Hallgrímskirkja is one of Iceland’s most important landmarks and icons. Now a smart wireless lighting system from ERCO and Casambi was designed and installed to shape visitors experience and integrate different lighting scenes for various applications. Automaticly programmed lighting cycles save energy and allow human centric lighting (HCL). Luminaires with tunable white and RGBW technology set the tone for a colourful experience.
The church council decided to renew the decades-old lighting in the main hall of the church and in the organ room. For this, they turned to the Reykjavik-based lighting design company Liska. The brief: to create versatile and dynamic lighting that would work in sync with the surroundings and the changing calendar of events. A smart lighting system with LED spotlights, sensors and dynamic wireless control was specified.
Hallgrímskirkja Church features stunning architecture with curves and lines that extend into the high vaults, suggesting the shape of a geyser. The lighting concept was to highlight the architectural features and emphasise depth and volume.
RGBW and tunable white lighting is used to highlight important architectural elements. The visitors' perception of the depth of the architecture should be positively influenced by the light.
The altar is illuminated with Tunable White spotlights. This makes it stand out clearly from the surroundings, regardless of the temperature or colour of the other lighting.
The church organ is highlighted with Tunable White spotlights and RGBW backlighting. They create a geometric shadow play that changes with different light and colour combinations.
For the wider environment, warm light is used to create a pleasant, reverent atmosphere while providing sufficient light for reading the Bible or hymn books.
Close cooperation with the client, the lighting designers and electrical partners meant that the project was implemented in a very short time.