Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
The Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg had already become famous for its visibility and striking silhouette even before it was officially opened on 11 January 2017. And the lighting concept by Ulrike Brandi – a renowned light planner who is also based in Hamburg – makes the impressive architecture really distinctive. Her concept uses simple visual principles to perfectly stage the building without, however, shifting the lighting into central focus. It keeps the interior and exterior connected from all points of view and helps visitors experience the skies, water and the city panorama without overshadowing these vistas.
It was Ulrike Brandi’s intention to make the splendour of the Grand Hall really stand out. More than 800 FLASHAAR NauticProfil lamps were incorporated into the hall’s steps to emphasise the terraced character of the seating. These lamps form part of the emergency lighting and so for the purposes of orientation and safety remain visible during the performances.
The central acoustic reflector has also been emphasised with the aid of products by FLASHAAR. The special lamps based on FLASHAAR’s HighPowerProfil were installed all around the upper section and so illuminate the vault. This makes the acoustic reflector emerge from the light-coloured ceiling and turns it into an element that helps structure the space.
The concert hall’s unique organ has also been perfectly staged with the assistance of 72 modified FLASHAAR Solaris spotlights. These have been used to illuminate the 4,765 pipes – some of which are visible behind a pierced wall while others are located in the hall itself, which means that visitors are able to touch them. The organ constitutes the centrepiece of the Grand Hall and has so been perfectly integrated into its architecture while simultaneously keeping it accessible to visitors.
In addition to these central lighting elements in the Grand Hall, FLASHAAR’s NauticProfil light lines were also employed in the both functional and elegant lighting for the box offices located on the ground floor of the Elbphilharmonie.
FLASHAAR has been accompanying the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg project since 2007 – the year of its founding – when it decided to take part in the invitation to tender bids for the lighting. The official opening in the year of the company’s 10th anniversary means that FLASHAAR has two reasons to celebrate.
