Olympic Stadium

Inaugurated in 1976, Montreal's Olympic Stadium is the only covered amphitheatre in Quebec that can welcome large- scale events. Lit with large HID spotlights (which still dot the top of the tower), the Quebec Government wanted to modernise the tower's cove lighting system, reducing energy usage and maintenance. Gilles Arpin, principal lighting designer for Ombrages, proposed something more ambitious, a new lighting plan that would involve multiple stages including modern cove lighting, sustainable illumination of the tower's spinal column and diamond-shaped crown as well as structure lighting.

"This plan will be undertaken over a long period, and will be bring attention to the site and help raise its attendance," Arpin says.

To modernize the tower's cove lighting, Lumenbeam Large Color Changing luminaires with 6 and 20 degree beam angles were used.

"Lumenpulse was chosen for the performance and quality of the luminaires. In the cove, the Lumenbeam XLarge luminaires are mounted in clusters on top and at the bottom of the cavity," Arpin says.

Lumenfacade luminaires were then mounted along the length of the tower's spinal column.

"The Lumenfacade luminaires are mounted on each side of the cavity and programmed to enhance the curved progression of the architecture. This helped us get around the main challenge, which was to produce a design that kept the light sources discreet, and respected the night sky," says Arpin.

Subtle and efficient, the lighting system, the first phase of the site's new lighting plan, has made the tower visible from a distance, and giving it a striking new nighttime identity.

"The reception of this project has been very positive, from both our clients and visitors to the site," says Arpin.

Equipment specified:

22 x CBOX, Daisy Chain Configuration
152 x Lumenfacade RGB
1 x Lumentouch