VPLs shine a new light on Gellerup

Meet the The Golden Gate – the new glowing symbol of Gellerup. This shiny new gate, illuminated by 300 VPLs from SGM Light, connects Gellerup to Aarhus.

As part of a major revitalization plan for Gellerupparken, a suburb of Aarhus, Denmark, a new entrance to the neighborhood has been finalized this spring: The Golden Gate. This landmark not only symbolizes the ideas behind the new plan but also allows for an easy access to the area. It is housed in block B4, which is the pilot project for the urban transformation of Gellerupparken. Instead of tearing down the block entirely, the Golden Gate has been constructed as a part of the building – and 300 VPLs from SGM Light are part of the project.

Here, Andreas Lykke-Olesen, Partner and Architect at Kollison, talks about the project and the thoughts behind it.

Video Pixel Linear from SGM Light

SGM Light’s 300 Video Pixel Linears (VPLs) form the heart of the lighting project. The VPL is designed to create powerful pixel mapping and media effects and is a versatile tool for linear and radial installations, where high visibility and a flexible setup are essential. With its 8,400 Nits, it is one of the most powerful products of its kind on the market.

The lamp is easy to integrate and is suitable for a wide range of applications, including facades, stadiums, amusement parks - or in other words: almost all short- or long-term installations. It is rated IP66 and IK09, which makes it an ideal choice for both indoor and outdoor use. The VPL is available in three sizes and comes with a variety of different accessories.

Because of its top-end LED design, the VPL creates high visibility media patterns for viewers at large distances, but it also avoids the typical blinding effect of big pixels in close distances. By expanding the imaging area, increasing the pixel brightness and pre-mixing the colors inside the Quad cluster, SGM considerably improves the viewer’s experience for direct view applications.

What’s more? When connected together, there is no gap between connected fixtures (up to 79 meters / 260 feet of VPLs on a single circuit), so they can work as a single LED pixel luminaire. The same multi-core cable can handle both power and data. This smart media system has been designed as an easy and reliable solution for complex and large installations in tight space areas.

The Golden Gate

On the inside of the Golden Gate, perforated steel sheets with the VPLs behind are installed. In addition, there are also 12 P-2s on both sides of the staircase, which color the ceiling, walls and road in RGB colors. All lamps are controlled by the same software (Kollision's MAP player), which makes it possible to play with the light. In addition, the installation has an integrated sensor system, which causes the Golden Gate to respond with special lighting effects as buses pass through.