At-Turaif

A powerful and large-scale lighting control system from Pharos Architectural Controls, operating 3,200 linear and wash RGBW fixtures from Martin Professional, has been installed to illuminate the ancient city of At-Turaif in Diriyah in Saudi Arabia.

The culturally significant and sensitive UNESCO World Heritage site is considered one of the most important political and historical locations in the country. It is the first capital of the Saudi state, and where the modernisation of the country started.

To add to the site’s appeal, a large-scale project was commissioned by Diriyah Gate Development Company to illuminate the ancient city during the hours of darkness. Renowned lighting designers Speirs Major Light Architecture were commissioned to deliver the lighting scheme. Speirs Major specified a significant number of products from Pharos to deliver the control for over 60 universes of DMX distributed across the installation, including the large number of luminaires from Martin.

The sheer size of the site and the number of Martin fixtures involved required a large control system from Pharos, with multiple Pharos Designer LPC X (Lighting Playback Controller X), comprising three LPC 20s and two LPC 10s. DMX distribution via Ethernet to local points around the site was achieved using 28 Pharos Designer EDN 20s (Ethernet Data Node).

The Designer LPC X is an all-in-one lighting control solution, in a rugged rackmount that offers complete reliability in 24/7 operation, ideal for large-scale LED lighting installations such as At-Turaif.

One of the key challenges was installing the fixtures without damaging the ancient structures or detracting from the site’s historical significance. Careful planning was necessary to ensure the fixtures were integrated seamlessly. This required precise positioning and mounting methods, avoiding any physical impact on the buildings.

Having multiple LPC X distributed across the city had the benefit of some autonomy and resilience, given whole-site connectivity wasn’t initially in place, and greater freedom during commissioning to bring areas online as they were installed and completed.

The complexity of delivering the lighting across the entire historic expanse clearly demonstrates the power of the technology and the capabilities of the controls.

Located on a raised position at the edge of the ad-Dir’iyah oasis, the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif dates back to the 15th Century. The site includes the remains of many palaces and an urban settlement made up of a network of mud-brick buildings and other structures. Attracting domestic and international visitors, At-Turaif is a must-see destination for those in the Middle East.

Unusually, on this project the high-capacity requirement wasn’t for high-resolution pixel arrays, but rather for the huge number of individual Martin luminaires spread across the site, which, although they mostly appear to be programmed the same, are fine-tuned fixture-by-fixture to accommodate nuanced adjustments.

As the Pharos LPC features individually controllable and independently running timelines and scenes, and individually controlled fixtures, it fulfilled the requirements for this project, also easing the patching and addressing process for over 30,000 DMX channels and solving the challenges of running dynamic effects across the large-scale site. The control system also offers the freedom of real-time manual overrides via multiple Pharos Designer TPS (Touch Panel Stations) and the versatility of powerful show control, scripting, and integration features if they are ever needed.

A very specific shade of apricot-gold was chosen by Speirs Major Light Architecture to allow the mud-brick walls to glow in a natural and aesthetic way, and to meet the brief from Diriyah Gate Development Agency’s Group CEO.

Another key element of the design, made possible through bespoke programming of the system, is for the lighting to respond when a full moon occurs, highlighting the importance of the lunar calendar in the Muslim faith. To celebrate the new moon each month, the external walls shift to a shade of silvery blue, with warm light illuminating the interior spaces of the ancient city. Other programming, including green shades and white shades, reflects the flag of Saudi Arabia to run on national days of celebration and commemoration.

The programming of the lunar phasing is a fascinating element of the overall project, with the combination of luminaires and control technology working in harmony to deliver this special and unique effect.