Federation Square's main plaza at blue hour with iconic geometric buildings illuminated in vibrant emerald green using WE-EF FLC200 RGBW color-changing floodlights, Melbourne's CBD skyline featuring illuminated towers in background, catenary lighting overhead, historic cathedral visible left, brick paving across public space, demonstrating the $20M Victorian Government lighting upgrade designed by ARUP for enhanced evening visitor experience

Federation Square, Melbourne

Enhancing the evening experience at the iconic Federation Square, Melbourne

MAPCo with funding from the Victorian Government sought to enhance the evening visitor experience to one of Melbourne’s most iconic arts, culture and public event spaces – Federation Square, located on the fringe of Melbourne’s Central Business District.

Following two decades of operation preceding the upgrade, the new lighting scheme provided a chance to refresh Federation Square’s illuminated ambience. The lighting upgrade was part of a broader $20M investment into capital works by the Victorian Government which included a series of improvement and maintenance projects to the space.aph

Federation Square's iconic geometric architecture illuminated at night with WE-EF FLC200 RGBW color-changing projectors creating warm coral and pink tones on the faceted zinc and sandstone facade, with Melbourne's CBD skyline and catenary lighting visible against deep blue twilight sky

Federation Square Alfred Deakin Building illuminated in emerald green using WE-EF RGBW color-changing floodlights, demonstrating the versatile programmable lighting system that adapts to different events and occasions, with public plaza, landscaping, catenary lighting, and visitors enjoying the revitalized cultural precinct at night

ARUP was appointed to lead the design element of the major lighting upgrade, with Bluebottle responsible for the control integration and commissioning of the technology which incorporated a range of WE-EF LIGHTING colour-changing luminaires from Buckford Illumination Group Victoria.

Key objectives of the upgrade centred around improving the night-time experience and perception of safety for visitors as well as the legibility in general and facade presentation of the unique architecture.

Considerations

Federation Square restaurant terrace at twilight with WE-EF color-changing projectors creating vibrant green and coral facade lighting on geometric zinc panels, outdoor dining area visible with guests, demonstrating the dynamic programmable lighting system designed by ARUP for diverse cultural events

ImFederation Square's Yarra Building illuminated in intense red color using WE-EF FLC200 projectors with precise glare shields, showcasing the building's complex triangulated steel exoskeleton against Melbourne's illuminated skyline at blue hour, with landscaped gardens and inground uplighting in foregroundage

• Precise optical control: Precisely placing light where needed to accentuate the geometric architectural features, without glare was important, with a key focus on improving the lighting to the space with strong environmental considerations and a desire to minimise unnecessary light spill and thus minimise light pollution in the already over illuminated city • Colour changing flexibility: With a full calendar of events occurring in the space, there was a strong need to allow for dynamic lighting to bring those events to life in different colours and themes on demand with ease of control – and the power to program lighting on demand • Durability and longevity: With a desire for minimal maintenance and downtime to improve long term cost efficiency and luminaires that will last the test of time, the key stakeholders wanted to use exterior luminaires made from high quality, robust, corrosion resistant materials • Warranty: Ensuring a comprehensive warranty was of critical importance in delivering peace of mind for the installation • Performance and Intensity: Powerful high output floodlights were needed to really saturate the façade • Proven quality and continuity: Existing WE-EF inground uplights were already installed at the site and performing well, as such, using the same form factor allowed them to be upgraded in the same locations for continuity • Energy savings: By placing light only where it is actually needed in a strategic and sparing manner, the goal was to optimise the lighting to the latest high wattage products and minimise the number of luminaires needed thereby

Challenges

Interior view of Federation Square performance venue showing tiered wooden seating, stage area with rigging, and dramatic color-changing facade lighting visible through glass walls, with WE-EF RGBW projectors creating red and blue illumination on the external triangulated steel framework

As a well-established site with active events and a full calendar of varied scheduled events in arts, culture, theatre etc, upgrading lighting needed to be well coordinated to ensure minimised interruptions. Additionally, the aged existing infrastructure (>20 years old) combined with Heritage Victoria overlay required careful attention to façade fabric and delicate integration of luminaires and mounting restrictions. Of course, given the prominence of the project, the requirement to liaise with and ensure approval from many important stakeholders was also pivotal to the project’s completion.

Solution

The complete upgrade consisted of a range of luminaires, with WE-EF LIGHTING and Sales Partner Buckford Illumination Group supplying a range of a total of more than 80 Colour Changing Projectors or ‘Flood Lights’ which featured a combination of RGBW.

Many of these projectors were factory-fitted with special accessories including glare shields or snoots, to ensure light could be precisely directed to highlight and accentuate the features of the façade to ARUP’s design. The FLC200 projectors were used to illuminate the façade of the Alfred Deakin building and Yarra building.

A range of beam angles/lenses were used throughout the project as were special internal accessories like the linear spreader lens.

Federation Square interior atrium illuminated with WE-EF color-changing LED lighting creating dramatic red and green washes on exposed steel truss structure and geometric ceiling panels, with NGV Design Store visible and warm wood flooring providing contrast to the vibrant architectural lighting

Result

Essentially, with a diverse range of events on the calendar, the versatile and responsive lighting system commissioned now enhances these occasions. It also improves wayfinding and creates a welcoming and attractive atmosphere for nighttime visitors to the square.

“This significant upgrade to lighting throughout the Federation Square precinct improves safety, reduces environmental impact and highlights the Square’s iconic architecture”, tells Ilze Kundzina of ARUP.

The upgrade achieved energy reduction, primarily due to the replacement of aged equipment with more modern technology and high-wattage products.

Perhaps most importantly for this project, the “overall system meets the needs of being able to adapt for the everchanging events taking place in the Square”, explains Ilze Kundzina or ARUP. Furthermore, Ilze explains that the new lighting is not only colour-changing and, it is so dynamic that it “can be programmed artistically to respond to the time of day, add vibrancy to events and mark memorable moments”.

Federation Square public plaza at sunset showing visitors on limestone steps, contemporary geometric architecture with triangular facade panels, outdoor dining areas with green accent lighting, historic cathedral spires, and modern office buildings in Melbourne's CBD framing the cultural precinct

Credits

Completed: 2023 Client: MAPCo with funding from Victorian Government Sales Partner: Buckford Illumination Group VIC Electrical Engineer: ARUP Lighting Designer: ARUP Builder: Brolec Other: Bluebottle Photography: Ina Parr for WE-EF

Federation Square interior architectural detail showing complex triangulated steel truss framework illuminated with WE-EF RGBW color-changing projectors creating dramatic red and blue color washes, warm wooden flooring and tiered seating visible below, glass balustrade revealing multiple structural layers and the iconic geometric construction of Melbourne's cultural landmark

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