Designed by renowned architectural practice, Grimshaw, with additional engineering support from Arup, the 230m bridge is divided into several distinct parts, including two dark grey steel sections that span the railway lines plus stairs and a lightweight step-free ramp on each side. The whole structure has been unified with continuous orange flooring to create a bold statement and a unique identity.

Lighting was a key aspect of the bridge’s construction, with a particular focus on safety, security, and accessibility. The design called for a discreet handrail solution to illuminate the floor deck while also supporting users with limited mobility. Additional lighting was also specified to enhance the surrounding public spaces.

Leading M&E consultants, Vitec, were appointed to oversee the lighting and approached DW Windsor to fulfil key elements of the scheme’s design.

To satisfy the brief, DW Windsor supplied products from its award-winning Garda® illuminated handrail range, adapted to suit the project’s unique requirements. For the ramps and stairs, nearly 500m of seamless stainless-steel handrail was installed, fitted with 300mm Garda Classic asymmetric modules. Special attention was paid to how the handrail attached to the balustrade fins, which had pre-drilled holes, meaning a lot of coordination between all parties was needed to ensure everything fitted together on site without modification.

For the main bridge deck, where handrail could not be used for safety reasons, an alternative approach was required. To overcome this challenge, DW Windsor developed a bespoke solution, integrating Garda LED modules directly into the two parapet structures slotted between the vertical ribs. Additional lighting was also supplied for the central section between these structures where, again, handrails could not be used. Here, the designers came up with an innovative solution to vertically mount recessed Ligman Lightalk luminaires between the balustrade fins.

To achieve the required light levels, 3,000K LED modules were spaced at approximately 2m across the whole structure. This provided a consistent appearance and ensured the scheme delivered an average maintained illuminance of 30 lux and a minimum uniformity of 0.5 to comply with British Standards.

Discussing the installation, David Anstee, Technical Manager at DW Windsor, said, “This was a very large project, requiring a lot of coordination, particularly for the handrail, which had hundreds of touch points. Additionally, the power supplies needed to be in one location, meaning a lot of planning was needed to calculate circuit loads and voltage drop to ensure the lighting would operate as intended. This included planning all of the cable routing and ducting which had to be built into the bridge structure.”

In addition to the bridge lighting, the brief specified that lighting should be integrated into the hard landscaping beneath each ramp, which has been styled into amphitheatre-like areas. To support this, DW Windsor supplied sections of its Vaio linear system, which were recessed horizontally into the granite seating around the perimeter. This offered a point of focus for users while also providing low-level lighting to guide people into the space. Additional Ligman uplighters were also installed into the planters to illuminate the ramp soffits and vertical supports, enhancing the general ambience of the space while having minimal impact on the surrounding areas.

Shaun Davies, Project Engineer at Vitec, commented, “The Newport Station bridge provides residents and visitors to the area with a safer, more accessible link over the mainline railway. With its distinctive design and discreet lighting scheme, the new bridge has helped to transform a neglected area into a vibrant public space.”

Project credits

Client: Newport City Council/Network Rail.

Specifiers/Designers: Vitec.

Main Builders: Alun Griffiths.

Electrical Installation: Gee Communications.

Structure Design: Grimshaw Architects.

Structure Engineer: Arup.

The post Newport Railway bridge development brought to life by DW Windsor lighting solutions appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The Vienna Philharmonic invited audiences to the open-air Sommernachtskonzert (Summer Night Concert) for the 20th time this year – and a massive 50,000 spectators didn’t need to be asked twice. In addition, the free concert – one of Austria’s largest classical music events, set against the backdrop of the impressive Schönbrunn Palace – was set for broadcast in over 80 countries.

The Sommernachtskonzert has become an established tradition and for many Viennese it is impossible to imagine life without it. Lighting designer Jerry Appelt has emphasised in the past how much this concert means to him. Therefore, he and his team continue their work – and at the same time have created new highlights in the production, thanks to the help of some new GLP devices.

