Driver technology fromTridonic illuminates city landmark
The Kapellbrücke is considered the most important historical landmark of the city of Lucerne. To show it in its best light, this gem has been given completely new lighting. State-of-the-art driver technology from Tridonic forms the basis for an extraordinary lighting experience and ensures maximum energy efficiency. Locals and tourists alike benefit from this and can now use this architectural gem as an inviting meeting place in the evening and at night. The Kapellbrücke in Lucerne, Switzerland, is probably the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe. Built in the 14th century, it was originally part of the city’s fortifications. The picture panels, which were added in the 17th century, depict scenes from Swiss and Lucerne history. Today, the Kapellbrücke runs from the new town on the south bank of the River Reuss, past the old water tower, to the Rathausquai in the medieval old town. It is not only considered a tourist attraction in Lucerne, but is also an important part of everyday life for many citizens. Around 14,000 people cross the wooden bridge every day to commute between the new and old towns. Together with the water tower, it characterises the cityscape like no other landmark. However, this important cultural monument has not yet received the attention it deserves, especially in the evening and night hours. Reason: Until recently, there was only interior lighting to guide pedestrians. From the outside, however, the bridge was barely visible in the dark, as both tourism officials and citizens alike complained. For example, the bridge was often perceived as a “black bar” from afar, which did not do justice to the outstanding significance of Lucerne’s landmark.
Lucerne decided to put Kapellbrücke in the right light, bringing its iconic landmark to life even after sunset. The city administration commissioned LG LIGHTGUIDE AG to work with Maréchaux Elektro AG, the Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, and EWL Energie Wasser Luzern to implement a new lighting solution. The experts at LIGHTGUIDE then developed a specially glare-free LED profile light for the exterior and designed a concept for converting the existing interior lighting to modern LED technology. The aim of this ambitious project was to increase the visibility of the bridge and improve the quality of the visitor experience at night by installing the newly developed roof edge lights. It was important that the lighting solution integrated discreetly and seamlessly into the historic surroundings. The implementation had to be carried out in accordance with monument preservation guidelines and in close coordination with the city and partners. Another key requirement was that the new lighting system had to ensure maximum energy efficiency.
To this end, technicians from partner companies installed a total of 418 new, energy-saving lights along the entire length of the bridge on both sides of the roof edge, which illuminate the bridge from the outside, creating an atmospheric effect. The lights have a discreet, unobtrusive design and emit soft light downwards, while the roof surface itself is not illuminated. At the same time, the existing lighting in the interior of the bridge and the gable images was modernized and equipped with energy-saving LED technology. The company LIGHTGUIDE took over the entire lighting design and co-ordination of the project as well as the development and production of the roof edge luminaire. The company Brändi Kriens was responsible for the mechanical production and conversion of the existing interior lights. The on-site installation was carried out by Maréchaux Elektro AG.
Modern system components from Tridonic played an important role in the technical implementation of the lighting solution: The supplier provided powerful compact drivers of the type LC 28/300-700/42 o4a NF SC EXC3 for the conversion of the existing luminaires, as well as additional compact drivers of the type LC 200W 48V one4all NF SC EXC as converters for the roof edge luminaires. In addition, Tridonic supplied flexible, dimmable 48V constant voltage LED strips (SELV) of type LLE FLEX 8 mm 48V 10W 1200lm 927 EXC2 R10 for the new lighting system. Together with the LED profile luminaires developed by LIGHTGUIDE, the components from Tridonic create a particularly atmospheric lighting experience on the Kapellbrücke in Lucerne. This not only enhanced the nighttime effect of the landmark, but also took the energy efficiency of the entire lighting system to a new level: the city administration expects the switch to modern LED technology to result in energy savings of around 13.5 percent—even though significantly more lights are now in use. In addition, the new roof edge lighting can be dimmed flexibly thanks to Tridonic technology, allowing energy consumption to be further reduced by adjusting the settings accordingly. An additional advantage: since light bulbs no longer need to be replaced, maintenance costs are also significantly reduced.
“With the smart comprehensive solution of LED profile lights from LIGHTGUIDE and powerful driver systems from Tridonic, we have given Kapellbrücke a discreet yet effective nightscape that makes the hearts of tourists and locals beat faster. This project is a prime example of how we perfectly combine tradition and state-of-the-art technology,” concludes Ronny Meier.
