London Bridges (The London Bridge, The Waterloo Bridge, The Golden Jubilee Bridge)
London, England
When several bridges and waterfront landmarks in London were given a makeover for the summer of 2012, designers turned to the leader in LED lighting solutions� Philips Color Kinetics. In total, seven bridges and six landmarks were illuminated for various summer events. Philips Color Kinetics supplied LED fixtures for three River Thames bridges: the London Bridge, the Waterloo Bridge, and the Golden Jubilee Bridge.Lighting designer Paul Cook, who worked on all three bridges, wanted to create a lighting scheme that would be unique for each structure, yet also synchronized every hour to produce a breathtaking light show. He carefully inspected each bridge to devise a way to make them distinctive and coordinated.
The design needed the ability to highlight important occasions. "The colors and patterns of light that I used were strongly influenced by the summer's events, enabling the lighting to link with all other celebratory decoration in both the London boroughs and across the nation," said Cook.
London Bridge was fitted with 36 ColorBlast Powercore LED wash lights�12 on each of the two supporting piers and six on each bank. Four ColorReach Powercore LED floodlights illuminated the arches of the Waterloo Bridge, and two ColorBlast Powercore fixtures lit each of its four piers. ColorBurst Powercore spotlights illuminated the suspension wires and arms of the Golden Jubilee footbridge. Cook used individual Pharos LPC controllers on each of the structures. He programmed the the bridges and other riverside landmarks, including the London Eye and the National Theatre which are both lit by Philips Color Kinetics fixtures, to be coordinated and synchronized in their timing. The result-- a stunning light show that illuminated the waterfront and the city every night.
Although only intended to last through the summer games, keeping the installations up permanently is currently being discussed. "Although proposed as a temporary project, a closer look at the costs showed that some of the work required could be permanent and so provide a great legacy for this section of the Thames," said Cook.
Although only intended to last through the summer games, keeping the installations up permanently is currently being discussed. "Although proposed as a temporary project, a closer look at the costs showed that some of the work required could be permanent and so provide a great legacy for this section of the Thames," said Cook.
