project
“We envisioned an iconic gesture for the exterior nighttime identity, with a continuous, flowing band of radiant light that creates a visual connectivity of the doublehelix ramp and connecting bridge.” Markus Fuerderer, Office for Visual Interaction
radiant in-grade lines of light correspond
by Electrix Illumination to generate a soft light
centre of the helix’s geometry. Zooming in,
reaching up to eight metres in distance.
with the paving pattern that originates at the concealed step lights and under bench lighting details accentuate the stage and steps, while miniature in-grade LED uplights at the base of each vertical structural beam illuminate
the edge of the vertical elements. This serves to generate a subtle visual framework for
the spiralling ribbon, complementing the fluidity of the design and contrasting it
against the nighttime backdrop of the city. One of the most remarkable things about the Meixi Urban Helix is the consistent, uniform lighting across its span. This,
according to Fuerderer, is an integral part of the structure’s design. “A key feature of the
lighting gesture is the continuous appearance of the illuminated, flowing, infinite band of light along the bridge and helix,” he said.
“We designed a miniature linear cove detail at the bottom edge of the sectional profile.
This cove accommodates a high performance linear wash luminaire with optimised optics
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gradient across the entire ramp overhang, “An important visual aspect of this
detail is the shielding: the cove detail is dimensioned to avoid direct views into
the light source, while maintaining the architectural integrity of the design.” OVI’s overriding approach to lighting
design, across an extensive portfolio that
Previous Page While the majority of the lighting is hidden, creating a seamless glow, OVI designed a low-mounted guiding element of sparkle by using miniature marker lights along the inner ramp perimeter, lighting the walkway and intuitively guiding visitors up and down the helix. Top To effectively articulate the project as a flowing, infinite band of light, OVI continuously uplit the helix ramp and bridge surfaces consistently, creating a smooth, balanced illumination. Above OVI worked closely with architects KSP Jürgen Engel Architekten to create a lighting scheme that is a natural extension of the architectural language of the structure.
has seen it work with the likes of Zaha Hadid Architects, Foster + Partners and Grimshaw, is to “reinforce the architectural features and give life to a project ‘after dark’”.
And Fuerderer believes that this philosophy has been met again with the Meixi Urban Helix. “The lighting design should be a natural extension of the architectural
language and we feel that is the case here. “There are so many visitors at night
that we hope we have given them the
opportunity to experience a magical moment when they visit this unique place.” www.oviinc.com
lighting specified Electrix Illumination i402 IP RGBW Filix Step Up Slim Filix RDD 35 Deco Reggiani Linea Luce Slim SDCL Equator 60 Bollard SDCL Mobius 60 In-ground We-ef PFL240 LED We-ef ETC130 LED XAL Stilo 60 Direct