The 15 July Martyrs Bridge is no ordinary bridge. Connecting two continents and carrying nearly 200,000 vehicles a day, it is the most famous landmark of Turkey's largest city, Istanbul. Completed in 1973, the nearly 1.5 km (1 mile) long suspension bridge spans the Bosphorus Strait, connecting Eastern Europe to Western Asia. Though iconic during the day, the lighting on the bridge did not impressively illuminate the structure at night, prompting the Chief Engineering of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge 17th District Office of Highways of the Republic of Turkey to commission a retrofit lighting solution.
Project owner Aydinlik Company teamed up with the Signify Turkey LIAS team to install the new illumination system, which combines Color Kinetics LED lighting technology with the existing lighting design to highlight the three main components of the bridge: the towers, the zigzag steel cables, and the rails along the deck. Because the new LED luminaires are controlled digitally, the bridge can be lit up in an infinite array of colors, combinations, and dynamic light shows.
With industry-best color quality and consistency, output of up to 5,211 lumens per luminaire, and throw of up to 159.1 m (522 ft), ColorReach Powercore luminaires (now specified with
ReachElite) floods the 105 m (345 ft) high towers of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge with uniform, intensely saturated, color-changing light from bottom to top. iColor Accent Powercore luminaires placed along the guardrails of the bridge illuminate the structure of the deck with direct-view color-changing light. ColorBlast Powercore luminaires, installed at the top point of every zigzag steel cable, shine as bright points of LED light while subtly highlighting the bridge's main rope. The zigzag steel cables are lined at equal intervals by 305 mm (1 ft) ColorGraze Powercore luminaires (now specified with
ColorGraze IntelliHue Powercore), turning the main focal point of the suspension bridge into an eye-catching attraction.
The new 15 July Martyrs Bridge lighting was unveiled with the fanfare appropriate for such an iconic landmark. The Turkish Minister of Public Works, the Director General of Highways, and the CEO of Signify Turkey and the Middle East were among the approximately 500 distinguished guests at the opening ceremony, which took place on a boat in the middle of the Bosphorus Strait with the bridge in full view. After a speech by the director of Aydinlik Company, executives involved in the project pressed the button to activate the new lighting system. The guests as well and hundreds of spectators along the shores of the strait watched on as the bridge came to life with a spectacular light show inspired by the Turkish flag.
"The bridge connects two continents—Europe and Asia—adding value to Istanbul as a center of daily exchange," says the Signify Turkey LIAS team. "Color Kinetics products enhance the bridge with dynamic light and minimum energy consumption, making it even more iconic."
