The Humboldt Forum in Berlin extends over more than 44,000 square metres on the Spree Island. It unites important cultural institutions in a unique centre for art and culture, science and education. During the more than ten-year construction phase, the lighting experts from Lichtvision Design created a holistic lighting design that encompasses almost all areas.
Main parts of the building façade are extensively historical reconstructed. The illumination idea immerses the building in a uniform light, instead of emphasising individual elements of the historical cloned façade. The light accentuates the volume of the Humboldt Forum without distracting the viewer’s eye with details.
The 30 metres high and 480 metres long historical reconstructed facade is illuminated by only 15 cylindrical light columns with integrated luminaire elements. The 9 meter high columns were installed in about 40 metre distance to each other and up to 25 metre distance to the façade. They are integrated into the surrounding landscape design without attracting too much attention. The challenge was the necessary integration of safety cameras, a plaza illumination element (by Kardorff Ingenieure) and different facade illumination modules into a common column body. The user friendly implementation of the light scene has been realised by the integration of Casambi modules into the columns.
The Humboldt Forum is structured by two courtyards, the Passage and the Schlüterhof. Four partly historical reconstructed Portals lead into these exterior areas.
The public Passage acts as a bridge between Lustgarten und Schlossplatz and also between baroque and modern architecture. The Passage connects the Portals two and four and is illuminated by the interior light of the modern building’s glass facades and a pathway lighting. The historical reconstructed Portal facades are slightly accentuated. The vaulted ceiling of Portal two is highlighted by an indirect illumination from the cornices.
The Schlüter Courtyard will host a variety of events in the future. The historical reconstructed facades as well as the square of the Schlüter Courtyard are illuminated uniformly by projectors from the roof edge of the modern connecting building. In addition the wall brightness of the balconies is slightly more dominant.
The big dome over the Eosander Portal is illuminated by roof flood lights in combination with very narrow beam projectors from a far away building.
All these components are very well balanced, giving this prominent location an appropriate and extraordinary night time appearance. The Humboldt Forum is integrated harmonically into the night image of the UNESCO-World Culture Heritage, the Museum Island, and complements this ensemble with a valuable architectural piece.
