The new façade lighting of the Hellenic Parliament and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier is a very special and demanding lighting project, in which the HUB Lighting & Innovation by Kafkas had the pleasure to participate.

Under the guidance of Thanos Danilof – Lighting Designer, the HUB Lighting & Innovation by Kafkas supported the implementation of the project. More specifically, the HUB team carried out repeated mockups (tests and applications of the lighting fixtures) until Thanos Danilof achieved what he had envisioned, while at the same time the HUB supplied the final lighting fixtures to the project contractor Zambelis Lights. Specifically, Zambelis Lights undertook the implementation and installation of the project, as well as all the custom constructions that needed to be done. This process took about a year, but the result really justified all those who worked on this project.

The aim of the new lighting design is to enhance the façade of the Hellenic Parliament and the surrounding area as well, within a sustainable framework.

The new lighting was implemented with the exclusive use of advanced LED technology with high color rendering. Each lighting fixture is digitally controlled with extremely high precision in terms of its intensity level and the time frame of its operation. With this method, energy-efficient light sources are combined with the automated precision control system, ensuring both maximum energy efficiency and maximum benefit.

From sunset onwards, the lighting scenes on the facades of the Hellenic Parliament and the Monument to the Unknown Soldier gradually follow one another smoothly, thanks to the dynamic night lighting chosen. They adapt perfectly to the time, day and season, composing a lively yet sophisticated night scene.

In the context of sustainability, apart from energy saving, the new lighting design focuses on issues such as the excessive use of light in the outdoor spaces (light pollution). For this reason, special care has been taken to ensure that after midnight, the lighting scenarios are adjusted to very low levels, which are nevertheless in harmony with the environment and remain friendly to the dark sky of Athens.

It is worth noting that the lighting system has the ability to automatically change the colour temperature of the light from very cool white to warm white. This setting has been chosen as the warmer light, due to the reduced blue spectrum, causes less light pollution and takes place daily from midnight to dawn. In addition, the new lighting fixtures have been specified with precision optics, locked targeting capability and anti-glare components so that light diffusion to the sky is limited.

The new lighting highlights not only the facades of the Parliament and the Monument as a whole, but also the individual architectural elements that compose them, such as the gables, the cornices, the pilasters, etc. In addition, it adds intensity and vitality to the color and texture of the materials, both on the facades of the building and the statues surrounding it, such as those of Eleftherios Venizelos, Charilaos Trikoupis and the Mother.

One of the objectives of the lighting design was the smooth integration of the new lighting equipment, both in the building and in the surrounding area, with respect to the particular morphological details, while at the same time the existing electrical routing and supports were utilized. An important detail is the special paint treatment that the lighting fixtures underwent in the color of the mounting surface, so that they remain invisible during the day.

During the 15 months that the project lasted, significant construction challenges emerged, which made the whole project even more interesting. The Hellenic Parliament is an emblematic listed building, which requires special attention in every intervention attempted in order to preserve its historical value. This fact, combined with the constant interventions that have been made over the years, has increased the level of difficulty even further. One of the greatest challenges was the adaptation of many of the specified lighting fixtures to the specific requirements of the project.

The well thought out integration of modern technology in the architectural framework of the building ensured not only the protection of the cultural heritage, but also the upgrading of the aesthetics of the public space.