The GLP impression S350 Wash has been used for orchestra lighting for several years; this year 76 of the fixtures were deployed. The devices “impress with the lighting quality required by production for TV applications,” explains Appelt. “In addition, the light weight of these spots is an advantage, given the limited load-bearing capacity of the stage roof. That’s why they are an integral part of the lighting design at the Summer Night Concert.”

GLP’s impression X5 LED washlights have also been used for orchestra lighting for the past two years. As with all spotlights in the stage roof, the comparatively low weight also plays a role here. Sixty-one impression X5 Wash were part of this year’s lighting design.
However, 54 of the new, weatherproof GLP impression X5 IP Maxx were used for the first time, providing column lighting on the magnificent façade of Schönbrunn Palace. The impression X5 IP Maxx represents the much-praised colour quality of the X5 Series with an even higher output. The lighting designer favoured the new model in this application primarily for the “brilliant colours and the IP65 protection, which made it possible to forego additional rain protection in front of the historic facade”, he explains.

With 12 FUSION Creos, a completely new model also made its debut at the Summer Night Concert. The tiltable LED washlight with 18 40W RGBL LEDs, arranged in three lines, functions both as a single device and in combination with several other fixtures to create an overpowering LED bar. During the Summer Night Concert, all 12 devices were used on the Gloriette, which is around a kilometre from the palace, and is often seen by the TV cameras.

“The Creos impressed us both as architectural lighting and as single camera lighters,” says Appelt.

For the first time, the designer also used 52 of the ultra-compact and weatherproof (IP65) FUSION X-PAR 8Z LED PARs with zoom from FUSION by GLP to illuminate various statues in the extensive palace park. “The statues in the park were presented as decentralised highlights, concealing the necessary lighting technology in the foreground. The X-PAR 8Z can be used extremely effectively as small, inconspicuous uplights,” he explains. “They also have a very good zoom range for such a compact device in this performance class.”

Jerry Appelt’s design team additionally used eight GLP ArenaLED1 Touring for the ambient lighting at the Gloriette, which “were somewhat misused in this role, as they are actually arena floodlights, but nevertheless did a good job and were also very acceptable outdoor floodlights. We’re looking forward to actually using the fixtures in an arena context,” says the designer.

When a torrential thunderstorm began on the day of the dress rehearsal, the IP-certified fixtures from GLP demonstrated their reliability even under the presence of such heavy rain.

Finally, Jerry Appelt thanks the organisers of the event, as well as the Philharmonic Orchestra: “My team and I always look forward to the Summer Night Concert. This is not only due to the wonderful music in the unique open-air atmosphere, but especially to the constructive collaboration with the Vienna Philharmonic. In particular we thank Johannes Schneider, as our contact person, as well as the organisers, Anneliese Pontiller and Zigo Mutschlechner, who help make the Summer Night Concert a local highlight as well as a cultural export hit.” Appelt also thanks the ORF (the Austrian Broadcast Corporation), and particularly Roberto Berkembrock, for the close cooperation.

Photo credit: Jack Langer.

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WITTCHEN, renowned for its exclusive leather clothing, accessories, and suitcases, operates its headquarters and distribution centre from Palmiry, near Warsaw. Committed to creating a comfortable, inspiring workplace and reducing CO₂ emissions, WITTCHEN undertook a comprehensive modernisation of its lighting systems, turning to TRILUX for its expertise.

The collaboration commenced in 2017 with TRILUX developing a bespoke lighting concept for WITTCHEN’s new 3,000-square-metre office building and outlet. Prioritising high lighting quality for employee well-being and safety, aesthetic luminaire design and high energy efficiency, TRILUX installed 544 lighting solutions. This included the award-winning SOLVAN FLOW pendant luminaires, enhancing the office’s interior elegance, and 60 CANILO track spotlights, showcasing WITTCHEN’s luxury products in the outlet.

