The nocturnal appearance of one of Europe's most important cathedrals has been transformed with a stunning new lighting design using luminaires from Lumenpulse.

The new lighting for the building, located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered one of the great masterpieces of gothic architecture, was created by lighting design practise L'Acte Lumière, working with electrical contractors Citeos, engineers Lollier and conservation architects JCBA. The building was inaugurated on October 29, 2016.

The cathedral is a symbol of the Alsace region and the second most visited cathedral in France. The re-illumination represents Lumenpulse's most ambitious project in the country to date.

The project - part of a unified lighting plan for the city - uses approximately 400 luminaires from Lumenpulse to reveal the cathedral's splendour: the distinctive colours of its sandstone, its intricate masonry and layers, and its incredible height.

An important feature of the lighting is enabled through Lumenpulse's Dynamic White technology - the ability to fine-tune the colour temperature of each luminaire to precisely match the colours of the stonework.

The luminaires turn on gradually at twilight, highlighting the intricate layers of the structure, with each receding layer growing progressively warmer towards the centre. After 10 p.m. the lighting changes to give a more unified view of the whole edifice across its full height. After 1 a.m., only the top part of the cathedral is lit, minimising light pollution to nearby buildings.

The project was developed using approximately 400 Lumenbeam and Lumenfacade luminaires, including 30 Lumenbeam XLarge projectors, carefully concealed from view within the structure itself.

Lumenpulse, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has lit numerous major churches across North America and Europe. This project adds to Lumenpulse's growing presence in France, which includes notable projects such as the recently illuminated Caille Bridges near the Swiss border.

Francois-Xavier Souvay, President and CEO of the Lumenpulse Group, said: "This is a very great privilege to be involved in illuminating a building of such scale and importance. It's architecturally and historically unique, and of immeasurable significance to the region of Alsace and the whole of France. We felt a great responsibility to make sure we provided an effective, sensible lighting solution that reveals the cathedral at its very best, and that will last for many years to come."

Lumenpulse supplied close to 400 Lumenbeam and Lumenfacade luminaires with three-channel Dynamic White technology, enabling the colour temperature of light to be precisely tuned between 4000K and 2200K.

The project was carried out for the City of Strasbourg and the Directorate of Regional Cultural Affairs by lighting design practise L'Acte Lumière, together with engineering firm Lollier, conservation architects JCBA and electrical contractors Citeos, using light fittings supplied by Lumenpulse.