, the first such facility in the capital, masterplanned and designed by Lesley Jones Architects. James Cons, managing director at Lesley Jones, explained, “We were commissioned in 2004 to review the Richard Rogers masterplan, and made a number of changes.” A designer outlet is different from standard retail because the units need to be smaller. This kind of shopping is seen very much as entertainment, and it is open late, alongside catering and cinema. As a result, said Julian Tollast, head of masterplanning and design at Quintain, security and people’s perceptions of security were vital. And it has succeeded in this. “The thing that many people have commented on is how safe the car park is” he said. In part this is down to the appearance. Although Lesley Jones

Architects designed most of the buildings, on the car park Quintain appointed another practice, aLL Design, to deal specifically with the cladding, to give it a special sense of presence.

In addition the reflective fins throw back light and images of the surroundings. “For me it was important that people approach it from all sides,” Alsop said. “It should look intriguing. Is it a car park or not?”

Will Alsop, founder of aLL Design, said, “They didn’t want to do an ordinary car park, but they had a tight budget.” The car park, a short distance from the designer outlet, sits right against the stadium which it also serves on match days.

The fact that the building is so bold, and that the ceiling heights are relatively high, contributes to the feeling of security. But lighting is fundamental, not only for the wellbeing of users but because the multi-storey car park, and its adjacent open car park, are seen from above. Quintain wanted a very even quality of light across the surfaces, and it worked with Philips which piloted an overhead lighting system called FreeStreet. This LED lighting system is special because the cabling that supports the lights incorporates the electrical wiring as well. The lights can be hung at any point along the cable, and they do not need independent supports. On the roof of the car park, they are supported by the main structural steelwork.

“We didn’t want to do an ordinary car park,” Alsop said, “so we set about doing something that would be interactive.” The solution that his team came up with was to clad the building with irregular metal fins in black, white, red and a mirror finish. There are small circular holes within the fins. The effect is that, seen obliquely, the fins appear to be opaque, but look straight on and you can see into the car park.

You have a system that supports itself by being tensioned from the side. “You have a system that supports itself by being tensioned from the side,” explained Mike Moreton, urban regeneration and lighting specialist in Philips’ public lighting solutions division. This makes it possible to light large areas very evenly with fittings that almost disappear from view. On the surface-level car park, the FreeStreet is supported by its own masts, but the effect is very similar – an uncluttered space with an even quality of light. Julian Tollast said, “FreeStreet really beautifully integrated the lighting and the cabling and all the containment into one single product. It frees the streets of all that incredible clutter that you usually get, and gives us an incredibly efficient way of lighting these quite large areas.” Philips also provided the lighting to the inside of the multi-storey car park, using Pacific LED, a waterproof surface-mounted fitting that bolts directly onto the concrete soffits. This provides higher lighting levels inside the car park than is customary. In addition Philips provided the lighting control system, which controls both the Freestreeet and the Pacific LED luminaires.

36 PROJECT III

Called Dynalite, this is a stand-alone system that has been programmed to turn the lighting on and off, and to dim it, auto matically, although there is an option for the 24-hour security office to override this. The car park itself is not the limit to Philips’ involvement. It has also provided the street lighting on the road linking the car park to the designer outlet. For this it has used its Iridium 2 street lights, with flat glass LED lamps sitting on top of metal poles. And although this is its only involvement in supplying street lighting, the whole site uses Philips’ CityTouch lighting control system. Pride of place however must go to the car park. And despite the client’s evident delight with the lighting, the best endorsements probably come from Mike Moreton and Will Alsop, both of whom have actually used the car park when travelling to that part of London. “I used it as a customer and it felt good to me,” Alsop said. Moreton added, “It is a late night venue where Quintain wanted people to feel safe. I really think that they have achieved that.”

Client Quintain Estates Masterplan architects Leslie Jones Architects Park façade architect aLL design Lighting solutions Philips FreeStreet, Pacific LED, Iridium 2 Lighting controls Dynalite Management System Websites www.quintain.co.uk www.lesliejones.co.uk www.all-worldwide.com

38 Blue sky thinking

Blue sky thinking 39

BREEAM for lighting By Ruth Slavid

BREEAM requirements – a summary for

lighting designers Credits available

Man 01 Sustainable Procurement

Man 04 Stakeholder participation

Hea 01 Visual comfort

3-5

Ene 01 Reduction of Emissions

Ene 02 Energy monitoring

1-2

Ene 03 External lighting

Hea 01 V

(3 – 5 credits

2. Day-lightin building a as required practice w or the BRE

3. Glare Con for disablin inclusion o of blinds.

in the table below, based on BREEAM New Construction 2011:

Credit & Title

credits

Within Lighting Designers scope

Lighting Designers can support others in obtaining these credits

Lighting Designers should be aware of commitments to these credits

4. Views Out within rele window or adequate

5. Internal an available i

in accorda set out by

Ene 03 E The lighting

depending o

As a lighting

Ene 06 Tra 03 Cyclist facilities

1-2

Tra 05 Travel plan

Pol 04 Reduction of night time light pollution

sensor, to pr A daylight se lighting circu

Tra 03 C

NB: There are further credits available for innovation, where the team can demonstrate sustainable good ‘best practice innovation’ credits that is improving on the ‘normal’ targets set in the BREEAM credits. BREEAM now includes several ‘mandatory’ minimum standards within credits, which have to be achieved regardless and at no additional score to the assessment. They are noted in the explanations on pages nine and ten. Issues

While the lig all elements requirement to be compli where releva be controlled

or around th noted in this summary.

Lighting for BREEAM

Table summary for lighting designers for BREEAM Philips has produced a guide to BREEAM for lighting designers. While BREEAM, which was originally developed for office design, now covers a wide-range of building types, the Philips guide looks in particular at one building type which is an office. It has used a notional design, called the Optima office, which is a virtual openplan office with some cellular spaces. In addition to attempting to score as many BREEAM points as possible, the design aims to create a highquality visual environment with an emphasis on

visual comfort for the occupants, and to offer a cost-effective lighting solution, in terms both of construction and operational costs. It produces a model approach for this notional design which lighting designers can then adapt for their own project, tackling the main areas and producing some typical lighting schemes, using either recessed lighting or pendant lighting. It looks at all the elements – at open-plan offices, cellular offices, meeting areas, corridors and the

entrance lobby, and provides a typical lighting schedule. This approach demonstrates in practical terms that for the lighting designer BREEAM is not a threat but an opportunity.

Download philips.to/1OEZn5u

BREEAM, the gold standard for environmental performance in Europe, offers great scope for lighting designers to demonstrate how much they can contribute to sustainability. Philips has produced guidance to help them appreciate the opportunities. Lighting designers have a vital role to play in ensuring that buildings receive the highest possible rating under the BREEAM system, the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. Along with the American system LEED, this approach has become the international gold standard for assessing the sustainability of buildings, measuring as it does best practice across a wide range of criteria. In order to obtain the highest score possible (more than 85% is required for the top category of ‘outstanding’) building owners need to do as well as possible in every one of the areas that the assessment covers. In a number of these areas lighting designers

will play a leading role and there are others where they will have an important supporting role to other consultants. Lighting designers will therefore want as detailed an understanding of the requirements of BREEAM as possible in order to give clients the best possible service and maximize the points that they can score. Fortunately BREEAM’s requirements are in line with good design principles, asking designers to think about low carbon and low-impact design, minimizing the energy demands created by a building before considering energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies.

BREEAM FOR LIGHTING 41

The design aims to create a high-quality visual environment.

The areas that will fall directly into the lighting designer’s area are the following:

Visual comfort

External lighting

As a pre-requisite this requires that all fluorescent and compactfluorescent lamps are fitted with high-frequency ballasts. In addition, it has requirements for daylighting, glare control, views out and internal and external lighting. Daylighting should meet good practice guidelines, either local guidelines or those provided by BRE. Disturbing glare should be designed out either through the use of brises soleil or overhangs, or through the provision of blinds. All positions within the relevant parts of the building should be within 7m of a window or other permanent opening that offers adequate views out. Illuminance levels and zoning and occupant controls should comply with local standards.

The lighting design must ensure that energy-efficient light fittings (luminaires) are specified and demonstrate efficiencies. It will be the responsibility of the lighting designer to ensure that the external light fittings are controlled through a time switch or daylight sensor, to prevent operation during daylight hours.

The role of the lighting designer will not only be to ensure that the lighting satisfies all these criteria, but also to produce the documentation to prove that it does so. In some of these areas, the design will be the sole responsibility of the lighting designer, but they will need to collaborate with the architect on views out and daylighting, where the orientation and physical form of the building will play a key role.

42 BREEAM FOR LIGHTING

Cyclist facilities The credit for supplying facilities for cyclists is obviously not primarily the responsibility of the lighting designer, in order to gain the credit the design team must demonstrate that the lighting complies with the criteria for external lighting.

Green Station Green Office® Rueil Rueil-Malmaison, France Client Bouygues Immobilier Architect Wilmotte & Associés

Reduction of night-time light pollution The design must ensure that external lighting is concentrated in the appropriate areas and that upward lighting is minimized, reducing unnecessary light pollution, energy consumption and nuisance to neighboring properties.