Following the successful office project, TRILUX extended its involvement to WITTCHEN’s logistics centre, installing nearly 300 E-LINE NEXT LED continuous line luminaires across the new 8,500-square-metre facility. With an energy efficiency of up to 190 lm/W and a lifespan of 70,000 hours, these lights ensure consistently low operating costs and exceptional lighting quality. For the warehouse refurbishment, TRILUX provided a combination of E-LINE NEXT LED, MIRONA FIT LED high-bay luminaires, and DEVEO FIT LED moisture-proof luminaires, all managed via the TRILUX LIVELINK light management system.

“Throughout the various project phases, we consistently addressed challenges and met WITTCHEN’s needs with solutions that offered long-term investment value,” said Marcin Szymanski, Project Manager at TRILUX.

Modernising the warehouse lighting and implementing a light management system significantly improved lighting quality and reduced electricity consumption by 120 MWh per year. This efficiency led to WITTCHEN receiving Energy Savings Certificates, accelerating the return on investment. Additionally, the reduction in peak power consumption enabled the installation of a dedicated electric vehicle charging station on the company premises for public use.

Hubert Pienkowski of WITTCHEN commented, “As demanding customers, we value the quality of the products and services we receive. In evaluating potential lighting suppliers, TRILUX met our expectations with its product quality, punctual delivery, competitive prices, and technical support.”

The post TRILUX provides high quality lighting solutions for WITTCHEN appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Renaldo specified over 200 Robe moving lights to ensure that the high-energy-high-profile live broadcast on SABC was enjoyed by a massive TV audience as well as several thousand excited music fans catching the action in Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

This year, 19 sizzling hot Awards were presented, with the lifetime achievement award going to Oskido, and multiple live performances followed the Awards, with a full-on festival-style concert offering another glittering line up of Africa’s finest.

Johannesburg-based MGG Productions supplied a full technical, structural and set solution and Renaldo collaborated closely with MGG’s technical stylist and project manager, Tamsyn Strydom, to imagine an epic production design for their client, the agency Dzinge Productions.

This year’s Metro Awards theme ‘Black to the Future’ offered plenty of creative scope.

Tamsyn and Renaldo received a brief from their client, Shandu Nesengani MD of Dzinge Productions, regarding the look and aesthetic he wanted to achieve, which was slick and futuristic.

They proposed a series of complementary geometric shapes created with LED video elements which set the architectural parameters and assisted the narratives by showing tailored content, and the set developed from that base idea.

When it came to lighting, Renaldo has always been a big fan of Robe products and like many in South Africa, he’s grown up with the brand which has had a strong presence thanks to the proactivity and hard work of distributor, DWR Distribution.

“We needed bright fixtures to punch through the numerous LED screens, and feature-rich lights with multiple options to keep the energy pumping and ensure that all the segments looked different and distinctive,” he explained.

Shandu was keen on having a progressive and unique portal appearance, so Tamsyn and Renaldo created several different ‘worlds’ within their defined stage space and decided on the very ‘technical’ look for the broadcast space.

Three double-sided triangular screens were flown above mid-stage, and upstage at the back was a masked semi-circular screen. An array of 5 x different sized LED columns were hung on both sides of the stage at different heights, and all the surfaces were of different pitches for added texturing.

Having worked on several projects with MGG, Renaldo knows their inventory which includes hundreds of Robe products purchased via steady investment over the years.

He started with key lighting.

“I knew that ESPRITES were available and that was great for quality light output, intensity and power, plus the excellent shuttering system, all of which were exactly what I needed,” he commented.

Twenty-eight ESPRITES were dotted around the overhead trusses.

Renaldo then chose Robe BMFLs – a combination of Blades, WashBeams and Spots – for his secondary keys and specials – utilising 38 BMFL fixtures in total. “BMFL is still one of my favourite moving lights,” he enthused.

Once the screens were all in place, the lighting positions were calculated so the ESPRITES and BMFLs could light from behind or across the whole set, and also function well for additional effects and looks capturing the action.

They specifically paid attention to multiple camera angles and how to fill the back-of-shots with both lighting and video, explained Renaldo, “We focussed on creating big, beautiful production shots and close up detailing, taking inspiration from broadcast and live show production visuals.”

