122 LIGHT + TECH
ARTISTIC LIGHT INSTALLATION, ORIENTKAJ STATION, COPENHAGEN LIGHTING DESIGN Light Bureau
Grafting a creative installation on to an ostensibly finished project would seem less than ideal. With tight restrictions on the location of equipment and the lost opportunity to integrate the scheme with the architecture massively constrains the possibilities. Which makes the ingenuity of this solution even more impressive. It is a deceptively simple intervention, the result of consisiderable research and testing, which creates an enormous effect. Orientkaj Station is a new metro station in the northern harbour of Copenhagen, an area currently undergoing significant urban development. By & Havn (City & Harbour) commissioned the site-specific light installation as a permanent feature of the forecourt after the square had been completed and the basic lighting (iGuzzini Woody spotlights on poles) had already been installed. The artistic lighting could only be located on the existing lighting poles (it wasn’t possible to install fixtures on the elevated railway structure or in the finished square surface).
There was also a materials issue. The square is made of cast-in-situ concrete, the surface of which has a subtle, yet complex rippled texture, which disappeared at night due to the high light levels from the spotlights. Light Bureau wanted to reveal the cast finish of the concrete surface by lowering the light level and adding more contrast.
This cluster of challenges led to the idea of a ‘light hack’, adding specially designed reflective and filtering components to the poles, transforming a mundane feature into a sculptural element.
The aim was for an artistic effect during the daytime while creating captivating light patterns in the space at night using the illumination from the existing installation. A series of physical and digital prototypes led to a solution with adjustable reflective laser-cut steel leaves featuring individual themed patterns in six colours. These leaves filter the light downwards on to the square and reflect some of it back on to the elevated railway.
Light Bureau specified all components – necessarily robust given the marine environment – and specially designed the leaves for the project. The leaf structure is made of 3mm saltwater and acid-resistant stainless steel (electro-polished to make it highly reflective and to protect against corrosion and oxidization), while the clear plates are made of moulded acrylic, also resistant to rain and saltwater. The leaves feature four different themes, all reflecting the harbour’s historical function as a freeport: the old timber and cranes in the harbour, the waves and rings in the water, a reference to the ocean, and serving as a metaphor for the journey between the world’s harbours. Different surface characteristics create diverse lighting effects ranging from reflections to a colourful interplay of light and shadow. This also reduces the light intensity on the concrete surface and adds contrast, revealing the fine ripple structure. To remove unwanted spill-light and create well-focused light patterns on the surface, the standard reflectors of the spotlights were painted matt black, which also decreases the discomfort glare when
looking towards the leaves at night. The visual impact on both day and night-time appearance of the square has improved the sense of safety and orientation, and transformed a dull forecourt into an inviting and visually playful urban space.
While the restrictions initially
appeared onerous, it has also led to a more sustainable solution and one which could have wider application in similar situations. ‘The leaf element represents a simple, yet sophisticated way of altering the standard spotlighting for an urban space by both filtering and reflecting the light,’ says Light Bureau. ‘As spotlight solutions are widespread throughout modern cities, it has significant potential as a simple and sustainable add-on without the need for new fixtures and poles or increased energy consumption.’ –
Client: By & Havn (City & Harbour) Architect: COBE
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