GOLDEN GATE GELLERUP

As part of a major renovation of the residential area in Gellerup, Aarhus, housing block B4 is the first pilot project in the large urban transformation of Gellerupparken. The project is an important element in the ambitious plan for revitalizing Gellerupparken. The extensive architectural task has been carried out by Transform who has redesigned a new entrance for the very Gellerup area by tearing down parts of the building and establishing a magnificent gate through the housing block. The new gate, Golden Gate Gellerup, is both a landmark and a new opening into Gellerup. It creates a new and easy access to and from the area, while standing out as a luminous symbol of the revitalization of Gellerupparken. 

The inside of the gate is wrapped in golden perforated facade elements. The almost 300 individual facade elements are each creating a closed chamber in which pixel-controlled RGB luminaires are installed behind the perforated surface. In addition, two groups with three spots in each have been installed on both sides of the central staircase. These twelve powerful spots are used to wash the ceiling, walls and road area in RGB colors. All the light sources are controlled in a coherent space by Kollision's MAP player and allows for endless variations such as bright colors behind the perforated surface followed by an almost inverted expression by having the front surface lit. 

Over the past years, Kollision has been working with Transform architects and hardware supplier SGM to design and integrate a solution for the gate, including selecting robust fixtures and a flexible infrastructure. The design process has been based on an extensive drawing material, numerous tests, mock-ups and customization and adjustments on-site. In addition, Kollision has used MAP to develop a range of dynamic lighting designs with the intention to emphasize the shape and construction of the gate. The gate has furthermore been prepared to react on future bus routes, by integrating a sensor system that can trigger special lighting effects when a bus drives through the gate. 

Movie by Allan Toft.