Renaldo worked in tandem with Watchout operator Dylan Findlay who was outputting all the screens content, which was mostly supplied by the producers, to make sure that lighting would support or contrast the video content at any given moment.

He chose Robe’s Spiider for his primary wash lights: “They are reliable and predictable in terms of lighting characteristics, so overall great fixtures!”  As they can be pixel mapped, he could programme and run corresponding sequences to match with the video effects at specific times.

In between the triangular screens were lighting ladders rigged with 16 MegaPointes and 24 Pointes which enabled an abundance of different scenes, looks that transformed the stage and set looks. They were positioned at different heights to enhance the depth of the whole space.

“I programmed a number of different layers of lighting that I could grab and mix into the bigger pictures, and into the large production scenes, some of which I needed to create on the fly,” he stated, alluding to the pressure and fast pace of this broadcast.

For set and performer dressing, 20 Robe Tetra2 moving LED battens were deployed on the floor and these helped merge the stage with the LED screens. The pixel map-ability of the Tetra2s helped this plan, and Renaldo ensured that there was always some content running through the Tetra2s even if extremely subtle.

“They really pack a punch and are also great as side lights,” he commented.

Thirty-six LEDBeam 350s lined the two ramps, grouped in clusters of three and on the deck for dressing. “I needed something small and unobtrusive that could be tucked in amongst the presenters and guests.”

The lighting was designed and programmed so all angles were covered with plenty of movement, colour changing and other kinetic effects for the camera positions to feast on.

Another major objective was to ensure that the long shots really captured the scale and stature of the stage and the substance and impact of the design. “It’s an outdoor stadium show, and it needed to have that grand sense of occasion,” underlines Renaldo, adding, “All these Robe products worked brilliantly in helping to achieve this goal.”

While Robe moving lights were the main fixtures, the rig which also had some strobes, moles and other linear LED battens, adding up to a total of 40 DMX universes running via a grandMA full-size console.

The challenge was balancing all the design elements that were technically driven by it being a large broadcast event in a dynamic live show environment … that needed to be controlled enough to work for TV.

“It was all about finding equilibrium between the live, live broadcast and staging in a big outdoor venue element,” concluded Tamsyn. “I wanted an impressive overall look that translated for all media, and that also worked when cutting to close ups and SFX,” for which she and Renaldo worked closely with camera director Leticia Masina and the team from the SABC.

On site, the lighting team was co-ordinated by MGG crew chief Lefeti Kambile who did a fantastic job of ensuring that the build process was efficient and well organised.

All of this great teamwork brought spectacular results and another Metro FM Awards show for everyone to remember.

Photos: Siphiwe Mhlambi.

The post Robe for the 2024 Metro FM Awards appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The guide outlines the critical role that commercial LED lighting can play in helping educational establishments significantly reduce energy costs and their carbon footprint, whilst also creating the optimal learning environment for pupils and staff.

Phil Brown, Product and Marketing Director at NVC Lighting, said: “The education sector is a dynamic and demanding environment, with many different activities taking place under one roof, each of which will have their own lighting needs and requirements.

The choice of lighting is therefore critical in not only creating the right learning conditions to help improve student performance, safety, and well-being, but also to help address rising energy costs and enhance sustainability credentials.

Our new ‘Lighting in Education’ guide has been launched to help support those who are responsible for the specification of lighting within an educational establishment The brochure includes compliance and the best solutions for inside a facility, like classrooms, sports halls, corridors and outside spaces, like car parks and paths.  It also covers the importance of emergency LED lighting and how this should be fully integrated into a building’s management system if a crisis occurs.”

NVC Lighting offers schools and colleges a complete end-to-end service, from site surveys and assessments, right through to technical support and design services.  The company’s LED lighting solutions are high quality, easy to install and maintain, and can be integrated with smart lighting control technology to maximise energy savings and positively impact student and staff performance.

The new guide also covers off the importance of tackling glare, which can significantly hinder a student’s ability to see their teacher or the board clearly, whilst also disrupting a teacher’s ability to make eye contact with pupils.

