urban lighting

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Leuven

LIGHT IS A WONDERFUL TOOL. IT ALLOWS YOU TO IDENTIFY, GUIDE, DIRECT, EMPHASISE, ASSERT, UNDERSTAND, ADORN, REASSURE... IN SHORT, TO ILLUMINATE.

The city. The light.

The city of Leuven is proud of its past and its heritage. As well as its illustrious university, the city is home to a multitude of magnificent Gothic, Roman, baroque and neoclassical style buildings. This city clearly deserved a nocturnal image that highlighted the beauty of its heritage and the unique atmosphere of its streets and squares on a permanent basis. Light allows you to shape spaces, sculpt the volumes of a building, increase safety of neighbourhoods and put on events that create a convivial atmosphere. In partnership with Leuven, Schrder helped to light the city, allowing it to assert itself and emphasise its identity in terms of tourism, culture and heritage. Let us take a look at how this historical city was lit.

How has the nocturnal image of Leuven evolved?

Leuven essentially had a functional and banal nocturnal image. Ten years ago, the city launched a mobility plan to make the city centre more dynamic. More pedestrian-only areas were created, and specific suggestions were made to light these new areas as well as squares, gardens, noteworthy buildings and main roads. These lighting projects contributed to safety, strengthening the citys identity and its tourist image by promoting its heritage through the creation of a welcoming, comforting and convivial nocturnal atmosphere.

Did you rank the sites according to the type of luminaires and light sources? Renilde DHaese, landscape architect in Leuven, spoke to us about the citys nocturnal image.
Priority was given to white light. We wanted luminaires with white light for all the pedestrian areas and cycle paths, as well as for the tourist sites. Then we analysed the areas to be illuminated in order to better define their character (crossroads, square, bridge, etc.), the types of buildings (era, architectural interest, etc.) and their characteristics (commercial facades, building height, etc.) in order to choose the most suitable design of luminaire. For instance, the Oude Markt, with its many trees, is frequented by many people. The installation of lighting columns would have hindered the flow and would not have been of any aesthetic value. The city decided to install floodlights (Neos) equipped with a symmetrical reflector and recessed LEDs (Noctis) on the steps to mark out the area and create an atmosphere.

Which criteria were taken into consideration for the selection of the luminaires?
The quality of the luminaires and their design were determining factors. Technically speaking, the city wanted to install luminaires offering photometric performance, optimum efficiency and easy maintenance. We also wanted to liven up our squares and streets, etc. Consequently, the luminaires were not only required to enhance safety, but also to participate in the development of the space: they had to be elegant by day and create a nocturnal atmosphere that encouraged people to want to go out and discover their city. Schrder has an extensive range of luminaires and carefully designed lighting columns. The support provided by the Schrder team is also an important factor. The team is very flexible and listens to its customers wishes before proposing any solutions. I would also like to point out that the team worked well with the company responsible for installing the luminaires.

Why did the city choose to install new tourist signs?

Leuven attaches great importance to welcoming visitors and tourists. Tourist signs, such as plaques featuring names attached to buildings or fixed to a base, give clear information about the sites. Visitors and tourists are invited to follow a cultural pedestrian tour. From one area to another, from one site to another, visitors can take a tour that leads them to discover the citys wealth of culture and heritage. Tourist signs are an essential communications tool that adds to the harmonious organisation of the city.

How do these signs work?

The tourist signs are based on a concept suggested by Urbis (the division specialising in street furniture at Schrder in Belgium). There are five different formats: - signposts with directional arrows, - information panels showing a map of the city, - plaques fixed to bases alongside the sites offering an explanation in four languages for the most important buildings, - panels attached to the entrance of buildings providing a short piece of information, - panels indicating the way providing two options for a cultural tour. Then we worked in close collaboration with Urbis to determine where each of these tourist signs should be placed.

ALFONS VERDYCK We met Alfons Verdyck, Director of Communications and Tourism in Leuven. He told us about the citys new tourist sign system.

How did you determine the design of the panels? Is there a stylistic coherence with the citys overall organisation?
Legibility was the most important criterion, but it is obvious that signs must fit in with the citys historical character. Aesthetically speaking, the signs have a harmonious graphic design that is easy to recognise and accessible to all visitors. Furthermore, they integrate perfectly with the urban architecture. These elements also meet the criteria for robustness and efficiency - Leuven is a city with 30,000 students! - as well as complying with standards.

What do you think of the importance of well-designed, quality lighting in cities?

Over the last few years, lighting has become one of the most essential aspects in urban design. The illumination of buildings and spaces from every angle, with colours and varying intensities, has often led to a chaotic nocturnal vision of the urban environment. Currently, if we use it wisely, technological advances in the domain of lamps and the increased precision of the photometric possibilities of luminaires allow us to obtain splendid results. When light reinforces the spatial continuity of urban spaces, its contribution to the quality of life in cities is essential.

What were your parameters for the project to light the Martelarenplein? Manuel de Sol-Morales, a Spanish architect and city planner of international renown, and the architects firm Atelier 33, worked together with the city of Leuven to illuminate the completely redeveloped Martelarenplein. Manuel de Sol-Morales gave us his point of view.
6m 28m EAVE = 18 lux 8m 5m 7,50m LAVE = 4 cd/m2 Saphir 150 W Spacing 15 m Nemo 35 W Spacing 5 m

We designed a lighting plan that highlights the square form of this square, owing to the way the columns are arranged. This design offers a framework and a geometric marking out of the urban space.

