Australia - A new bridge in Sydney has become a captivating landmark through the use of dynamic lighting, controlled by a system from lighting control specialists Pharos Architectural Controls.
The Sydney Gateway Twin Arch Bridge is a new and vital transport link, connecting the suburb of St Peters and surrounding areas with Sydney Airport. This has improved the connectivity and accessibility of the area, making it easier for those travelling to and from the airport.
While the bridge is providing an important function, it has become a visually stunning element of the built environment through the addition of colourful and dynamic lighting. This effect has been achieved with the specification of Coolon’s Spectrum RGBW IP, controlled by a number of solutions from Pharos.
The Pharos system is creating a mesmerising kaleidoscope of colours, displayed with smooth colour-changing transitions illuminating the underside of the imposing archways of the bridge. A spectrum of richly intense hues are visible on the bridge, bringing delight and levity for commuters to enjoy. The lighting design was created as a partnership between Arcadis and Aecom who joined forces to bring the structure to life.
A four-universe Pharos Designer LPC 4 (Lighting Playback Controller 4) is working in harmony with a 5” Designer TPS 5 (Touch Panel Station 5) touchscreen to deliver the control elements of the lighting scheme. A Pharos Expert Switch – a one-in-four-out, unmanaged Ethernet switch that has four PoE-enabled output ports to provide simple power and data distribution – completes the system.
The LPC is an award-winning, all-in-one DIN-rail mounted DMX lighting control solution for LED lighting installations and themed entertainment. It features individually controllable and independently running timelines and scenes. It offers the freedom of real-time manual overrides, with the versatility of powerful show control and integration features. With a compact form and minimal power requirements, the LPC can be installed virtually anywhere.
The TPS offers an elegant interface with a customisable, capacitive touch screen, compatible with any Pharos Designer controller.
A customised web interface allows for personnel from Transport Management Centre (TMC) of Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to trigger the lighting shows remotely, via fibre link.
The lighting shows were designed by Coolon, and feature 14 colour presets that adhere to regulations set by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and TfNSW. Each show is 10 minutes long, with a two-minute fade transition between sequences to ensure smooth visual changes.
Adding to these preset shows, Coolon programmed extra scenes and shows that could be manually triggered from the Traffic Management Centre (TMC). An additional 25 distinct scenes were created to mark various special occasions throughout the year, such as Australia Day, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, R U OK Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Day and many more.
To enhance the functionality and responsiveness of the lighting system, Coolon implemented an astronomical clock to automate the triggering of scenes. This feature ensures that shows are activated at different times of the year based on seasonal requirements, providing a dynamic and adaptable lighting display that aligns with natural changes in daylight and seasonal conditions.
The colours illuminating the bridge are uniform in appearance, thanks to Spectrum’s quad-chip LED that allows precise colour mixing to occur in each diode.
Tony Symms, regional sales manager for Asia Pacific at Pharos Architectural Controls said: “The Gateway Twin Arch Bridge in Sydney is an impressive structure, with imposing arches and a huge footprint. Offering a new level of connectivity between busy areas of the city, it has been very welcome by residents and visitors.
“The decision to make the bridge a notable landmark is very positive. Through the use of a Pharos system, the bridge offers great visual appeal with stunning aesthetics. The variety of colours and different scenes mean there is always something new to see, alongside the event lighting that can be utilised, as and when required, to align with calendar events.”
