Prize(s) Winners in Street Lighting Design
Lighting Design/Product Company ENVUE HOMBURG LICHT GMBH
Lead Designers Sascha Homburg, Urs Schreiner, Edgar Hildebrand
Architecture Company Wannenmacher + Möller
Client City of Bielefeld
Photo Credits Nikolai Benner
Other Credits Landscape Architect: Kortemeier Brokmann Landschaftsarchitekten
Completion Date 2023
Project Location Bielefeld
Entry DescriptionJahnplatz is a central urban square and key transportation hub in Bielefeld. As part of the city’s mobility strategy, it was redesigned with a focus on "climate-friendly mobility." Twenty-five unique lights, called "Night Suns," now float above the square, suspended by a complex cable system. Each "Night Sun" is crafted with a multi-layered fiberglass shell, precisely painted to interact with daylight reflections. This shell is supported by a metal structure that houses light sources with various symmetrical and asymmetrical light distributions.
For special events like Bielefeld’s Night Views, the Christmas Market, or the Leineweber Festival, dynamic RGBW lighting illuminates the fiberglass shell, creating vibrant light displays. A combination of direct, indirect, and uniform lighting, different heights, intensities, and distributions, together form a readable, dynamic light structure that enhances orientation and reinforces the square’s identity.
The custom-designed luminaires each have unique light characteristics, making every "Night Sun" one-of-a-kind. Together, they provide finely tuned illumination across different zones of the square. Indirect lighting of the circular structures creates a distinctive nighttime scene, with floating light rings bridging the important axis between the new and old city.
Sustainability ApproachThe fiberglass shells of the lights are durable and long-lasting, minimizing material waste and promoting resource efficiency. Modular metal structures allow for easy maintenance and repair, contributing to a circular economy. Thanks to the flexible and filigree cable system, the luminaires were positioned precisely where needed, maximizing efficiency. This targeted placement ensures that light is only used where it is most effective, significantly enhancing energy efficiency across the square.
