A practical lighting control system from Pharos Architectural Controls has completely transformed a village square in the Netherlands.
At the heart of the picturesque village of Riel is a communal square that was historically built to symbolise connection, strength and light. During the day, the square is a lively place where locals and families meet and play. Yet that atmosphere was missing as soon as the night set in. To address this, a lighting design project was developed that didn’t just light the square with standard street lighting but used colour-changing illuminations that became part of the square and its environment.
The municipality of Goirle appointed GHM Eclatec Nederland to deliver the lighting design. LRS Solutions were brought into the project to design the lighting control for the square, and a decision was made to use the Expert solution from Pharos. Expert is a practical and straightforward control solution, centred around a single, reliable, set and forget DMX and DALI architectural lighting controller. The system is quick and easy to install, and simple to programme.
One of the main deliverables of the project was to ensure the square felt safe and functional during the evening, while also offering dynamic lighting that could add to the atmosphere for special occasions. These included the village fair, King’s Day and the Christmas season.
A challenge for the system integrators was to deliver a control solution that handled both DALI for functional lighting and DMX for the colour changing (RGBW) fixtures, and that required no new wired infrastructure. As Expert Control provides both protocols on board, it was the ideal single-controller solution that could be integrated with wireless DMX devices to avoid any new cabling or excavation work. Both the functional lighting and decorative fixtures are managed from this one central platform, allowing the lighting to be easily adjusted for any variance in time, season or event. Customer override is provided by an Expert Touch 5” touchscreen, and LRS Solutions have remote access for ongoing support, management and control via their company-branded Pharos Cloud portal.
Johan Burggraf, Manager Projects & Services, LRS, said: “With Pharos, we were able to create a lighting control system that brings together functionality and experience. DALI and DMX are combined in one smart system with Pharos Expert, enabling the square to be easily transformed from functional evening lighting to colourful settings for special occasions. We were thrilled to partner with them on this project.”
Bas Hoksbergen, Business Development Director at Pharos Architectural Controls, said: “Expert is effective, easy to use and practical. It met the brief in every way for the upgrade to the Riel Village Square, delivering dynamic lighting control and working as one integrated system across two protocols. It is also making it straightforward for the square to play a role in celebrations and special occasions, by adjusting the lighting colours and effects to form part of these holidays and events. We’re delighted that Expert is illuminating a space at the heart of the community and delivering excellent results.”
With its new lighting control system, Riel’s village square now comes alive day and night. The lighting adapts to the village’s rhythm – vibrant and dynamic during festivities, warm and inviting in winter, and energy-efficient on ordinary evenings, automatically adjusting to time and activity.
Riel’s village square has become both a community hub and a showcase of sustainable, flexible, and innovative lighting, where technology and togetherness are harmonious.