“All NVC products are UGR (glare) compliant to create the best learning environment,” continued Phil. “In addition, all our products come with a customer-centric seven-year warranty as standard, for complete peace of mind.”

Download a copy of NVC Lighting’s ‘Lighting in Education’ guide here.

The post NVC Lighting launches new ‘Lighting in Education’ guide appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The opera house has a colourful and varied history and was originally built and opened as an equestrian sports hall in 1915. It went through various other iterations, and the first opera was performed there in 1950, and since then the building has undergone several renovations.  While the cosy 476 capacity makes it Poland’s smallest opera hall, The Baltic Opera has a formidable reputation for excellence, high production values and world class performances.

Lighting specialist Marek Lebida has been working full time at the Opera since the Robe fixtures arrived last year, supplied by Robe’s Polish distributor Prolight, and delivered via their local partner, Gdansk-based Grupa Profit.

Marek was inspired to make entertainment his career by his father who worked as a lighting master at this same Opera House, however he started on the other side of the stage as a ballet dancer! He used to dance in the Opera House when at school, so joining the team was like a homecoming. Immediately before then, he worked on shows and live events for a local rental company and as a freelance lighting designer and director.

Baltic Opera is a producing house with its own company (opera singers and ballet dancers) and orchestra, staging around 10 shows a month, primarily opera and ballet, of which four will usually be new works and the rest revivals. They also stage special performances for occasions like New Year.

Before the new Robe luminaires arrived, there were other moving lights in the house, explained Baltic Opera’s head of technical, Krzystof Materny, but these were getting old and unreliable. During Covid, they started thinking about ways to reduce power consumption – with a goal of using 20 – 30 percent less – part of which would be achieved by steadily transitioning to more LED lighting fixtures in the house rig.

The decision to purchase the Robe luminaires followed a demonstration by Prolight and consultations with some of their regular lighting designers including Marek as he had specified Robe regularly for multiple projects as a freelance LD.

Several others working at the Opera had also used Robe when they rented in additional fixtures as needed for shows, so all were aware that their own lighting needed to be updated and the time was right for a change.

The TX1 Posi Profile’s CRI was crucial in the choice, stated Marek, to get those nice natural flesh tones. “We set up real-life stage tests and compared the skin tones of the TX1s with some other products including the Opera’s existing profile moving lights, and the TX1 just killed it!”

“There was really no comparison! So, after that everyone was convinced we were making the right decision,” confirmed Marek. He noted that even the more traditional ‘tungsten warrior’ lighting professionals working at the opera … saw that these LED fixtures looked fantastic!

Marek admits that on one show he was watching where he saw the light source but not the device and thought it must be a tungsten fixture, so authentic is the emulation!

The decision to purchase was made by a team of five including Krzystof and Baltic Opera technical director, Magda Zablotny.

In addition to all the creative and technical reasons for choosing Robe, they were also reassured by Warsaw-based Prolight’s great industry-wide reputation, so were confident that the all-important support would be there whenever needed.

Designed to operate as a full moving head or a static but repositionable profile, the TX1 PosiProfile can also function in extremely confined spaces where crew access is problematic or where movement options are limited or not required as it doesn’t physically move during pre-use calibration.

With the TX1s now installed on four house bars over the stage with two on the floor, it has made a massive difference to how shows can be lit, bringing a new vibrance and vitality to the stage and dramatically increasing the audience experience for all productions.

Lighting for most of the opera productions is designed by in-house LD Maciej Kaczerski, and Marek Lebida lights all the special shows, concerts and one offs.

The four PAINTES are fitted into two recesses either side of the auditorium and are used for front cross lighting, replacing the previous spot moving lights in the same positions. They are seriously quieter than the old fixtures, which is always a bonus for opera and ballet performances where audiences tend to be extremely conscious of ambient noise… which they rarely tolerate!

Photo by Krzysztof Mystkowsk.

