Holland Casino

In the Dutch city of Utrecht, one of the most recent additions to its range of entertainment destinations is the glittering new Holland Casino. A striking building adorned in gold, this glamourous new casino blends sophistication with welcoming hospitality.
This winning combination is perfectly reflective of the Holland Casino brand and something the brand owner wants to achieve in every one of its venues.
The brief for Oz Architects was to create a golden diamond-shaped building that was also completely covered in light. As well as illuminating the entire building and using the façade to display content, it was also important that the building met the criteria for the BREAAM sustainability certification. Keeping light pollution to a minimum was crucial.
To help achieve this, system integrator Livingprojects worked closely with lighting designer Siegrid Siederius on behalf of Arup to deliver the Holland Casino vision. The façade is composed of individual panels with an LED fixture built into each one. The fixtures are not directly visible, relying instead on indirect light being reflected on adjoining panels, delivering a seamless integration and stunning results.
As well as the golden façade being fully illuminated in the evenings, the brief also required the capability for content to be displayed on the panels. This ensures the casino can respond to special themes or days using the façade itself. The custom-made lighting system allows for a different colour to be introduced every 100mm, making it possible to create a dynamic display and even show detailed video content.
To make this a reality, the dynamic lighting is controlled by a system from Pharos Architectural Controls. The installation uses the Pharos VLC 500 (Video Lighting Controller 500) – a high-power yet cost-effective architectural lighting control solution suitable for large LED pixel arrays, including building façades – making it the perfect choice for Holland Casino, Utrecht.
The addition of 32 Pharos EDN 20 (Ethernet Data Node 20) remote devices, each with 20 DMX outputs, provides a convenient and scalable solution that delivers cost-effective Ethernet-distributed DMX ports for large control projects.

As a visionary brand, Holland Casino locations always break the mould with stunning results; and the Utrecht venue is no exception.
The project also represents a true collaboration between Livingprojects and their partners, and Pharos, that exceeded all expectations.
Coupled with the luxurious façade, the casino’s entrance adds to the excitement and awe-inspiring experience. Livingprojects worked with Rovasta to develop a 40m long light tunnel that shows dynamic content and wows visitors from the moment they step inside.
With more than 9000 fixtures, suitable locations for the cabling, connections, and the Pharos control system itself had to be carefully identified to ensure both safety and style were maintained.
As such the VLC is placed inside the central networking area of the Casino and the EDN 20s are placed in stainless steel outdoor cabinets, together with all the power supplies and fibre optic network components.
A Pharos TPC (Touch Panel Controller) is due to be added soon, offering users an advanced lighting playback engine through a sleek touch screen device.
The new casino in Utrecht adds to the growing portfolio of the Holland Casino locations and follows hot on the heels of the recently opened venue in the municipality of Venlo.