LEDs Help Leipzig Win 1st Prize in the 2014 city.people.light Awards

The German city of Leipzig has been awarded first prize for its urban regeneration of Richard-Wagner-Platz in the 12th annual city.people.light awards ceremony in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Organized by Royal Philips, the global leader in lighting, and the Lighting Urban Community International Association (LUCI), this annual international award recognizes urban lighting projects which best demonstrate creative efforts to plan sustainable lighting infrastructure into city redevelopment initiatives for the benefit and well-being of those who live, work, visit or do business in the city. This year the competition had entries coming from all 5 continents making the award contest a global competition. 

The site of a 10th century market settlement from which the city of Leipzig was born, Richard-Wagner-Platz is steeped in political and architectural history from the Middle Ages through to the fall of Communism. The unique lighting atmosphere matches the city’s architecture with warm white light to illuminate buildings, sculptural fountains and a skate park. Many different interests were incorporated in the final result to create the right atmosphere with modern contemporary LED lighting, preserve and highlight historic fixtures, and make significant energy savings for the city.

Philips and LUCI created the city.people.light awards more than a decade ago to celebrate the most sustainable urban regeneration projects that creatively use light to improve the lives and experience of citizens and visitors, alike. “The projects submitted this year were of an outstanding quality and set a new standard for the cities of the future,” says Vojislav Radovic, Philips Outdoor Lighting Manager South District C&EE. “The Leipzig project was not only innovative for crowd-sourcing ideas from citizens, and delivering city beautification and safety, but also for negotiating the delicate balance of commemorating complex heritage with cutting edge lighting technology.”

Runners up

Second prize: Bicycle snake bridge, Copenhagen, Denmark. The Bicycle Snake is a long, red sculptural bridge exclusively for cyclists. It is a unique and exciting ride high above sea level, separating cyclists from pedestrians and sheltering the quayside below. At night, the bridge is softly illuminated with built-in lighting in the handrail to enrich the area with a bright, visual element. The jury this year was impressed by the limited lighting used, meaning no additional energy consumption for lighting effects and no glare. 

Third prize: Place du Château, Strasbourg, France. Place du Château is an iconic square adjoining Notre Dame Cathedral. This project set out to transform it into an outstanding feature of the Grande-Île, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The jury was impressed by the incorporation of light on both vertical and horizontal surfaces, a challenge which was executed in a unique, sophisticated and outstanding way. The rigorous year-long preparation process involving citizens included conferences, guided tours, workshops and questionnaires, and added to the credibility of the final result.