Prize(s) Winners in Landscape Lighting
Company KSLD | ELFA Lighting Design
Lead Designers Ágúst Gunnlaugsson, Lead Lighting Designer; Arnar Leifsson, Senior Lighting Designer ( KSLD | EFLA Lighting Design)
Completion Date June 2017
Project Location Þrengslavegur Road, Suðurland, Iceland
Entry DescriptionRaufarhólshellir is a 1.3km tunnel formed by lava flow 5,600 years ago. The environment within is challenging for lighting and electrical equipment, with temperatures as extreme as outside. Skylights allow rain and snow to fall through; fantastical in the Winter, with ice stalactites and stalagmites carefully illuminated.
The aim was to create an unforgettable visitor experience, develop a strong interaction between contrasts, light and shadow, to intensify the magnificent natural colour palette, and emphasise the geological highlights of the tunnel. The focus was on sensitively guiding visitors without diverting attention from the geological attractions. This was managed with almost no visible lighting equipment or cables. Low light bollards of steel were constructed to rust equally with bridges and platforms.
Increasing the drama, guests are placed in total darkness and silence for one minute; the light returning to illuminate Raufarhólshellir’s geological highlights one by one.
Company DescriptionKSLD was established in 1989, and has built a strong reputation in a wide range of areas over the last three decades. We have an extensive portfolio of award-winning lighting design projects, both locally and internationally.
KSLD joined EFLA Consulting Engineering in November 2018. We are now proud to be KSLD, the EFLA Lighting Design Division. This merger increases the scale of practice and market access throughout the
Nordic region, allowing us to take our lighting design capability to exciting new levels, creating leading-edge solutions in lighting design.
Our lighting designers come from arts, architecture and theatre backgrounds. We deal with light as a design medium, unique in its lack of substance but vital in creating the visual impact of a project.
