Queen Silvia Concert Hall, Sweden was announced as the winner of the Nordic Lighting Design Award 2024 in Oslo at Lysets dag November 13th.
The jury’s motivation
With a very low budget, the lighting designers have succeeded extremely well to achieve a lighting solution which not only enhances the architecture, but also meets the high demands regarding acoustics and flexible use of the space.
This fantastic experience has been prompted by extensive preliminary studies. The luminaires were not only tested and chosen regarding light quality, but also noise tested for not disturbing the acoustics and quality of sound which is of the utmost importance in the hall.
Wherever you look, you experience a glare free lighting environment. At the same time it fulfills all the needs to make unique and various lighting solutions for the different events which occur in the hall. The user-friendly control system gives staff the ability to transform the hall as desired. With the push on a button, a functional lit classroom will be transformed into a stylish lit concert hall. A hall with a special, emotional and colorful lighting gives the audience the possibility to experience the special scenic atmosphere of this amazing concert hall.
FACTS: Queen Silvia Concert Hall, Sweden
Contractual Client: Ramsbury Property AB
End User Client: Lilla Akademien, Mark Tatlow
Builder: NCC
Lighting designer: Light Bureau, Daniel Hodierne
Architect: Giorgio Palù
Interior designer: Giorgio Palù
Acoustician: Yasuhisa Toyota Consulting engineer: AFRY, Tommie Ericsson
Electrical contractor: Stockholms Elpartner, Thomas Blomstedt and Christer Carlsson
Lighting supplier: Light Graphix, Reggiani, Kucko, Formalighting, Lucifer Lighting, Orluna, Folio and Rebel light
The result of a collaboration with a world-leading architect and acoustician, the concert hall is a balance between aesthetics and technical performance. It is a functional learning environment for young people to practice their studies at the highest level, as well as a beautiful concert hall.
The concept was driven by two opposing functions – concert in the evening and classroom by day – as well as the architect's vision for how the lighting would support the architecture and user experience.
This resulted in splitting the concept into two parallel tracks, one with high light levels and very uniform light scenes for the classroom environment and the other to create dramatic shadow play, color changing, cozy and inviting light scenes. The concert lighting scenes also include a variety of functional aspects for audience admission, intermission, big concert, small concert, and solo performance.
Both concepts aim to highlight the unique organic architectural forms and illuminate the pillars, which highlights their materiality and curvature. The same fixtures are in most cases used for both the classroom and concert concepts, with a user-friendly lighting control system playing an essential role in the project. Grazing lights against the walls and ceiling behind the upper balconies contribute to a floating feeling. Integrated flexible linear lighting in the foyer highlights the irregular meeting between the wall and the ceiling.
The result is a functional and at the same time emotional lighting design, with a minimum of fixtures being used.