Bridges of the Oulujoki Estuary
Four bridges in the Oulujoki estuary, Oulu, connect the mainland and two islands into a cohesive area. This comprehensive area is a popular light traffic network for residents and tourists, where the surrounding nature and urban life are strongly present.
The core of the design lies in the facades, which project an icy, vertical, bright, and sharp impression against the landscape. Stable lighting creates a dialogue, and from the surrounding nature emerges a ‘play of brilliance’: water reflections, the glistening shadows of ice and snow, the Northern Lights, sunsets, and twilight appear in all their splendor, capturing the moment.
Information
Honorable Mention, Lighting Design Awards 2017: Community and Public Realm Projects
Type Bridge Lighting
Location Oulu
Completion Year 2017
Client City of Oulu
Lighting Suppliers iGuzzini
Less is more
Lighting creates both visibility and atmosphere, engaging in a dialogue with the surrounding landscape and natural light. Although the possibilities of lighting technology are numerous, the bridge lighting is composed of pure white light elements, in both cool and warm tones.
Cool vertical light lines accentuate the bridge’s structure and illuminate the surroundings. During periods of open water, the light playfully reflects off the water’s surface. In winter, light and shadow highlight the myriad forms of wind-sculpted snow and ice formations. The warm, evenly illuminated facade of the Pikisaari bridge complements the character of the largest bridge, creating a sense of warmth in every vista.
Simple is beautiful
The lighting design, which allows space for sunsets, moonlight, the blue moment, and even the Northern Lights, creates a fresh and clear linear composition within the landscape. Its simple and unchanging aesthetic is designed to retain its value for decades.
