Signify to Illuminate iconic London Bridges
3 min read
London is calling for bridges to be illuminated in a more beautiful manner and has asked the Illuminated River Foundation to handle the task. That task was recently awarded to Signify, which will provide the lighting systems to illuminate the bridges of the River Thames.
Signify, previous known as Philips Lighting, will be using their lighting systems to illuminate up to 15 iconic bridges of London by the year 2022. This contract is once again awarded by the Illuminated River Foundation and it is to make London as one of the most attractive cities in the world. Signify won the contract to supply its Interact Landmark system and Philips Color Kinetics LED luminaires to light up the bridges with dynamic, artistic lighting effects via its centrally managed software. In addition, Signify will provide lifecycle services to remotely monitor and manage the connected bridge lighting for the next 10 years.
This is the first time there has been a holistic strategy to light up all of central London’s bridges. The aim is to create a multi-level visual experience for the bridges viewed by pedestrians on the bridges, from London’s riverbanks, from the air, from tall buildings, and by boat. Illuminated River Foundation ran an international design competition for the lighting design which was won by the acclaimed, international artist, Leo Villareal and London architects, Liftschutz Davidson Sandilands. Following a rigorous evaluation, Signify was awarded the project because of its global breadth and expertise in lighting and ability to deliver such an important, large-scale, connected lighting project. Also, a key factor was Signify’s experience of working with lighting designers and architects on the management of dynamic, architectural lighting scenes.
London’s bridges are world-famous but had become overlooked in terms of their potential to transform our capital city at night. What we are doing now, in partnership with Signify, to transform the bridges and riverfront, is groundbreaking. We are using dynamic, energy-efficient LED lighting for the first time on up to 15 London Bridges with Signify’s Interact Landmark system to create public art on the largest scale ever seen.
– Sarah Gaventa, director, Illuminated River Foundation
Phase one commencing now will see four bridges illuminated by mid-2019 with connected Philips Color Kinetics LED luminaires, featured on the world-famous London Bridge, Canon Street Railway Bridge, Southwark Bridge, and Millennium Bridge. Signify’s Interact Landmark system will remotely monitor and manage the lighting on all four bridges. For the first time, this will see Canon Street Railway Bridge illuminated as well as both the tops and undersides of the other three bridges. This will allow far more extensive, three-dimensional lighting effects to enhance the areas surrounding the bridges and facilitate safety.
Signify is committed to helping cities to develop eco-friendly business and tourist landmarks. An estimated 50-70% of the annual electricity consumption for architectural lighting is saved by moving to connected LED technology compared with conventional lighting.
Being connected, the lighting will be monitored remotely by Interact Landmark. The software will detect and manage faults and perform remote diagnostics and maintenance, improving asset management and thereby reducing costs. On the 15 bridges, there will be more than 13,000 luminaires. These will be controlled individually or centrally to create dynamic, unique scenes. Scenes can be created to mark special occasions such as the birth of a royal baby or an event like New Year’s Eve.
