Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company Ruairí O'Brien . Lichtdesign
Lead Designers Ruairí O'Brien
Architecture Company humburg architekturbüro, An der Kirche 3, 09569 Oederan
Client City of Flöha / Germany, Building Administration
Photo Credits Peter Fischer, Ruairí O'Brien, Natalie Bleyl
Completion Date 10.04.2025
Project Location Bahnhofstr. 2a 09557 Flöha / Germany
Entry DescriptionThe lighting concept for the historic station concourse in Flöha (Saxony, Germany) combines functional and artistic lighting to create impressive lighting moods with appeal by atmospherically highlighting the impressive architecture of the concourse.The station has been renovated after standing empty for several years. In April this year, it reopened in its new role as a multifunctional art and exhibition hall. The reuse of the existing building is not only removing an eyesore and beautifying the cityscape, but also creating added value for society.
The lighting concept highlights the architectural monument and enables variable lighting for exhibitions, events, and the general traffic safety.
The custom-made LED neon-lines with color control serve as wall-mounted light art and the big window’s wall completes it as architectural light installation with interior and exterior effect. Dynamic colors and scenes can create individual lighting moods, from active daylight or atmospheric warmwhite light to colorful light displays.
The station concourse, which is also one of the program items in Chemnitz 2025–European Capital of Culture, is set to remain a venue for exhibitions and encounters with changing installations and a distinctive nighttime identity beyond the festival year. Flöha Art Station will thus become a lively intersection of mobility, art, and urban life–day and night.
Sustainability ApproachThe approach combines sustainability in various areas: architectural, cultural, social, ecological, and economic.A valuable architectural monument has been saved from decay and given a new highlight with this light installation.The station's revitalization boosts the area's overall appeal and makes using the adjacent rail and bus services a more pleasant and attractive experience. So sustainable public transport also benefits.Socially, this free, barrier-free installation repurposes the historic concourse, enriching the rural area's culture with independent art and raising awareness of local architectural heritage.
The concept uses energy-efficient LED technology with a multi-year lifespan. All components are easily maintainable, and luminance is adjustable and reduced during daytime for optimal efficiency.
This low-cost, low-threshold project creates significant, long-term added value.