How did you choose the types of luminaires and light sources?
I wanted a luminaire whose line guides our view, reinforces the effects of perspective and creates a backdrop. Luminaires that create a nocturnal space. Schrder built a prototype by adapting my suggestion in order to take into account technical parameters. This led to the creation of the Nemo.

52m EAVE = 18 lux

Schrder participated in the redevelopment of Leuven by supplying the urban lighting and illumination equipment as well as a new tourist sign system.

Leuven, a city of heritage

In just a few years, this city, marked by the diversity of its architectural styles, has acquired a new nocturnal face, thanks to the latest lighting technology that emphasises all the beauty and diversity of its heritage. Schrder floodlights combine efficiency and mechanical strength and allow all the types of desired light distribution to be met.

CORUS
The compact nature of the Corus (IP 66) and its ability to blend discreetly with the architecture contributed to its selection for the illumination of the Town Hall.

TERRA
The Terra range, with its high level of tightness (IP 67), offers two models of recessed floodlight for lamps up to 150 W. This floodlight is remarkably resistant to the flow of traffic. An ideal choice for St. Peters church located on the Grote Markt, frequented by a great many tourists and inhabitants.

FOCAL
A compact floodlight that offers a wide range of light distributions, with maximum intensities between 300 and 32,000 cd/klm. To provide the precise desired lighting effect, the Focal with its blue filter was chosen to illuminate the upper balcony of the citys theatre.

Leuven, a modern city

With its great diversity of shops and markets, its numerous scientific and industrial parks, and its very dense rail and road networks, Leuven has always prided itself on being a flourishing city for trade. Today, the capital city of Flemish Brabant has become a resolutely future-oriented service city with modern structures.

SAPHIR
A public lighting luminaire, available in three sizes for lamps up to 600 W, the Saphir offers innovative photometry thanks to its faceted reflector and the adjustable lamp position. The Saphir integrates the Sealsafe system, which guarantees long-term tightness, and the Easilok system that ensures rapid access to the lamp and total safety during maintenance operations. Synonymous with improved safety, a reduction in energy costs and easy maintenance, the Saphir captivated Leuven, which selected it to light the citys main avenues that lead to the station.

SCALA
Available in three sizes, the Scala luminaire (Sealsafe IP 66) offers several optical solutions and allows the integration of all types of light sources up to 400 W. A white light was selected for predominantly commercial sites. Installed on a transversely suspended catenary, and equipped with 70 W metal halide lamps, the Scala guarantees an excellent rendering of colours.

AT-T5
The AT-T5 is a hyper-compact luminaire with a high level of tightness (Sealsafe IP 66) for T5 fluorescent lamps. To make public transport a more attractive option and thus help prevent cars from coming into the city centre, the railway station in Leuven was completely refurbished. The platforms benefit from very pleasant white lighting thanks to the AT-T5 integrated into the canopies.

Leuven, a green city

Leuven has numerous green spaces. The huge parks and domains in the citys surrounding areas provide an ideal environment for leisure activities. Created in the 1950s, the De Bruul park was recently renovated and benefits from lighting that is both functional and suitable for sports.

BASIX
This luminaire, designed by NERO, is made from galvanised steel in a sober and minimalist design. Installed in the park to light the pathways, its L-shape serves to mark out the edge of the pathway.

NEMO
The Nemo luminaire illuminates the perimeter of the park and play areas. This luminaire has a Sealsafe IP 66 level of tightness, guaranteed internal cleanliness and very long-term stability in terms of photometric performance. This luminaire comes in two versions: symmetrical or asymmetrical lighting.

NEOS
Available in three sizes, the range of Neos floodlights ensures perfectly controlled light for a wide range of applications. The Neos 3 is equipped with a 1709 optical compartment with 250 W metal halide lamps to illuminate a sports ground.

Leuven, a cultural and tourist-oriented city

Leuven is the historical centre for the oldest university in Belgium. Since it was founded six centuries ago, this university has been home to prestigious students who have left their mark on Europes intellectual life. Music festivals and shows in the historical centre, museums, art exhibitions, markets, restaurants, wonderful architecture, and so much more besides... Leuven is a cultural and tourist-oriented city with countless resources.

THYLIA R
The Thylia R (micro-reflector) ensembles illuminate the Ladeuzeplein, home to the university library. Equipped with a hyper-miniaturised luminaire, Thylia, with its pure lines and compact design, literally melts into the architectural landscape of this square. The square is lit with the 1754 R reflector (transversal distribution), while a 1659 R optical compartment (longitudinal distribution) was chosen for the pedestrian walkway. The two optical compartments are equipped with metal halide lamps with ceramic arc tube, which produce a pleasant white light and give an optimum rendering of colours.

Spacing: 17,7 m

8m 1659 R 1754 R 1754 R 1659 R

8m

6m

3m

5,5 m LAVE = 2 cd/m2

86,0 m EAVE = 18 Lux

5,5 m

3m EAVE = 15 Lux