Effect lighting for the square, uniform lighting for the walkways: With the individually configurable CITY ELEMENTS lighting column from Hess the planners could perfectly implement the sophisticated lighting concept for the Kesselbrink.
Redesign with modern bike and skate park
After extensive renovations, Bielefeld’s largest urban square is shining in new splendour with a total area of two hectares: The former car park and bus station, on which a skate park opened already in the 1990s, presents itself today as an attractive town square with a high proportion of green areas and a variety of possible usages.
The absolute highlight is the modern bike and skate park, which emerged from the existing facility. With a total area of 3,200 square meters, it is one of the largest urban skate parks in Germany.
© Bielefeld Marketing GmbH
© DSGN concepts/Alexandra Kern
Sustainable urban development concept as a basis
Kesselbrink upgrade competition advertised throughout Europe
The successful plan for the Kesselbrink as a public space with a great contribution to liveability was based on the design of ARGE Passepartout – a consortium of Berlin landscape architects, architects and engineers. This consortium consists of the Berlin landscape architecture offices Lützow 7 C.Müller J.Wehberg, Berlin architects Léon Wohlhage Wernik and the engineering company SchüßlerPlan of Düsseldorf.
The plan prevailed, in the context of a competition advertised throughout Europe by the City of Bielefeld, to upgrade the Kesselbrink as a central, multifunctional commercial square. The planning office DSGN concepts of Münster and the BMX pro Benjamin Kopp were involved in the design of the bike and skate park.
Integration of all users in the urban environment
In addition to the roller sports facilities in the eastern part, Kesselbrink Square features clearly structured sub-areas that meet the different needs of users and visitors. For example, a variety of trees frame the square, offering shady opportunities for retreat and seating.
The inner contour of the frame defines the central square in the middle. As a paved multi-purpose surface, it is available for different open-air events, festivals and markets. In the southern area, the space under the trees connects to the centre of the square with spacious grass terraces. A café pavilion and an inter- active water feature in the western area are also available for children and adults.
CITY ELEMENTS – The perfect solution for a wide variety of requirements
Variability of CITY ELEMENTS provides for a clear division of space
The sophisticated lighting concept of the designers provides for the illumination of walkways and effect lighting of the surface of the square using illuminating columns.
In order to keep the centre of the square free of light poles, to ensure sufficient space for events and to pool the diverse lighting requirements into a few points of light, the designers decided, in consultation with the City of Bielefeld, to use the multifunctional CITY ELEMENTS 230 illuminating columns from Hess. “Due to the variable individual elements, we were able to incorporate three light modules at different heights into each pillar, meeting the lighting needs with a single lighting system,” says Christian Hüttner of the Office of Transport of the City of Bielefeld, who participated in the lighting design.
“Due to the variable individual elements, we were able to incorporate three light modules at different heights into each pillar, meeting the lighting needs with a single lighting system”
9-metre-high special models fulfil various lighting requirements
Twelve CITY ELEMENTS 230 illuminating columns ensure the desired atmospheric lighting effect with an impressive height of 9 metres. They are positioned at the edges of the square between the individual trees and their surrounding landscaping. Each of the access paths is lit by a spotlight module with ribbed glass for glare-free light distribution at a height of 4.5 metres. The two top elements – horizontally offset – are responsible for the effect lighting on the square.
70 watt CDM-T illuminants, in all lighting modules, provide the prescribed average illumination level of 1 lux and immerse the Kesselbrink in a pleasant lighting atmosphere in the evening. “The light is used for orientation, for ease of mind, and for atmospherically striking emphasis in interplay with the other design essentials”, says landscape architect Cornelia Müller of the Berlin landscape architecture office Lützow 7, summarising the main ideas of the lighting concept.
5.5-metre-high CITY ELEMENTS illuminate bike path around the square
To ensure that all luminaires on the site have a uniform expression of design, an additional 28 CITY ELEMENTS 230, with a height of 5.5 meters, were installed along the pedestrian and cycle path around the Kesselbrink. They are equipped with an AR terminating element, ensuring uniform illumination of the paths through a rotationally symmetrical light distribution of 360 degrees.
An eye-catcher at night – and by day
Not only at night but also during the day, CITY ELEMENTS 230 makes an outstanding addition to the design of the square with its elegant expression of design. Its lacquer in hue DB 703 fits perfectly with the light and dark contrasting shades of grey of the paving stones. Together with the green spaces and tree groves, this results in a visual landscape that is harmonious in all respects.
Project information
- Town / Country
- Bielefeld, Germany
- Builder
- City of Bielefeld
- Landscape architect
- Lützow 7 C.Müller J.Wehberg Landscape Architects, Berlin
in the ARGE Passepartout consortium with Léon Wohlhage Wernik Architects, Berlin,