TV Tower Riga

On the 18th November 2008, the Republic of Latvia celebrated the 90th anniversary of its founding. In the capital, Riga, the event was marked by concerts, shows, lectures, trade fairs and parades. The project “Riga shines” was one of the highlights of the jubilee celebrations, and ever since, the Riga Radio and TV Tower, which belongs to Latvia State Radio And Television Centre, on the island of Zakusala has been a beacon visible at night from anywhere in the city thanks to lighting systems from A&O Technology.

Standing 368.5 metres high, the Riga Radio and TV Tower not only dominates the Latvian capital but is also one of the tallest free-standing structures in the entire European Union. To mark the jubilee, lighting designer Rauls Lorencis of SIA Muzikala Dizaina Grupa worked closely with A&O Lighting Technology GmbH on a permanent installation featuring a total of fifteen FALCON® architectural lighting systems manufactured by alpha one. Throughout the design and installation process, A&O Technology was on hand to offer advice and support.

Prior even to the invitation to tender, A&O Vision conducted detailed visualizations that it then made available to SIA. Test illuminations on site using different lighting systems demonstrated the potential impact of xenon searchlights and how it could best be harnessed. Working together, the two firms devised the project that to this day constitutes one of the outstanding visual highlights of the Latvian capital whenever night falls.

For the illumination, the lighting designer split the architectural lighting systems surrounding the tower into two groups assigned to different levels. On the first level, three searchlights are arranged in a line, one behind the other, in front of each of the three giant legs of the tower, from which position they function as uplights illuminating the entire tower including the antennae. The outermost luminaire in each case is a FALCON® STATIC ARC white 3000W, the white xenon beam of which is aimed directly at the top of the tower.

The two inner luminaires are FALCON STATIC ARC colour 3000W systems, the job of which is to accentuate the outer contours of the legs. On the second level, the roof of the radio centre beneath the tower, a further six FALCON STATIC ARC colour 2000W luminaires provide symmetrical illumination of the outer walls of the intermediate floors of the tower in the central part of the structure.

The FALCON lighting systems are under the direction of the system controller CUE-SERVER. This device forms part of the onsite installation and serves as a DMX data store with an internal timer controlling the entire illumination of the tower in accordance with the preprogrammed design. The program can be changed on site, but A&O is also able with the agreement of the client to undertake modifications to the lighting program remotely via internet. This represents a considerable extension of the range of services A&O offers. It guarantees the customer swift intervention whenever needed whilst obviating the need for cost-intensive specialist support to remain on site.

The nocturnal illumination, organized by the Latvia State Radio and Television Centre in cooperation with the country’s ministry of transport, bathes the TV Tower every evening in xenon light. The changing colours further enhance what is already a strikingly original piece of architecture, creating a filigree statue that rises up from the island in the Daugava river, seeming now to glow, now to gleam as though fashioned of pure gold, depending upon the colour of the light upon it at any given moment. It’s a spectacle that has transformed Riga by night into a second Paris.