The Fade to Warm Technology (FTW) from GDS / ETC, first introduced in the ArcSystem product line in 2018 , is noted for its excellent dimming performance and light quality. This especially covers uniformity, nonglaring and colour reproduction (CRI>96). The new LED chip generation with FTW combines two colour temperatures in one COB for the first time and generates a high-quality incandescent light imitation through an integrated dynamic control when dimming, ideal for audience lights.
The SoftLite Led technology by Coemar Lighting is characterised by a revolutionary and unique reflected illumination system. Because of its innovative optical system, the products of the SoftLite Led range deliver an extremely uniform output with exceptionally soft shadows and a perfect colour mixing. Therefore, they are considered the perfect LED fixture for the direct or indirect illumination of larger areas.
The Parktheater Iserlohn was opened in its present form in 1964 after the conversion and extension of the original building from the late 19th century. It is located in a park at the edge of the Iserlohn city centre.
The theatre is very successfully operated as a programme theatre with more than 220 national and international, partly top-class productions of all genres as well as selected own productions every year. With around 57,000 visitors and around 4,500 subscribers each year, it is one of the largest and most important cultural attractions in the region of South Westphalia.
The theatre has two stages, the Main Stage with over 800 seats and a stage size of about 300 square metres with upper and lower machinery, as well as the Studio Stage with over 100 seats. In addition, a concert and event hall, as well as a theatre gallery and the foyer are used for various exhibitions and events.
The Main Stage is equipped to the highest technical standards and has an auditorium that was modernised in 2001 with special acoustics designed for spoken and musical theatre.
The main challenge in the audience of the Main Stage of the Parktheater Iserlohn in Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany was to fulfil the high demands of the customer on the quality and flexibility of the lighting and in particular on the dimming behaviour taking into account the colour reproduction and the required minimum illuminance in each area. The architectural expression of the room with its light wood seating and floor, its light acoustic ceiling and dark wood wall panels had to be upgraded and supplemented with multi-colour accent lighting. At the same time the acoustic properties of the room had to be kept unaffected by using the existing lighting positions in the acoustic ceiling and strict fire prevention and safety requirements had to be fulfilled.
In addition, the high demands on uniformity and nonglaring as well as the colour reproduction had to be met in order to provide the artists on stage and in the orchestra pit with ideal conditions and to create a perfectly matching atmosphere for the audience. After extensive testing and comparison of products from different manufacturers, GDS / ETC with FTW and Coemar Lighting with SoftLite Led provided the technologies needed to achieve these goals.
This is the first European project where the ArcSystem products with FTW technology have been implemented, while still in the process of their re-design and transition from GDS to ETC, proving that such a major undertaking in the industry can be finalised effectively leading to successful projects and fully satisfied customers, when there is a strong and confident partnership between all project partners.
Besides, this project especially shows how the high demands of the customer, combined with the strict rules and regulations, can be met completely and without any compromise by the combination of a high quality LED audience light system and high quality LED ambient lights. It also shows that questions of energy efficiency, sustainability and the availability of lighting technologies are no longer incompatible with a desired architectural expression, the individual needs of a customer, nor the artistic or safety-related requirements in the lighting of a theatre audience with LED solutions.
By means of multisenses, the entire audience lighting system of the Main Stage of the Parktheater Iserlohn was replaced by LED technology and a new control system.
30 ETC ArcSystem Four-Cell Round in custom colour with a special mounting solution and 11 One-Cell were installed in the acoustic ceiling. These are operated by the GDS ArcSystem Pro D4 CC constant current driver system in a 19″ custom housing. In addition, a further 41 ETC One-Cell, mostly in custom colour, and 6 additional GDS One-Cell in standard colour were installed on the GDS driver system as above.
These are supplemented by 4 Coemar Lighting SoftLite Led, also with a special mounting solution, as well as various RGBW LED strips.
The audience lighting system is controlled via the GDS / ETC ArcMesh system and DMX with custom specific control panels by GDS at key positions on the stage and in the auditorium and was fully integrated into the existing stage lighting system by multisenses.
The audience lighting system planned and installed by multisenses reduces over 37kW of former conventional lighting to 4.16kW of LED power consumption under full load with energy savings of about 168,000kWh per year.