Bailler Unilever France Lighting solutions Philips LuxSpace, TurnRound, SmartForm, Fugato, Gondola

In addition the lighting designer can give advice in areas that typically would fall outside the scope of their direct involvement, such as lifts and escalators, so that the overall energy use can be reduced and there can be a better coordinated approach.

Certification targeted BREEAM Europe Commercial Offices Very Good Bepos Effinergie NF Bâtiments Tertiaires HQE® Excellent

Similarly, the lighting designer should be aware of other areas that may have an impact on the overall use of light, such as transport plans which may result in the lighting of bus stops, or the lighting of ATMs which are provided as part of stakeholder engagement.

Websites www.bouygues-immobilier.com www.unilever.com www.wilmotte.com

BREEAM FOR LIGHTING 43

Organic light

by OMLED

ÂŠ emdedesign

Lighting designer and inventor Thomas Emde has founded a brand that hopes to improve everyday lives with OLEDs.

For many years you have been a pioneer, designing luminous furniture and lighting-glass for facades and using these in various projects. Now you are bringing the world's first complete OLED light≈family to the market. What is it that fascinates you about this light? Thomas Emde: I have been working with LEDs for over 16 years. However, the quality of light and the sustainability of OLEDs have been inspiring me for years, so I have had a lot of time to think about possible applications. In 2008 I had the idea of forming a sphere from a flat OLED and adding a screw base: the OLED bulb. The OLED brings back what we have lost: pleasant, soft light for everybody. It gives us light that doesn't dazzle, lights that

don't burn us and technology that can meet today's demands for energy efficiency and sustainability. As an internationally renowned light artist you illuminated architecture before you founded your own lighting brand OMLED and the company emdedesign. What made you change direction? Over the last 15 years I have undertaken major international projects and made my contribution to the appearance of cities at night.

About Thomas Emde Born in 1959 in Korbach, Thomas Emde studied art at the HbK Kassel and the HdK Berlin. He began his artistic career as a painter. His works have been exhibited in museums and art institutions all over the world. Light soon appeared as an additional element in his work and from 1999 Thomas Emde dedicated himself to artistic architectural illumination and the subject of light as a material. By 2012 he had implemented many large projects in Europe and the Middle East. OMLED is the brand of emdedesign GmbH, which he founded in 2013. OMLED introduced the world's first OLED light family in 2014 with products for everyday lighting purposes.

And with OLED technology, following the banning of the conventional light bulb, I see the chance to give people good, energy-efficient and measured light once again, without having to rely on optics, diffusers and cooling elements. In 2013 in Aachen I was able to see the lighting results of the new OLED panels for myself and I was inspired. My team and I then started to develop an entire light family with the panels and we founded the brand OMLED.

I often wonder how much light and what kind of light people actually need. It's not about having more and more light to illuminate our planet at night and to turn night into day. It’s rather about a measured interaction with light as a valuable and vital resource.

Innovations 45

What is special about your OLED light family? We reduced all components to an absolute minimum when designing our light family, the most important thing is the light itself. We support the characteristics of the OLEDs by using only satinized and printed glass. This makes the light appear even softer. The OLED as a technical component recedes into the background; what is visible is a gentle and softly glowing glass surface of light. The sensor-touch function to dim the lights and switch them on and off, and the specifically developed driver electronics, are integrated in the glass cover of the lamp. The OLED panels can be replaced effortlessly. This is a huge advantage over most LED lights. Thanks to the quality of light, the minimalist, flat shape and the delicate suspension and fixation system, we have created an entirely new and visionary type of light. Our suspension lamp s5 has been honored with the worldwide and prestigious Good Design Award 2014.

Do you see OLEDs and LEDs as competitors? No, on the contrary. Both technologies have their respective applications, they complement each other. The LED is a point-source spotlight that can illuminate surfaces over a great distance. The OLED, as a two-dimensional light source with excellent color rendering, can be used close to people and is able to illuminate the immediate environment without glare. Looking into your crystal ball, how do you see the future of OLEDs?

Not least, given the above, I see the future of the OLED. We urgently need a complement to the LED. Based on this conviction, and together with partner companies, we have created an OLED patent portfolio for applications, products and processes, which we developed ourselves or purchased from other German companies. The future of OLED is in meaningful and useful products and applications. OLED is a sensible, economical, reliable and extremely pleasant light partner. It doesn't dazzle, it warms without being hot and it doesn't exhaust the last of the earth’s rare minerals. It is a fantastic, present light source.

