ICER, which stands for Innovation, Creation, Education and Recreation, was founded by the local government, several schools, artists and local businesses to provide an innovation centre for young people and other visitors interested in the technical industry. Housed in an old factory, ICER has transformed the cavernous venue into an exciting, futuristic space. The centre is billed to be a thriving creative workspace where visitors will be provided with a broad spectrum of innovative workshops, ranging from brand new product presentations to such cutting-edge activities as 3D printing, as well as robot & solar-powered car research and invention.
The museum was officially opened in May by King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
ICER needed an energy efficient, flexible lighting solution which was able to wash a diverse and vibrant colour palette across areas of the space, to transform the atmosphere and mood every few metres. They also needed the chosen fixtures to be premium performance and powerful enough to light up large spaces in the warehouse-style rooms.
The Chroma-Q Inspire fixtures were ideal for the project. Their fully homogenised beam provides beautifully mixed soft pastels, bold saturates and clean whites, making them suitable for both entertainment and house lighting. Other features include theatrical-grade dimming and an energy-efficient LED design for reduced maintenance and running costs.
The fixtures have been placed throughout the venue's key areas, such as the large central exhibition and museum-like hall, the presentation and innovation hall, and a further space containing a cube with a 'Fab Lab', where the 3D printing workshops take place. The versatility of the fixtures creates a truly immersive and inspiring environment for visitors, and smoothly changes the ambience of each space.
They also provide illumination for fascinating artefacts in most of the museum cabinets, and for the multimedia shows for visitors, controlled by a touchscreen computer connected to a Jands Vista S1 console.
Inspire is available in a choice of black and white exterior housings and three beam angle options - including a 32° narrow lens, a 42° medium lens, and a 65° wide lens. The large central exhibition hall of the venue features x38 65° Inspires hanging three metres above the floor. The presentation hall includes x8 42° Inspires hanging approximately six metres above the floor, along with two Inspires featuring a 32° angled lens, hanging eight metres high.
ICER director, Barbara de Leeuw says, "At a centre like this, innovative products are shown and new developments & activities take place every day, meaning we have to be able to change colours like a chameleon. Using the Chroma-Q Inspire fixtures, every spot in the building can be given any colour we want. When the content of the exhibition changes, the colours can change with them. Also, the multimedia show that will be held twice a day can be altered as much as we want, thanks to the incredible flexibility of the Chroma-Q Inspire fixtures with their remarkable output."
Harry de Kort, director at The Light Connection, specified and supplied the Chroma-Q Inspire fixtures, which were installed by partner, Hendriksen bv from Terborg.
(Jim Evans)
