RheinEnergieSTADION shines red and white

Since the end of 2016, 4,200 meters of LED technology from Insta on the pylons of Cologne's RheinEnergieSTADION have had a spectacular long-distance effect. Opened in 2004 as a new World Cup-compatible venue, the stadium has recently undergone several modernizations after more than ten years of intensive use. Since then, modern LED lighting technology from the Sauerland has ensured a particularly sustainable change.

Only a few buildings in Cologne succeed in impressing as a prominent landmark alongside the cathedral. The RheinEnergieSTADION has now acquired this status. Thanks to a new illumination of its four 72-metre-high pylons, the sports venue unfolds an impressive long-distance effect that can be admired from up to 25 kilometres away. Already in the planning phase of the new stadium, the responsible architects from gmp conceived the four high steel structures as luminous towers. However, this idea was originally implemented with fluorescent lamps in a single light colour. Now these have been replaced by efficient and colour-controllable LED technology. The operator not only saves energy with brighter and more uniform illumination, but can also call up attractive dynamic coloured light effects instead of static white light. When the pylons shine in red and white - the club colours of 1. FC Köln - they set the mood for fans on their way to the match. Goal celebrations can be accompanied by their own light choreography, but there are also many possibilities for concerts and other events. Nevertheless - as the operator, Kölner Sportstätten GmbH, and its partner, RheinEnergie AG, agree - there should be no indiscriminate colourful lighting. The aim is to achieve moderate effects adapted to the respective event. For the implementation of the lighting, the two companies Insta and TRILUX relied on a cooperative partnership. TRILUX supplied the complete LED lighting technology for underlighting the grandstands. The compact and powerful spotlights flood the undersides of the grandstands with a rich red light, visually creating the foundation for the pylons visible from afar. Their lighting, including control technology, programming and LED LED lines, comes from Insta: 16 individual LED lines of the type LEDLUX LX linear are mounted over the entire height of the four inner sides of the plexiglass-clad steel pylons, with eight lines per pylon equipped with RGB and eight with white LEDs. The modules, which can be controlled in a 32-centimetre grid, are positioned in such a way that the inner technical core of the pylons is illuminated. In this way, the towers at a height of 72 metres can be continuously illuminated with brilliant daylight white, but also with any coloured light. The high resolution enables graphic patterns and fine colour gradients. In order to guarantee a safe and delay-free transmission of the more than 32,000 control channels, the pylons were connected to each other with fibre optic cables. The lighting control system is operated from a central location via an Insta touch panel. Different lighting scenes are pre-programmed and ready to be called up. As a special effect, the "goal" sequence can be called up spontaneously by the stadium announcer with the help of a buzzer. Then the four pylons signal up to 25 kilometres away: 1. FC Köln has just scored!