051 DAYLIGHT THINKING Arup was responsible for the daylighting and early integration of the artificial lighting design...
The original design of the Rijksmuseum by Pierre Cuypers relied heavily on daylight, with generous rooflights and tall windows providing illumination to the primary display galleries. But during the 20th century the skylights were increasingly seen as problematic due to overheating and water ingress, and conservation concerns regarding high light and UV levels in some spaces. Many skylights were partially or fully covered. The major refurbishment that began in 2003 offered an opportunity to address these issues in a holistic manner. In 2005, Arup was commissioned for both daylighting and electric lighting design service for the Rijksmuseum. Collaborating closely with Cruz y Ortiz, Arup developed a lighting vision and concept based on an integrated daylight/electric lighting approach after drawing up a detailed design brief with the client in 2005 for the exhibition spaces and the courtyards.
The gallery exhibition electric lighting design was further developed collaboratively by Philips Lighting and BeersNielsen, working together with Bronnenberg engineers for the detailing of the suspended light racks after a design by exhibition architects Wilmotte & Associés
DAYLIGHTING
The lighting design team analysed the expected daylight levels and determined the various options for maintaining appropriate vertical and horizontal illuminance levels in the galleries as daylight varies through the year. This was done by comparing static and adjustable window and skylight treatments, with the aim of avoiding over-exposure from natural light throughout the year but also maximising the daylight experience in the spaces, and then studying, together with the architectural and restoration team, how this could be best achieved within each space.
THE GALLERIES On the upper floor, daylight is admitted through laylights in the ceilings and transparent skylight sections in the roofs. New climate control systems have been introduced within many of these loft spaces to
improve the stability of temperature and humidity within the galleries. To determine the effect of this on the galleries beneath, the uniformity of the daylight on the glass of the laylights was analysed; various options were studied by the use of scale models, and visualised and calculated using Radiance raytracing software.
The final solution consisted of replacing the glazing of the horizontal laylights above the galleries and the skylights in the roof above, and fitting the skylights with adjustable louvres on the interior, which are set four times a year in line with seasonal daylight availability. In the cavity between the laylights and the skylights, fluorescent lighting fixtures were mounted to ensure an even light distribution and the required light levels when there is insufficient daylight; these luminaires are linked to a daylight sensor. The result is gallery spaces with homogenous light flowing in from above.
The museum’s requirement for ever more wall space for the artworks resulted in the vertical windows on the intermediate and ground levels being maintained only at crucial viewing points from the building to the outside or across the courtyards, with other windows being closed and used as surfaces for hanging paintings or exhibiting other artwork. As a result, daylight came to play only a minor role in lighting these spaces, and electric light was the main focus. With the renovation, the original vaulted ceilings in the galleries were again exposed, and the electric lighting had to be designed to align with this restored architectural expression. In early discussions between Arup, the museum and the exhibition designers Wilmotte, it was decided to have a suspended rack system for the lighting, which was later designed and detailed by Wilmotte, Bronnenberg and Philips Lighting. The indirect lighting in the rack accentuates the vaulted spaces and creates a homogenous, shadow-free, overall illumination. On the undersides of the racks, individual spotlights are mounted to illuminate the various art objects. For the upper galleries the electric lighting supplied by the fluorescent lighting behind the laylights is integrated with
recessed tracks along the edge and in the centre of the laylights. These three tracks allow for flexible fixture mounting and ensure that the correct angles for lighting the artworks can be achieved.
The display case design created by Wilmotte does not include integrated lighting, but relies on the artworks in the cases being lit from the rack and track systems above. To facilitate this, the cases had to be designed to be as transparent as possible, with special non-reflective glass. The display cases in the Asian Pavilion do have integrated lighting with a diffused glass top that makes the edges disappear.
COURTYARDS
In the courtyards, daylight was less critical in terms of conservation, as no light-sensitive artwork is present; here the focus was on creating attractive environments for both visitors and employees, as the courtyards contain the entrance halls, visitor information booths, ticket sales, ticket control, and similar functions.
During the day the courtyards receive ample daylight through the skylights, which was demonstrated by the corresponding daylight factor calculations. At night the challenge was to incorporate electric lighting, but discretely, in a way that enhanced the attractive setting but without damage to the original façades. The solution was to integrate the lighting in the large suspended architectural objects – chandeliers; that combine acoustic and lighting in one element. The chandeliers are made of vertical acoustic panels and their design was adapted to incorporate small uplight fixtures to create a large glowing volume at night. The spotlights concealed in the underside of the structure provide lighting down onto steps, counters and the courtyard space in general. The connection between the courtyard underneath the central entrance houses the coat check and the ticket office is lit using recessed architectural lines of light that accentuate the connection between the two courtyards, turning this relatively low space into a comfortable area to be in.
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