The post Robe makes a positive impression at the Baltic Opera Gdansk appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Joe Murray is also a founding director, and they and the team are all big fans of Astera, having first started hearing about the brand a few years back when the neon lighting look was very popular in Australia.

The first Astera products to arrive at Sightline were AX1 PixelTubes that joined the inventory in 2019, a figure that’s now jumped to over 50 fixtures.

In addition to these, they also have AX2 LED battens, AX3 LiteDrops, AX5 TriplePARs, AX9 PowerPARs, as well as the 2 metre Hyperion Tubes and the half metre Helios Tubes, totalling over 200 Astera battery-powered LED products.

These have become invaluable for all types of event scenarios and the continuing commitment has recently seen 2 cases (16 total) of AX3 LightDrops added to stock – joining 80 domes for the AX5s which can be used as set enhancements. They are now looking at Astera’s Fresnel series.

Sightline’s biggest project to date using Astera involved over 200 AX1 tubes that lined an interactive entrance tunnel to an event for software and graphics brand Canva, at The Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Technically Directed by Sightline’s Kim Louey-Gung.

AX1 tubes were also used for the Netflix season launch of the newest Stranger Things series where they – together with other Astera fixtures – help to create an actual “upside down world”.

It’s almost become an in-joke at Sightline in terms of how often AX1s are used, as Astera products are perfect for so many applications and as ultimately useful creative tools, frequently requested on different jobs.

The Sightline team feels the tubes in particular are a brilliant ‘gap filler’ for streamed shows or presentations with cameras and is impressed with the selection of rigging and mounting accessories that come with an Astera package making the lights “super quick and convenient” to deploy pretty much anywhere.

AX3s are super-handy and were recently used on a corporate event fitted to the top of a set piece due to their tiny size, and they are regularly dropped into stage as they are so easily concealed yet have great visual impact.

“Being able to use this many battery-powered fixtures on a show, event or stage set is amazing and so practical… allowing for quick and cable-free looks,” explained Joe.

Mostly the Sightline crew will use the Astera App on an iPad for controlling the fixtures.

The quality of the light output from all the different Astera luminaires “is excellent” notes Adriano, especially the AX5s and AX9s which are frequently used for set and key lighting on stage and in studios. They appreciate the colours, especially the pastels and the warm whites and AX9s can produce an excellent stage wash.

“The batteries will last all day, so combined with the very organic look that blends in so well, the accessibility and incredible versatility of the luminaires – they are good for anywhere and everywhere,” says Adriano.

When LDs, lighting directors, operators or clients know that a company has Astera onboard, “everyone takes you seriously – the name has proper kudos and industry standard status,” he enthused.

On average, Sightline will supply equipment to around 30 projects a month of different sizes, often including the lighting design, and Astera fixtures will invariably be somewhere on the event.

A vital element of investment in any kit is the service expected from the supplier, and Astera’s Australia and New Zealand distributor ULA Group is “second to none. For any busy rental/production company, knowing you have great service, support and backup when needed is all important,” Adriano concluded.

They look forward to continuing their symbiotic relationship with Astera.

Photos courtesy of Sightline. Canva Create. – Produced by The Event Room. Netflix Stranger Things Launch – Produced by INVNT.

The post Sightline Productions keeps Astera in sight appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Kathy & Stella arrives in London following its previous sell-out runs in Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol. Peter describes it as ‘a big, fun, in-your-face musical that’s packed with comedy and colour. It’s busy and fast and the pace and tempo just keeps increasing as the night goes on!”. Being a comedy, a musical and a whodunit, the show covers a variety of genres – all of which Peter had to encompass into his lighting design. He explains: “The lighting works very hard to support the fast-paced storytelling, which features numerous musical numbers which each have their own identity and aesthetic. On top of that, the lighting has almost empathetic qualities, moving with the characters ebb and flow of energy during certain moments. My challenge was to hit all of these emotive and technical briefs yet do so within the contained, boxed-in nature of the set”.

