A highlight in Kiel
Located at the entrance to the world’s most frequented artificial waterway – the Kiel Canal, the Port of Kiel offers state-of-the-art terminal facilities. It is one of the most versatile ports in the Baltic region.
Its new onshore power supply plant building at the Ostseekai Terminal is positioned at the interface between the city centre and the promenade along the fjord – the requirements regarding urban planning and architecture were high for its new LED façade.
The aim: to achieve a clear architectural accent.
The project inspired a new partnership between TRILUX Lighting and CARL STAHL ARC.
The collaboration transformed the power plant’s 720 m2 building curtain into a giant media screen.
Almost half of the large metal wall has been covered with over 12,000 LEDs, of which every single one can be managed individually using dedicated software. The LED single-point control solution was the only one to stand up to the aggressive sea air atmosphere.
The estates’ team can regulate and control the colour and brightness of each light point via a light management system. In addition to dynamically changing colour surfaces, text, images, and simple interactive games such as Pong can be displayed.
The façade is unique of its kind. In daylight, the outer shell shows its very own character with its dynamically structured perforation. Once the LED lights, which are hidden in the façade, are switched on, there is a new level of design that completely transforms the perception at night.
When all LEDs are in operation, the wall consumes nearly 25 kWh of eco-power.
There are virtually no limits to the diversity and creativity of the display—the presented content needed to take a creative approach playing with the building’s impression. The texts and images displayed are of an informative and explanatory nature, offering some added value to the beholder.
The Port of Kiel takes a leadership role when it comes to energy efficiency, with ambitious zero-emission targets. The ships entering the port of Kiel recharge their energy via a cable from the “Landstromanlage”.
Port of Kiel aims to run on green electricity. They already cover 44 % of their energy consumption via green electricity and they want to extend that percentage to 60/70 % in two years, the LED façade is often set to present a visual representation of the plant’s ongoing achievement.
The solution allows almost all conceivable shapes and figures on a project-specific basis; Thanks to the highly flexible carrier systems, up to 100,000 light points can be controlled via DMX to precisely regulate or coordinate the light colour and brightness of the LEDs. This enables an enormous variety of applications for attention-grabbing facade design, from dynamic colour changes to animated lettering and images to complex film sequences.
