CASE STUDIES By Paul Traynor and Arve Olsen
Four case studies from Light Bureau Projects in Denmark, Norway and the UK illustrate both urban and rural approaches to designing with light.
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Musicon Copenhagen, Denmark About 30km from Copenhagen is the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand. In 2003, the municipality bought the former concrete factory and gravel pit, and since then it has developed into a dynamic urban development. Because of its industrial heritage, there was a legacy of old factory buildings, and these attracted curious and creative people to the district. Temporary events and spaces helped to activate Musicon, and early settlers included skaters, artists and a dance theatre. Alongside the re-purposed industrial sites, new buildings are being erected – the most recognisable arguably is the Ragnarock Museum, designed and built for young people, with a huge, cantilevered overhang to give shelter for concerts and events outdoors. There are already skate parks, and as an initiative to encourage cycling and walking between Musicon and the train station, the municipality
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conceived a permanent intervention – one that would really come into its own after dark. The Musicon path, better known as the Pump Track, is a piece of urban landscape with a difference. Central themes in its development were play and learning. The track is undulating, and the lighting concept was based on the flow of water. As water can exist in many different states – calm, agitated, flowing – the Pump Track was designed to react to the user. Based on how fast the rider navigates the track, sensors in the lighting columns pick up the speed and create a coloured light trail; the faster the rider can go, the longer the trail becomes, so encouraging competition between riders and keeping the track interesting. When the track is ‘resting’, the light projection reverts to white light, so after about 10 seconds, the track is again ready for the next attempt. Safety obviously cannot be ignored at the expense of creativity in a public
1. The lighting consists of two layers; the architectural layer in the front (white) and the behavioural layer that emerges behind the cyclist as they ride the track (blue). © Tomasz Majewski / Light Bureau
project, so the concept was supported by 2 principles – or 2 layers. The first is architectural: ensuring that there is sufficient amenity and visibility. The second layer is the behavioural layer: the flowing wave, which is responsible for the playful interaction between user and track. Light Bureau’s Copenhagen office was responsible for the project, working with public artist Simon Panduro. There are 23 projector heads mounted on 7 posts. The heads are finished red and fitted with honeycomb louvres to avoid glare for the users. The sensors are LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) – compact, fast and reliable laser devices – technology that is being used in autonomous vehicles. Different scenarios are programmed, so for special events like the music festival, the lighting can be turned a different colour, controlled via SMS. Vandalism is unfortunately a fact of life,and Musicon has its own share of such problems. But the Pump Track has given local people a preventative diversion in their neighbourhood, and it’s a great example of a city being well connected to its inhabitants.
2. The 90 metre long pump track is a fun ride for all ages. © Tomasz Majewski / Light Bureau
The track is undulating, and the lighting concept was based on the flow of water. 2