Prior to its transfer to the West End, the show, naturally, underwent several changes, from its original staging through to now. However, it would need to continue changing when it eventually arrived in the capital. Peter states: “The main challenge for us was trying to fit the show into The Ambassador’s which is by far our smallest theatre to date! This took a lot of close work across departments and the theatre to ensure everything could fit. Safe to say the theatre is full, wall to wall, top to bottom. We’ve even removed the theatres’ equipment substage and stored it off site to make space for racks and follow spot controllers”.

This confined space meant that Peter had to be meticulous with his lighting design and find new solutions to be both creative yet practical – which is where the Macula system came into play. Macula is a fixture-agnostic remote-controlled followspot system, offering unprecedented performance thanks to its incredibly high-resolution fluid head and simple, yet powerful, software control. Perfect for venues in which traditional followspot solutions just aren’t feasible, it gives users the organic feel of handling a followspot and is compatible with numerous manufacturers’ fixtures.

He comments: “Previously, we had used traditional follow spots but the limited space within The Ambassadors meant this just wouldn’t be possible. That said, my design utilised the spots, in this case Ayrton Eurus, almost the entire time with many fast moving targets (people whizzing about on modified desk chairs with rollerblade wheels on!) so I had to find some sort of solution to make this work. Whilst it had yet to be used on a West End show, I’d seen the Macula System at various tradeshows before, and so asked WL’s Stuart Porter to arrange a demonstration of the equipment for this production. I was keen to be able to use a fixture of my choice, that would be bright, responsive, stable and have the support to enable a smooth process as we set-up home at the Ambassadors.

He comments: “I’m delighted to say that using the Macula system was a complete success. Once the system was up and running, the operators quickly got their head around it and were using it with complete ease. As we fine-tuned the show, the system itself brought forward some quite interesting revelations. For example, it allowed us to program all the fade ups which resulted in a much smoother pickup rather than the operator trying to control the intensity fader and follow at the same time. Similarly, it also allowed for the (expected) perks of snap blackouts etc. In short, it’s a system which paid dividends on this production and which I would use again a heartbeat”.

Alongside the Macula System, Peter’s rig consisted of SIXPARS, Viper Performances, Auras, ColorSource Spots, various atmospherics and a slew of generics. There is also a significant array of practical lighting, including metres of LED tape, LED pixel festoons, LED neons, light boxes, light bulb signs, fake fluorescent fittings, pendants, smaller practical lamps, fairy lights, rope lights, LED tubes, disco lights and mirror balls, custom-commissioned wireless practicals (light up phones and books) as well as a brand new concept in making a light up Laptop (software provided by Doug Finlay).

Peter explains: “The SIXPARs are the DNA of the design, given the whole rig is visible and largely symmetric (by choice). These are most prevalent as a toplight grid which is used for power and impact as well as a plethora of effects and ways of breaking up the space. This logic is repeated in a sidelight system with the high component being Auras which then can do various focuses in the air/stage/house when not resting in a pipe end focus. Mixed in with the high amount of LED sources is a lot of tungsten to cut through it all and just glowing them into the design can really make a costume pop or fill out a picture. I’ve enjoyed pulling at the extremes of a big, strong saturated LED look and then going to a very dim solo tungsten source. The show is ultimately very human and it’s important to me to have that tungsten element firmly in the mix”.

WL’s Hire Business Development Manager Stuart Porter states: “We’re thrilled to be working with Peter on this show – even more so due to the fact that this marks the first time that the Macula System has been used in the West End. As a company, our ethos is to work closely with designers and ensure we provide with them exact tools and technology to bring their design to life – which is exactly what we did on this occasion. Given this initial success, I’m sure the Macula system will now be part of many West End lighting designs moving forward”.

Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder! opened at The Ambassador’s Theatre last week and will run until 14^th September 2024.

Photo courtesy of Ellie Kurttz.

The post Kathy & Stella becomes first West End show to use Macula System thanks to White Light appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The client’s decision to invest in the latest sustainable technology (LED) and product reuse which not only hugely reduces the energy (carbon) use within the premises but reduces the extraction from the earth’s crust.

