The lighting and culture spectacle
Once again the number of visitors to Luminale has almost doubled. For the third time in succession. 165 light projects will be staged during the light festival in Frankfurt Rhein-Main to run concurrently with Light + Building. This time Luminale will also be lighting up Frankfurt's neighbours Mainz, Wiesbaden and Darmstadt.
One of Germany's largest design "off events" has become established in the shadow of the light industry's most prestigious fair. It is a fixture in the diary not only of product designers but above all of architects and town planners, the courted core target group of Light + Building.
Nevertheless, the Luminale project office, which has been with Westermann Kommunikation, Ingelheim, ever since the event's conception is not furnished with a budget to support or stage single project contributions. Messe Frankfurt finances the organisation, advertising (where no sponsoring has been obtained) and the bus service that links the various highlights in Frankfurt. That may come as a surprise to many but it is part of the unique identity of this festival. Daring and commitment are the basis for every Luminale project. And the younger participants have long since understood: shining ideas are not enough, true creativity is putting those ideas into practice. The real challenge for the project office is to find topics that are strong and interesting enough to entice partners who see some benefit for themselves in implementing them.
The rediscovery of urban space is the dominant theme at Luminale 06. No fewer than four river docks will act as venues for the light show. A Luminale ship will commute from Frankfurt's western harbour to its eastern harbour, following the recently completed urban illumination along river Main. The "off scene" will meet in Offenbach's harbour and at the Mainz Zollhafen, the development prospects for this urban planning area will be presented. Urban lighting and public design are also the keywords of Luminale’s three park projects. Concepts for illuminating green spaces will be tried out in Frankfurt's Palmengarten botanical gardens, Wiesbaden's Kurpark and up on Darmstadt's Mathildenhöhe.
One of the big experiments made possible by Luminale is the illuminated roof across the Kaiserstraße in the district around Frankfurt's main railway station. It aims to encompass the station and the city centre and to be the visible manifestation of the shiny new image of an ill-appreciated district. A whole series of student projects have chosen the area around the station to try out unconventional ideas using the freedom of Luminale.
One symbol of Luminale that will be visible far and wide is the illumination of the power station at Frankfurt's Westhafen. The glowing industrial plant will further enhance the office block skyline. The skyscrapers Gallileo, Skyper, mainBuilding und FBC are also to stage Luminale light shows.The hub for evening strollers will be the illuminated Börsenplatz in front of Frankfurt's Chamber of Commerce and Industry. From there, the Luminale shuttle bus will take visitors on a discovery tour.
Helmut M. Bien
m+a report Nr.2 / 2006 vom 24.03.2006
m+a report vom 24. März 2006