RheinEnergieSTADION shines red and white

Since late 2016, 4,200 meters of LED technology from Insta have been creating a spectacular visual impact from a distance on the pylons of Cologne’s RheinEnergieSTADION. Opened in 2004 as a new World Cup-ready venue, the stadium recently underwent several upgrades after more than ten years of intensive use. Since then, modern LED lighting technology from the Sauerland region has been providing a particularly sustainable transformation.

Few buildings in Cologne manage to make as striking an impression as a prominent landmark alongside the cathedral. The RheinEnergieSTADION has now achieved this status. Thanks to new lighting on its four 72-metre-high pylons, the stadium now has an impressive visual impact that can be admired from a distance of up to 25 kilometres. Even during the planning phase of the new stadium, the architects at gmp conceived the four tall steel structures as illuminated towers. However, this idea was originally implemented using fluorescent lamps in a single light colour. These have now been replaced by efficient, colour-controllable LED technology. This not only enables the operator to save energy whilst achieving brighter and more uniform illumination, but also allows them to create attractive dynamic colour lighting effects instead of static white light. When the pylons glow in red and white – the club colours of 1. FC Köln – they get the fans in the mood on their way to the match. Goal celebrations can be accompanied by a dedicated lighting choreography, but there are also many possibilities for concerts and other events. Nevertheless – as Kölner Sportstätten GmbH, the operator, and its partner, RheinEnergie AG, agree – there should be no haphazardly colourful lighting. The aim is to create subtle effects tailored to the specific event. In implementing the lighting, the two companies, Insta and TRILUX, relied on a collaborative partnership. TRILUX supplied the complete LED lighting technology for illuminating the undersides of the stands. The compact and powerful spotlights flood the undersides of the stands with a rich red light, thereby creating the visual foundation for the pylons visible from afar. The lighting for these, including control technology, programming and LED lines, was supplied by Insta: on each of the four inner sides of the Plexiglas-clad steel masts, 16 individual LED lines of the type LEDLUX LX linear , with eight lines per mast fitted with RGB LEDs and eight with white LEDs. The modules, which can be controlled in a 32-centimetre grid, are positioned so that the inner technical core of the pylon is illuminated. In this way, the towers can be continuously illuminated at a height of 72 metres with brilliant daylight white, as well as any colour of light. The high resolution enables graphic patterns and subtle colour gradients. To ensure a secure and delay-free transmission of the over 32,000 control channels, the pylons were interconnected using fibre-optic cables. The lighting control system is operated from a central location via an Insta touch panel. Various lighting scenes are pre-programmed and ready to be called up. As a special effect, the ‘Goal!’ sequence can be triggered spontaneously by the stadium announcer using a buzzer. The four pylons then signal to a distance of up to 25 kilometres: 1. FC Köln have just scored!