Initially the LED was merely a glowing indicator light on a dashboard – today it is a high-beam headlight. Its development has led to laws being changed and has pushed the affordable light bulb out of the market. The LED is on its way to being a monopoly.

Website www.emdedesign.com

INNOVATIONS 47

ÂŠ Bigg Design

48 Gallery

Gallery 49

Linking communities

with light By Susanne Seitinger and Marianthi Kontogouri

Euclid Underpass, daylighting for tunnels, Boulder, Colorado, USA Lighting design: Nancy Clanton, Clanton & Associates

Underpasses are those convenient shortcuts connecting neighborhoods for pedestrians and cyclists. However, they often receive little design attention and put a burden on maintenance crews. Now stakeholders around the world are joining forces to rethink the value of these forgotten spaces.

For many of the students from St. Maurice’s High School in Cumbernauld, Scotland, their everyday journey to school consisted of passing through the dark and uninviting Craiglinn underpass, which was often subject to vandalism. In 2011, colorful artistic lighting elements transformed the atmosphere of the passageway throughout the day and night. Now it is celebrated by the community as a town landmark.

50 GALLERY

“For public spaces such as pathways, underpasses, bridges and parks, lighting plays an instrumental role in people’s perception of safety, and as such is hugely important for connecting people and neighborhoods,” said Hamish Bigg, the lead designer for the Craiglinn underpass. Pedestrians frequently avoid underpasses and pedestrian connectors if they are

poorly maintained or convey a sense of abandonment. This behavior can disconnect certain districts from key citywide resources like open spaces. Suburban areas with more car-centric infrastructures are often particularly isolated from pedestrian and cycling networks. To leverage the capital outlay and maintenance cost of these infrastructures, diverse stakeholders,

Dolmen Light, Emmen, Netherlands Artist: Titia Ex

including artists, urban designers, and municipalities are collaborating to develop creative approaches to renovation and new construction challenges. Projects such as the one undertaken in Cumbernauld are part of a global trend to revitalize forgotten spaces with holistic thinking that incor porates lighting in many different ways. At IES Light + Behavior 2014, lighting practitioners discussed how inadequate lighting and low visibility can lead pedestrians to avoid certain urban spaces. A study undertaken for the UK’s Department for Transport (2000) found that pedestrians, and in particular female pedestrians, identified subways or underpasses as unsafe places to walk, citing a sense of isolation and vulnerability

to crime. Pedestrians’ fears for their personal safety deter them from using these convenient connectors. Evidence-based design guidelines suggest that designers and urban planners need to focus on delivering well-lit structures that provide easy orientation both within and beyond the structure and have an aesthetic appeal. Project examples from diverse communities demonstrate the myriad means available to creative practitioners for addressing safety and comfort issues, including poor lighting, water drainage problems, uneven sidewalks and general deterioration of the underpass structure.

The restoration of the Craiglinn underpass, a project commissioned by North Lanarkshire Council and designed by Bigg Design and Zero-Waste Design, aimed to rejuvenate a structure that serves as a key route to St. Maurice’s High School. The designers collaborated with students and members of the local community to develop a unique solution with minimal energy use and low maintenance costs. Murals on the wall celebrate scenes from the local area, while dynamic LED lighting slowly changes color according to the time of day. “LED lighting technology liberates us to create spectacular effects with minimal energy use, great product lifespan, minimal maintenance, and the flexibility to control the lights to meet and even exceed our artistic vision,” Bigg said.

GALLERY 51

Gregg Adams of Clanton & Associates took a different approach to relight the artwork along the walls of the Euclid connector under a major road in Boulder, Colorado, USA. He selected light fixtures with an asymmetric light distribution to evenly light the entire bas relief. Pedestrians are drawn into the space by the vertical light, which also provides even illumination within the tunnel. In addition to enhancing safety, lighting installations can create new experiences in overlooked spaces. LITE, an architectural lighting firm, and Capita, a professional management and service solutions provider, partnered with local electrical contracting group Miltech to revitalize the Oxford Road Underpass in Workington,

52 GALLERY

England in 2009. They used a programm able LED lighting system to reposition the passageway as a beacon of vitality. The solution has not only reinvigorated the tunnel and established a new town landmark but also enabled significant savings, with annual energy and maintenance costs decreasing by 45% compared to the previous system. Collaborating with artists to achieve more holistic and engaging solutions has inspired many communities, including the city of Emmen, in the Dutch province of Drenthe. Artist Titia Ex based her project Dolmen Light on “The Gold of Drenthe,” a reference to the town’s earliest history. The site connects the center of the town with Emmen Zoo, a key civic institution

in the city. The light program in the tunnel is adapted to the speed of cars which take about 70 seconds to pass through the tunnel at 50 km/h. The light sculpture plays dynamic and gradually changing video content inspired by biological phenomena and the animals in the nearby zoo. Like Emmen, Southwark Council on the South Bank in London refreshed its Victorian elevated railroad arcades with bespoke artistic guidance. Clink Street Tunnel near the Tate Modern art gallery further reinforced the contemporary artsfocused character of the neighborhood. Much of the project’s success hinges on artists’ ability to navigate the balance between functional lighting and the psychological and social experience

