New facade lights for Antwerp-Central Railway Station

On Thursday 4 May 2023, the City of Antwerp ignited the new architectural lighting of Antwerp-Central Railway Station, the entrance to ZOO Antwerp and the Queen Elisabeth Hall. “The lighting on these monuments puts the important gateway to Antwerp in the spotlight as soon as the sun goes down”, city officials say.

Monuments occupy an important place within the Antwerp lighting plan. They will receive custom architectural lighting to enhance the atmosphere and uniqueness of the city. Antwerp-Central, the adjacent entrance to the ZOO and the Queen Elisabeth Hall are, after the town hall and the cathedral, the newest monuments on Via Sinjoor, whose architecture is beautifully put in the spotlight at night.

Via Sinjoor is the name given to the ‘boulevard’ from the station to the River Scheldt.

Alderman for Public Domain Erica Caluwaerts (Open Vld), in the press release: “We already immersed the cathedral and the town hall in enchanting new facade lighting. The Antwerp resident responded very positively to this. It will be no different with the new lighting at Central Station, the ZOO and the Queen Elizabeth Hall. I am therefore very happy that it is the turn of those three monuments from the belle époque. Thanks to this sustainable LED lighting, everyone can also enjoy these beautiful historic buildings at night.”

The new lighting improves the night image of Antwerp-Central and the surrounding area. Both from the De Keyserlei, the Koningin Astridplein (Queen Astrid Square) and from the Pelikaanstraat there is a beautiful view of the buildings.

Antwerp-Central Railway Station from the De Keyserlei.

On the ground floor, the emphasis is on creating recognisability and safety for the various users.

“A soft veil of light on the facades creates a rich and pleasant atmosphere in the spacious surroundings. Light points on the facades add depth to the design and bring the buildings to life. Spotlights on the roofs, turrets and domes underline the importance of the monuments and thus help shape Antwerp’s night-time skyline.”

Poetic, no? Danny reacted in a text: “Disneyfication“.

Mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA): “After the Grote Markt and the Cathedral of Our Lady, the one and only Railway Cathedral is now also bathed in beautiful new light. This is a new step in the transformation that our city is undergoing. I am convinced that Antwerp residents will return to the Central Station with renewed pride. Station will look and that visitors arriving here by train will be all the more impressed.”

During the whole month of May, everyone can also come and discover a temporary light animation. It unfolds every evening from 10 PM.

An eye for sustainability and energy consumption

For this project, the city uses the most recent LED technology and smart control. This creates dynamic lighting. At nightfall, the station and its surroundings are bathed in a beautiful glow of light.

Later in the evening and at night, the light is dimmed to save energy.

Antwerp-Centrail Railway Station from Queen Astrid Square. This is officially the front.

Intensive cooperation

The new lighting was created thanks to an extensive collaboration. Commissioned by the City of Antwerp, light architects Susanna Antico Lighting Design Studio worked out the design.

Grid operator Fluvius coordinated the realization, which was carried out by contractor Maes industrial lighting. Throughout the process, the building owners SNCB/ NMBS and KMDA were closely involved. Thanks to the advice of the Onroerend Erfgoed agency and the city’s Immovable Heritage department, respectful treatment of the monuments was guaranteed.

“For the realisation of this challenging project, more than 10 kilometers of electricity cable was laid in and on the buildings, and we installed more than 800 light points”, says regional manager of Fluvius Ines Thijs.

Lighting plan

In 2012, the City of Antwerp approved its general lighting plan with a vision of coherent and sustainable lighting for the various parts of the city.

The lighting plan is based on three layers: the basic lighting in the different zones of the city, the lighting of the structural axes and the mood lighting. The third layer includes buildings, monuments and special views that enhance the atmosphere in the living environment.