Facade lighting is part of the architecture
The new Naistenlahti 3 biopower plant was inaugurated in spring 2023. The power plant, originally completed in 1977, was last renovated in 2006, a project that included the implementation of an internationally awarded dynamic lighting scheme. In 2017, the existing lighting technology was refurbished, maintaining the visual identity that had become familiar to city residents and is now a permanent feature of the area’s nighttime landscape.
Info
Type Facade Lighting
Location Tampere
Completion Year 2023
Client Tampereen Energia
The light architecture design for the new Naistenlahti 3 bioheating plant was a collaborative effort by BST-Arkkitehdit Oy and Valoa design Oy. AFRY Finland Oy was responsible for the electrical design, and Tampereen Vera Oy for the electrical contracting. The lighting programming was carried out in collaboration between Valoa design Oy and Sun effects Oy. The client and developer is Tampereen Energia Oy.
Light Architecture
Situated next to new modern residential areas, a lakeside landscape, a spa, and the Särkänniemi amusement park, the power plant stands as a landmark. Its dynamic lighting is integrated into people’s daily lives and serves as a key element of Tampereen Energia’s visual marketing. Thanks to the area’s extensive network of pedestrian and cycling paths, a new tram route with a scenic viewpoint, and the significant traffic volumes directed towards the Paasikiven – Kekkosen artery, the power plant provides visual enjoyment to tens of thousands of people every day.
During the day, the three-dimensional surface makes the building striking through the interplay of natural light and shadows. At night, the integration of materials, forms, structures, and light creates an independent, three-dimensional architectural layer. The three main masses—the effect wall, the conveyor, and the retaining wall by the shore—form a cohesive, graphically defined lighting ensemble that diverts attention from technical equipment that would otherwise remain in darkness.
The futuristic facade lighting exudes positivity and boldness, generating vibrant energy within the cityscape that embraces the shores of Lake Näsijärvi. The illumination projects an image of its owner, Tampereen Energia, as a modern pioneer, embodying the idea that “energy brings light to darkness”.
Lighting Technology
However, dynamism is not an end in itself, nor is its purpose to showcase the achievements of lighting technology. Technology serves merely as a tool to shape and mold the human experience within the urban environment during hours of darkness.
Integrated behind a two-thousand-square-meter wall, the backlighting, composed of 200 controllable RGBW LED luminaires, along with the dynamic light wash on the surface implemented with RGBW floodlights, the RGBW lighting of the conveyor, and the movement of light lines, together form a versatile, programmable lighting ensemble. The dynamic visual effects are controlled using DMX technology.
The efficient, adjustable general lighting, which enables various functions, is precisely delimited. The retaining wall by the shore and the subtle light wash on the side buildings contribute to the cohesive, controlled overall scheme. The general lighting is controlled using DALI technology.
Sustainability
Emphasizing sustainable development goals and ecological principles, nearly all luminaires renewed in 2017 in the old power plant building have been repurposed for the current lighting solution. This extensive lighting system is energy-efficient and programmed to be active only during darkness and primarily when people are present and moving.
Thanks to precise light beam angles, technical integration, and effective glare protection, no disruptive light or skyglow light pollution is generated in the surrounding environment.
The power plant, permanent yet ever-transforming, is an attraction—a reason to venture out, an object of observation that provides energy and invigoration throughout the long, dark season.
Dynamic Appearances
There are five lighting themes: an everyday theme in shades of red and white, reflecting Tampereen Energia’s brand colors; a blue and white Independence Day theme; a warm Christmas theme in shades of magenta and orange; a festive theme mimicking New Year’s fireworks; and a blue and orange Tampere Day theme.
The ever-changing interplay of light movement, shades, and reflections creates a permanent light art installation, captivating observers from both afar and up close during the hours of darkness. Abstract shades of light, movement, and cycles evoke images of nature’s irregular motions: water shimmering in sunlight, the flames of a campfire, and the swirling of wind.
From a distance, the power plant resembles a solitary, beautiful jewel in a dark display case, while up close, it reveals itself as a graphic work of art with its intricate variations.