LightRails, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Artist: Bill FitzGibbons

of the space, especially at different times of the day and night. “Let’s seek to engage the interplay between psychological states, the whisper of fear, unease, or even delight and the realities of the communities into which it is being introduced,” said Linnaea Tillett, environmental psychologist and lighting designer. Light can improve pedestrian underpasses by shortening perceived and real distances and lowering barriers between different neighborhoods. As more cities seek to promote economic activity around the clock, the link can be made between lighting these dark spaces and the socioeconomic wellbeing of the community. Greensboro, North Carolina is a lively business, cultural, and historic destination.

However, a lack of development in pedestrian networks between the downtown and surrounding areas to the south curtails further growth. The Downtown Greenway Project was conceived as a way to redevelop Greensboro’s city center, as well as to create better connections to the diverse neighborhoods that surround it. Designers Jim Gallucci and Scott Richardson designed iron gates, modeled on the Art Deco style of architectural features found on a nearby structure, in order to decorate an abandoned railroad underpass that had not been used since the 1970s. The Over.Under.Pass is illuminated by interactive LED lights, which are triggered by motion sensors

when pedestrians, runners, or cyclists pass by. Interaction designers like Jason Bruges are experimenting with these dynamic systems in public space, such as in his Shortcut project for Dover Yard in London. Rather than simply turning on abruptly, the lights trigger a moving pattern ahead of the pedestrian. There are parallels to Greensboro in the way that REV Birmingham, a revitalization group in Alabama, and the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham led a renewal program that uses lighting as a connective thread through key pedestrian routes. Bill Fitzgibbons’ lighting installation, LightRails, in Birmingham’s 18th Street railroad underpass connects two major areas of the city, the Parks

GALLERY 53

District and the city center. “Projects [like this], across many cities, demonstrate that the creative economy which produces things such as public art has a direct influence on how citizens feel about those urban areas,” Fitzgibbon said. “When you do this, you start attracting residential activity, that attracts restaurants and retail, and then the urban center becomes an exciting vibrant place where people want to live.” Since its installation in 2013, LightRails has attracted residents and visitors to the downtown area and new park. LightRails and many other examples are conceived with community-oriented goals in mind to knit neighborhoods together

54 GALLERY

Above: Clink Street, London, United Kingdom Lighting design: Yann Guenancia and Chris Page, Halo Lighting Lighting solutions: Architainment Lighting Right: Oxford Road underpass, Workington, United Kingdom Lighting Design: Ian Harker and Capita Installation: Miltech Far right: This Way, Brooklyn Bridge underpass art installation, New York, USA Lighting design: Linnaea Tillett

and enhance citizens’ quality of life. Groups like the Social Light Movement have been working to engage communities in participatory design efforts to raise their awareness of lighting and its transformative potential. Their efforts also provide a vehicle for engaging with diverse stakeholders when larger development projects are under review. One thing is clear: these projects are most successful when they emerge from strong cooperation between citizens, engineers, designers, and municipalities.

Websites www.biggdesign.co.uk www.billfitzgibbons.com www.clantonassociates.com www.halo.co.uk www.sociallightmovement.com www.tillettlighting.com www.titiaex.nl

city.people.light award contest 2015

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winner?

Submit your urban lighting project now to join the 13th international city. people.light award competition and win â&#x201A;Ź 10,000. You can submit your project by completing the entry form on our website (scan the QR code).

The international city.people.light award was set up in 2003 by Philips Lighting and the Lighting Urban Community International association (LUCI). It rewards cities and villages that best demonstrate the added value that lighting give to improve urban, social and economic development, while at the same time respecting the environment. Three projects will be awarded during the annual LUCI meeting, which takes place in Helsinki in Finland. The winning project will receive the first prize award and â&#x201A;Ź 10,000. Do you have a winning lighting project? Go online and join the contest. The contest is open from 1 March till 12 June 2015.

Leipzig, Germany Winner city.people.light award 2014 The award ceremony takes place in Helsinki, during the Annual LUCI meeting at 25 September 2015.

city.people.light

award 2015