Prize(s) Winners in LED Exterior Lighting Design
Company dpa lighting consultants
Lead Designers dpa lighting consultants, Richard Bolt, Partner
Other Designer's names Martin Francis of Francis Design - Outdoor Promenade ‘Illuminated Trees‘ Designer & Conceptor
Client MSC Cruises
Photo Credits Courtesy of MSC Cruises, Photographer: Ivan Sarfatti. Courtesy of Martin Francis, Francis Design
Other Credits Builder - Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France
Completion Date October 2022
Project Location Cruise Ship
Entry DescriptionSwiss-based MSC Cruises’ newest venture comes in the form of this striking 333 metre long, 205,700 gross tonnage, futuristic mega-ship named MSC World Europa. The vessel accommodates up to 6,762 passengers and 2,138 crew over 22 decks and was constructed at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Made up of 58 mega blocks, this ship is an incredible feat of engineering, featuring a ‘wave’ longitudinal profile springing from the arrow-shaped G-bow and a Y-shaped architectural stern with panoramic views, which leads to the 104-metre-long external promenade, showcasing the record-breaking 11-deck high stainless-steel sinuous dry slide, the longest at sea. This creates a spectacular centrepiece in the evening when the ‘illuminated trees’, a stunning configuration of homogenous LED lines which clad the structural steel, introduce an energetic and dynamic component to the drama of this vast outdoor space.
The ‘illuminated tree’ LED lines have a rounded edge profile so as to maximise the lit impact and extent of viewing angles from within the Outdoor Promenade and adjacent cabins, which enjoy a sequenced lighting show during the day and evening. The lighting equipment is neatly integrated within a channel. A secondary layer of smaller ‘illuminated trees’ are designed into the aft elevation, offering a more human scale form to the outer deck.
Sustainability ApproachThis eco-friendly and efficient ship is powered by Liquefied Natural Gas, the cleanest fossil fuel, and connects to shore power, recycles water and dampens propeller noise to avoid upsetting marine life.
The LED lines are made up of RGB pixels + 2700k warm white, with a total connected load of approx. 22w p/m at 480 lumens p/m. The total LED quantity is approx. 2925m, with a total connected load of 64.35kw. The LED lighting is connected to a dynamic DMX lighting control interface, which facilitates a high volume of pre-set lighting programmes which are linked to the theatrical projection lighting systems. The lighting effects are a single static colour when the lighting is not in ‘show’ mode and therefore the power consumption is significantly lower, through the night the LED’s are dimmed to reduce brightness and potential disturbance to the adjacent cabins.
