Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart: WE
Transcription
Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart: WE
Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart: WE-EF projectors for a jungle atmosphere Just like a concrete mountain ridge, the new Great Ape House at the Wilhelma Stuttgart designed by Berlin architects Hascher Jehle – nestles in the surrounding landscape. WE-EF projectors are used to provide enough light for the authentic plants from the African jungle inside the enclosure to not only thrive but also be enjoyed by the building‘s visitors. The Wilhelma Stuttgart places great importance not only on being one of the most popular zoos in Germany, but also one of the best botanical gardens in the country. Architectural extensions thus present complex challenges – they must incorporate the interests of animals, plants and visitors alike in both their functional and aesthetic design. The most recent example of this approach is the new Great Ape House. Since its opening in May 2013, it has provided the gorillas and bonobos monkeys 13 times more space than in their former abode established in the 1970s. Like a concrete mountain ridge, the design from Berlin architects Hascher Jehle nestles in the surrounding landscape of the Wilhelma in east Stuttgart. The indoor and outdoor enclosures for the apes hug the long stretch of the visitors’ area. The enclosures feature large-scale glass partitions around the visitors’ area to allow the closest possible contact between man and ape. Lush vegetation creates a jungle atmosphere as well as providing the animals an opportunity to retreat to the sanctuary of nature. The botanists at the Wilhelma were careful to recreate an authentic habitat for the apes with around 75 plant species from the African tropics. This vegetation, of course, requires additional lighting in order to flourish in a European climate. This is why more than 100 WE-EF FLC240 projectors have been installed on the exposed concrete ceilings and directed towards the planters above as well as the beds that run along the glass partitions. High-pressure lamps for optimal spectrum The WE-EF projectors were selected for their neutral technical design, their ease of use and their high-quality, efficient optical systems. The housings, which have a protection rating of IP66, feature 5CE superior corrosion protection developed by WE-EF and are thus protected from the tropical humidity in the building. Optical accessories, such as flood or linear spread lenses, are used to adjust the light distribution so that illuminance of approximately 3000 lx is achieved on the various plant levels. In preparation for the project, prototypes were set up and measurements taken in a Ludwigsburg film studio that offered comparable installation heights. The team, led by the technical Head of the Botany Department, Dirk Herkert, voted for projectors with metal halide lamps instead of the LEDs usually preferred for this type of lighting, as the spectral properties of the light source would ultimately determine the success or failure of the plant lighting. Conventional, exchangeable lamps provide more opportunity for experimentation and room for future optimisation. WE-EF solution proven in practice The WE-EF solution proved to be an excellent choice even over the first few months of the project. Fitted with warm-white 150 W metal halide lamps, the light provides a good spectral compromise between the requirements of the plants and the comfort of visitors. Herkert reports that the growth WE-EF LEUCHTEN GmbH & Co. KG Toepinger Strasse 16 D-29646 Bispingen Germany Tel +49 5194 909 0 [email protected] www.we-ef.com of the vegetation has thus far fulfilled expectations. Although the strictly linear arrangement of the projectors on the ceiling, chosen for technical reasons, did not facilitate their optimal orientation, it was still possible to achieve precise, even illumination of the plants without creating a distracting glare from reflection on the glass panels of the building. The Great Ape House, runs on a daily schedule from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. reflecting the natural circadian rhythm of the African tropics. The projectors can be operated in groups to reduce energy consumption — when some plants receive sufficient sunlight through windows and skylights in the summer, for example. Visitors can enjoy the lush vegetation in brilliant, natural-effect light, and the transparent façades of the Great Ape House even draw them from afar to enjoy the new attraction at the Wilhelma Stuttgart. Project: African Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart Architects: Hascher Jehle Architektur, Berlin Photos: WE-EF – Andreas Körner March 2014 / For more information contact: WE-EF LEUCHTEN Andrea Rayhrer Kommunikation Robert Diedrich Alexanderstraße 126, D-70180 Stuttgart Tel +49 5194 909 146 Tel +49 711 6200 7838 [email protected]@andiray.de WE-EF LEUCHTEN GmbH & Co. KG Toepinger Strasse 16 D-29646 Bispingen Germany Tel +49 5194 909 0 [email protected] www.we-ef.com Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart / Photos: WE-EF – Andreas Körner 01 Just like a concrete mountain ridge, the new Great Ape House at the Wilhelma Stuttgart - designed by Berlin architects Hascher Jehle – nestles in the surrounding landscape. 02 Since its opening in May 2013, new Great Ape House has provided the gorillas and bonobos monkeys 13 times more space than in their former abode established in the 1970s. 03 The enclosures feature large-scale glass partitions around the visitors’ area to allow the closest possible contact between man and ape. 04 WE-EF projectors are used to provide enough light for the authentic plants from the African jungle inside the enclosure to not only thrive but also be enjoyed by the building‘s visitors. 05 Lush vegetation creates a jungle atmosphere as well as providing the animals an opportunity to retreat to the sanctuary of nature. 06, 07 More than 100 WE-EF FLC240 projectors have been installed on the exposed concrete ceilings and directed towards the planters above as well as the beds that run along the glass partitions. WE-EF LEUCHTEN GmbH & Co. KG Toepinger Strasse 16 D-29646 Bispingen Germany Tel +49 5194 909 0 [email protected] www.we-ef.com Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart / Photos: WE-EF – Andreas Körner 08, 10 The Great Ape House, runs on a daily schedule from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. reflecting the natural circadian rhythm of the African tropics. The botanists at the Wilhelma were careful to recreate an authentic habitat for the apes with around 75 plant species from the African tropics. 09 The WE-EF projectors were selected for their neutral technical design, their ease of use and their high-quality, efficient optical systems. The housings, which have a protection rating of IP66, feature 5CE superior corrosion protection developed by WE-EF and are thus protected from the tropical humidity in the building. March 2014 / For more information contact: WE-EF LEUCHTEN Andrea Rayhrer Kommunikation Robert Diedrich Alexanderstraße 126, D-70180 Stuttgart Tel +49 5194 909 146 Tel +49 711 6200 7838 [email protected]@andiray.de WE-EF LEUCHTEN GmbH & Co. KG Toepinger Strasse 16 D-29646 Bispingen Germany Tel +49 5194 909 0 [email protected] www.we-ef.com