FUTURE Designs have succeeded in winning the contract to adapt circa 6,000 previously supplied luminaires to latest generation LED under their carbon careful™ initiative utilising the existing luminaire carcass.

The energy and carbon savings in the adaptions are circa 61 percent compared to the original fluorescent lighting system and additionally the reuse of the existing luminaire carcasses will save 7.9 tons of mild steel being produced with an immeasurable quantity of carbon saving from extracting precious minerals from the earth’s crust.

This project takes the total of office space reilluminated under the carbon careful™ initiative to over four million sq ft to date.

The post FUTURE Designs carbon careful™ initiative appointed to upgrade fluorescent lighting to LED in 400,000 sq ft London Bridge office complex appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Lighting Designer Tom Kenny utilised Elation lighting for both the indoor and outdoor stages at the 2024 CMT Music Awards earlier this spring. The lighting package, supplied by 4Wall, included PROTEUS EXCALIBUR, ARTISTE MONDRIAN, and DARTZ 360 luminaires, among other fixtures.

Broadcast live from the Moody Center on the University of Texas campus in Austin, performances took place inside and on an outdoor stage in front of the iconic University of Texas Tower. Lighting direction for the indoor show was by Felix Peralta, David “Fuji” Convertino, and Michelle Griesmer, with Han Henze and Matt Piercy handling lighting direction on the outdoor stage. Production design was by Anne Brahic, her 15^th year working the awards show.

Kenny was in his 12^th year designing for the CMTs and his experience and proven approach are integral to the successful team effort. After familiarising himself with the songs, he works closely with the production team regarding camera angles to make sure the lighting looks compelling for the millions of at-home viewers, and after rehearsal time tweaks the lighting to ensure the artist is fully satisfied. Kenny says he strives to make the lighting unique each time, adding drama while staying within the architectural look that Anne Brahic and her team have created. Video, naturally, was a dominant aspect of the look and the designer worked purposefully with color to blend lighting with video, harmonising the LED screens with complementary lighting.

Elation lighting was prominently featured, especially outdoors at the UT Tower stage, where IP65-rated PROTEUS EXCALIBUR beam effects were required to withstand rain while lighting up the entire skyline. “I love these fixtures,” Kenny said, emphasising that the Texas weather was always a factor, making IP fixtures a priority on the outdoor set. He placed the EXCALIBURS upstage on the deck, behind the band. “Their power and luminance had to be dialed back to avoid overwhelming the scene,” he said. “It’s great when a light is already too bright and it’s all up to the designer to correct it.”

Additional to the Elation package were DARTZ 360 LED beam/spot fixtures, small moving heads that feature a tight 3-degree beam. Their compact size and light weight allowed Kenny to position them throughout the house and on the University walls in the outdoor rig. Kenny says the Dean of the University loved how they lit the buildings and foliage, remarking that they even asked for his contact details post-show so they could acknowledge him personally. “It’s always an interesting life being a lighting designer for CMT as they’re always breaking the rules on where a location should be,” Kenny comments. “It’s what makes these shows fan favourites.”

The CMT Music Awards made their return to Austin for a second consecutive year, after more than twenty years in Nashville, fully embracing Texas’s current status as a hotbed of country music. Inside at the main show, Production Designer Anne Brahic highlighted the city of Austin and its Congress Street Bridge with an asymmetrical set that extended to the heights of the venue and into the audience.

To cover the space, a large lighting package was used to light both set and talent, and included Elation’s 51,000-lumen ARTISTE MONDRIAN LED profile fixture. The MONDRIAN, with its strong beam and 7-flag SpectraColor system, were used both in the main show and throughout the outdoor rig at UT tower. “The Mondrians cut through the strong video sources with the strong palettes created by Trevor Burke and Kat Folts,” Kenny remarked.

Onstage, the celebration of country music featured a host of stellar performances that thrilled fans and spanned the breadth of what country music is today. Behind the scenes, a collaborative production team worked tirelessly to ensure another year of success.

Photo: Catherine Powell/Getty Images for CMT.

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