Features

London Stadium teams with Musco to revamp lighting system

London Stadium is installing a new state-of-the-art LED lighting system that aims to improve visibility and uniformity on the field of play, while also seeking to enhance the overall fan experience with cutting-edge special effects technology.

The upgrade aims to ensure the venue complies to the comprehensive standards across its calendar of events, from West Ham United’s Premier League football games to international athletic meets. The adaptability of the lights will also enhance the experience for concert goers during the summer months at the stadium.

After extensive research into various manufacturers across the globe, project leaders chose to partner with Musco Lighting, which has installed custom systems utilising its Total Light Control – TLC for LED technology at other major venues, including fellow London facilities Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium, Milan’s San Siro and Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Musco is customising a system that will adapt to London Stadium’s unique architectural features, including its reconfigurable lower-tier bowl and the longest cantilevered roof in the world, to deliver uniform, high-quality lighting to the pitch without creating disruptive glare.

The investment includes the infrastructure for event partners to mount moving spotlights, facilitating the opportunity to add their own special effects, using controls provided by StadiumFX.  These include light-to-sound synchronisation, enabling individual fixtures around the stadium to synch with music for new light shows. The electrical and mechanical installation is being led by DMC, which has partnered with Musco and StadiumFX on several other recent projects.

Floodlight energy consumption at London Stadium will be reduced by more than 50% compared to the previous lights. Specialist advisers Griffiths Evans have been retained by the London Stadium to oversee the installation.

Graham Gilmore, CEO of London Stadium, said: “As a venue we pride ourselves on giving the visitor the best possible experience, regardless of the occasion. The upgrade to LED lights allows us to do that across our multi-event calendar, ensuring we meet the highest standards of sports and concerts at the stadium. We are looking forward to welcoming fans back, when it’s safe to return, so they can enjoy the improvements we’ve implemented.”

Chris Limpach, general manager for Musco Europe, added: “The London Stadium is unique in its design and architecture, which we believe lends itself well to the features of our lighting system and the specific design we’ve developed for this project.

“We know it will be a challenging installation, with the new system being installed during the current season, but we’re very confident in the experienced team we’ve assembled.”

Images: London Stadium