The 400-foot-long structure's reinforced concrete dam was built in 1972 to replace a series of historic structures that have powered the old flour mills and sawmills on Mill Island in Trebonna, Quebec, since the early 18th century. Named after a prominent resident who successfully lobbied for the island's edge to be free of building pollution and made available to the public, the functional dam serves as a symbolic link connecting the town to the island's suburbs via a pedestrian bridge.
In celebration of the town's 350th anniversary, this interactive landscape lighting project aims to provide a dynamic focal point for the town so that people can enjoy a continuously updated light show that will continue into the years to come.
The dam was initially illuminated by a series of 16-foot-tall oversized light poles that had no optical controls. In the new installation, overall glare was reduced by lowering the light level and precisely focusing the light flux on the pavement. Pedestrians can enjoy the river unobstructed by the light as they cross the river from one bank to another and from island to island. The view to the south presents a multi-level spillway consisting of the following sections:1. A continuous-flowing trough with smooth, dark water arching over the concrete spillway; A dynamic turbulent whitewater vortex, 3. Gradually transition to the tranquil waters of the river in the distance.
Each of these three layers is accentuated by a different layer of light, creating a programmable, low-resolution matrix. The trough is illuminated by mirror-like reflections, the white water areas are illuminated by a series of straight lines of light (typically used for building façade lighting), and the farther areas are projected by wider floodlights, allowing the light to fade into darkness.
With the changing seasons and special single-day events punctuated, the dam is programmed to create a total of 15 color changing scenes. Precisely-aligned colored wall washers are superimposed with dotted ripple textures to highlight the eternal renewal, random movement of water. In addition, pedestrians crossing the dam trigger a series of motion sensors that release multiple white rays of light from the east and west banks across the width of the river. The lights start at sunset and turn off at midnight, and the functional lighting is halved from midnight to 6 a.m. or when no presence is detected for 5 minutes.
During the intense time of this small-town festivities, this project presented a number of design and installation challenges. After receiving approval from the three levels of government, the project began in late autumn, requiring installation in near-freezing conditions while hanging over the rushing water. Due to the low load-bearing capacity of the dam structure, no mechanized equipment was allowed to dam the dam, forcing the team to use ropes and custom-made lifting equipment. IP67 luminaires are sourced locally to ensure resistance to all kinds of inclement weather and regular ongoing maintenance.
Project Name: Terrebonne Dam
Project address: Quebec, Canada
Lighting Design: CS Design, Canada
附加设计：Electrical Engineer: Tetratech | Contractor: Seguin-Morris
客户：City of Terrebonne
灯具供应商:Lumenpulse
摄影:Ferlandphoto | Chiara Isserlis
© Copyright Notice: The content of this article comes from CS Design. This article is edited and published by the Lighting Gang, if you have any questions, please contact the Lighting Gang.