LIGHTING FOR THE NEW HEUMARKT U-BAHN STATION IN COLOGNE CREATES LIVELY VIEWS
Each of the eight stations on the new North-South rapid transit (U-Bahn) line in Cologne was designed by a different architectural firm. Four of these stations use lighting technology from WE-EF. The largest of the stations, which is at Heumarkt, offers an impressive demonstration of how the luminaires contribute to function, safety and aesthetics all at the same time.
Featuring vaulted ceilings, the surprisingly large hall on the top floor of the new Heumarkt U-Bahn station resembles a church nave. In reality, however, it serves a purely worldly function as an access point to the deeper train lines and the location of a 300-m² shopping pavilion. If Cologne’s East-West line is moved below ground at some point, this intermediate level will be transformed into a train station as well.
The dynamics and vivacity of Heumarkt station are conveyed through the architecture, not only by the lively vaulted hall but also the numerous cut-outs and visual axes that open up a wide range of new perspectives. From some locations the entire height of the building can be seen – from the deep level of the North-South line and the intermediate level, to the glassed stairways leading above ground, where natural daylight enters the structure.
Given the great differences in room heights, some spanning various floor levels, the task for the lighting design team was to generate sufficient illuminance at the transport levels from a wide range of lighting point heights. A particularly versatile lighting instrument was required in order to manage the heterogeneous installation positions as well as the installation/mounting conditions, using a continuous luminaire design. WE-EF DOC240 recessed exterior downlights are the ideal solution for evenly powerful and flexible lighting.
In the Heumarkt station, DOC240 luminaires are mounted in a variety of combinations – incorporated with cross-members and integrated with the perforated metal sheet cladding of the station ceiling, and directly installed in both level and inclined concrete ceilings. In areas that are difficult to access, such as above the escalators and stairways, the downlights have been installed on luminaire lifts. These lifts make it possible to lower the luminaires for servicing or to replace lamps, which is a tool-free process.
Arranged in pairs between the cross-members along the apex of the arched ceiling, DOC240 luminaires form an impressive band of light. They direct impressive light downwards, while WE-EF FLC131 projectors illuminate the ceiling panels along the zenith line.
Architects: Coersmeier Tebroke Architektur GmbH, Cologne
Lighting Designer: Lichtdesign-Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, Prof. Heinrich Kramer, Cologne