A »shining tuft of grass« that brings people together

Zella-Mehlis is a medium-sized town on the southern slope of the Thuringian Forest, which has been able to look upon its town hall square with pride since 2018. For it shines in new splendour.

After the renovation of the historical town hall in the years 1994 - 1995, the square in front of it was recently redesigned, a further step towards improving the townscape. Not only that: The town hall and its square are the hub of the town and are located exactly in the middle of the two parts of the town. Thus, in addition to its representative function, above all, the town hall has a connecting function.

It should not only be beautiful to look at but should also bring the citizens together, encourage them to linger and serve as an active meeting and communication location. The site is used year round for this purpose. It offers a variety or seating options and is an important venue for numerous events and markets. Understandably, the city planners commissioned to redesign the square, wanted to do justice to its significance and give it a special charm and atmosphere. Which, as everyone agrees, was most certainly achieved. There’s a good reason for that: From the very beginning, the planners paid great attention to the lighting concept; something unique was to be used here to ensure the highest quality of experience possible for the central location – during the day and at night. The decision was made to use ARINI luminaires, which set extremely innovative impulses in design and function.

Aspects that quickly caught the designers’ eyes and were implemented effectively:
At the most effective point of the square, luminaires of three different heights were artfully arranged to form an imposing ensemble. This ensemble is reminiscent of a “tuft of grass” and also underlines the ecological orientation of the town. This is an important statement as Zella-Mehlis is a state-approved resort.

In total, 7 ARINI poles each with three Light+ luminaire heads were used, which, thanks to their special design and flexible application possibilities, ensure an ideal illumination of the town hall square, the staircases and the limited traffic zone directly in front of the town hall with a minimum number of light points. In the process, glare limitation values were observed and it was ensured that the view of town hall from the town itself was not obstructed.

Everything contributing to an optimal result: Through the interaction of the 21 ARINI-Light+ luminaire heads with their RGBW end caps, the town hall illumination, the staircase lighting and tree illumination, DALI-controlled dimming and colour changes can be used to create variable lighting scenes that perfectly match the current mood of how the space is being used and optically reinforce it.

WLAN, cameras and other features can be easily retrofitted due to the multifunctional features of the ARINI concept and are available for future requirements.

The successful redesign of the town hall square is also supported, more than impressively, thanks to the luminaires and the lighting concept.

The high acceptance of the St. Nicholas market and the 2018 German championships in roller skis prove the great success of this design measure. The citizens of Zella-Mehlis love the new square, it has become the shining heart of their urban life.


Photography: Peter Baum