The unique historical spa park of Bad Elster, cultural heritage of royal history and ancient spa tradition, was illuminated in its final completion just in time for its 700th anniversary in 2024.
The leitmotif of the project was to emphasize the natural beauty of the 50-hectare valley, its elegant spas, and its magnificent buildings.
A total of 2,633 LED fixtures, centrally controlled or optionally operated in 28 individual areas, illuminate the park in its entirety.

It became clear to us that the ornamentation of the heritage-listed architecture—often overlooked during daytime—could shine like a hidden jewel box with the right lighting accents, provided that decisive focus was placed on details.
Therefor, the facades of historical buildings such as Royal Kurhaus, Kurbad, Kunstwandelhalle and Quellenhäuser were incorporated into the lighting design.
Strict care was taken to apply heritage standards on the site, ensuring that no sensitive historic building surfaces were drilled into and that luminaires remained invisible during the day.

The greatest challenge was the development of solutions that ensured not only the the protection of architectural heritage, but also natural monuments when mounting the luminaires.
Out of respect for nature, it was essential to minimize light pollution to the greatest extent possible.

The trees—many of which are centuries-old natural monuments—are illuminated with lights carefully dug in the ground by hand to avoid damaging their roots.
Their crowns are bathed in nuanced lighting that dynamically adapts to the seasonal changes in foliage coloration.

Comparably, the traditional artistic motif planting of the flowerbeds, a distinctive feature of the park, was designed to stand out at night. A modular lighting system allows the plantings to shine from within the borders rather than being illuminated externally.

The design concept also emphasizes the deliberate contrast between light and darkness, enhancing the brilliance of the installation while aiding orientation.
Hence, paths are not lit conventionally but are lined with lively lighting accents, all while meeting required standards.
Apart from trees and flowerbeds, the main lighting focus is on fountains, rivers, sculptures, and facades, all of which bathe the park in a magical glow.

For example, the round Goethe Fountain was illuminated from within using Goethe’s famous color circle, highlighting the significant history of the poet’s stay in Bad Elster.

Or the grand central fountain impressively staged, framed by majestic lit steps and surrounded by a light art installation that encircles it like hundreds of pulsating glittering water droplets.

In contrary, the river’s course was kept near to darkness, while its small barrages were highlighted like a rhythmic melody, sparkling repeatedly out of the darc.

Similarly, a variety of smaller historic pavilions scattered across intimate squares within the park landscape are now illuminated. Rather than leaving these charming stages in darkness, they are brought to life each evening through architectural lighting.

The result enables the historic parks of Bad Elster to retell their ancient royal history in an overarching interplay of light, nature, architecture, innovation, sustainability, and aesthetics.


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