Harpa concert hall, Reykjavik

Impressive Proscenium Stage for Reykjavik's New Concert Hall

WE-EF zoom and gobo projectors create theatrical-like lighting conditions in the forecourt of the Harpa concert hall and congress centre in Reykjavik.

Harpa Concert Hall Reykjavik at blue hour – WE-EF FLC240 spotlights mounted on 12-metre poles illuminate the forecourt, the transparent glass facade glowing warmly from within

The Harpa concert hall and congress centre was opened in May 2011. Covering approximately 28,000 square metres, the complex is home to a concert hall with 1,800 seats, two conference rooms, a hotel, restaurants and various event rooms. With its sculptural building form and spectacular glass facade, the 43-metre high building situated in the old harbour of Iceland's capital is drawing considerable attention. Artist Ólafur Elíasson and the architects from the Henning Larsen firm of Copenhagen designed honeycomb-like glass elements for the facade that present enormously powerful effects in terms of design. As a result of the dichroic coating on the glass elements and their special configuration, the outer shell of the concert hall changes colour depending on the exposure to light or the angle of vision.

Harpa Concert Hall Reykjavik – front view of the 43-metre glass building at the old harbour, honeycomb-patterned facade elements by Ólafur Elíasson and Henning Larsen Architects in daylight

Harpa Concert Hall Reykjavik in evening light – iridescent colour play of the dichroic-coated glass facade with the city skyline and marina in the foreground

Designing exterior lighting for such an expressive backdrop is not an easy task. The lighting planners at Verkis, a Reykjavik engineering firm, have added effective exterior lighting to this imposing building. They used 24 WE-EF FLC240 projectors equipped with 150 W HIT lamps mounted on 12-metre poles in groups of six. However, only two of the luminaires are fitted with source shields to ensure that the coloured-light play of the glass facade is not disturbed. The remaining 22 luminaires work with lenses and gobos. They draw clearly defined light patterns on the paved forecourt - either as sharp-edged and bright light circles, which accentuate the structures on the square for example (FLC240 BL ZP zoom projector), or with motif projections that are reminiscent of the shadow play of bare treetops and branches (FLC240 BL GP gobo projector). The exterior lighting therefore establishes a link with the interior of the Harpa concert hall and congress centre in a subtle and yet distinctive manner - and manages to bring a small piece of theatre to the outside thanks to its striking effects.

Harpa Concert and Conference Hall Reykjavik at night – person sitting on illuminated forecourt, WE-EF FLC240 Zoom Projector spotlights accentuating the plaza furniture with sharp-edged circles of light

Credits

Builder: Austurnhofn TR – East Harbour Project Ltd. Occupant: Harpa / Portus Group, Reykjavik/IS Architect: Henning Larsen Architects HLA, Copenhagen/DK and Batteriid Architects, Hafnarfjordur/IS Artistic planning of building front: Studio Olafur Eliasson, Berlin/D, Copenhagen and Henning Larsen Architects HLA, Copenhagen Planning of building front: ArtEngineering GmbH, Rambøll, Mannvit Engineers, Hnit Verkis Consulting Engineers, Reykjavik Outside light planning: Hnit Verkis Consulting Engineers, Reykjavik

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