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New Polish Mall Benefits from ETC Lighting
Last year saw the opening of Poland’s newest mall, which has since become a cultural mecca. Named Lodz Manufaktura, the mall is located in the Lodz district – a former industrial park with a rich history and great significance to the city. ETC, the global leader in lighting for architecture and entertainment, provided lighting solutions for this renowned venue.
In the 19th century, fabric magnate Izrael Poznanski opened a textile factory in Lodz, which grew to become one of the largest in Europe. The factory contained a palace, living quarters, its own power plant, railroad, fire department, school, and more. Thousands of employees worked and lived in the industrial park until WWI, when production was slowed. In WWII, the German army took over the factory. Slowly, in the post-war era, the factory began shutting down, and finally closed in 1997, leaving behind a cache of historical buildings and landmarks. The French design firm Apsys Polska began rebuilding the area, preserving most of the original structures so the exterior now resembles the textile plant 100 years ago. The company brought the buildings up to today’s standards, converting the area into a modern mall and, after several years of construction, Lodz Manufaktura was opened to the public.
The 270,000 sq m complex also contains museums, recreation and fitness centres, a cinema (including an IMAX) and an outdoor plaza that plays host to concerts and productions from around the world. The largest of the Manufaktura buildings became a three-storey shopping centre with over 200 shops.
The shopping centre was designed with a contemporary feel and at the same time reflects the history and culture of Lodz. One of the challenges to the unique design of the facility was preserving the original architecture of the industrial buildings whilst implementing the latest technology. To achieve this, the shopping centre uses 56 ETC Source Four HID 26° spotlights throughout the facility. The luminaires are painted white to blend discretely and unobtrusively into their historic surroundings. Prolight, ETC’s dealer in Poland, specified the lighting for this project.
The HID spotlights – designed specifically for architectural venues – illuminate signage and artwork on the walls and are used for special event lighting throughout the year. “More and more, architectural venues such as shopping centres are integrating theatrical lighting effects into their design, to enhance the look and feel of the building and to improve the experience of visitors,” says ETC architectural market manager Joe Bokelman. “Source Four HID fixtures provide a convenient solution for these needs.”
Because Source Four HIDs use the same optical technology as ETC’s Source Four theatrical luminaires to produce the brightest and crispest light possible, Manufaktura needs fewer of them to illuminate its interiors. At the same time, Source Fours keep heat generation to a minimum, reducing Manufaktura’s energy usage and costs. The 12,000 hour long life lamp also means that technicians spend less time climbing ladders to replace burnt out bulbs.
Manufaktura has become the heart of Lodz, drawing visitors from the city and other parts of Poland, as well as from around the world. With the help of ETC lighting, these visitors get a unique experience while witnessing a beautiful combination of old and new.
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