A Living Facade

Rising along the banks of the Munksjön in Jönköping, Cultural Centre Spira stands as the city’s central stage for music, theatre, and dance. Since opening its doors in 2011, the building has hosted hundreds of performances each year, establishing itself as a cultural landmark and gathering place for the region.

Spira was designed by architects Gert Wingårdh and Jonas Edblad and is defined by its shimmering glass facade and softly undulating form. The building’s name means “spire,” reflecting its upward movement and sculptural presence, while art and custom-designed luminaires contribute to a rich visual experience both inside and out.

In 2025, a new lighting scheme was introduced to enhance the upper sections of the facade. The project was completed through a collaboration between Kreativ Teknik, Elektrobyrån, and Signify, with a focus on reinforcing the building’s architectural character after dark.

Kreativ Teknik was commissioned to support the lighting design, installation, and programming of the new facade illumination. The solution brings light to the two curved upper sections of the building, following the architecture’s rhythm and geometry.

The installation consists of 87 linear Color Kinetics ColorGraze MX4 Powercore luminaires mounted along the lower edge of the facade. Each fixture is individually addressable, allowing for subtle movement and controlled shifts in color that animate the glass surface and give the building a dynamic, living presence at night. The system is powered by Color Kinetics Data Enabler Pro gen3 and programmed via DMX operated through a control solution from Interactive Technologies. Pre-programmed lighting scenarios can be selected locally or adjusted remotely, providing flexibility for performances and events.

The result is a lighting installation that enhances Spira’s identity after dark, supporting the building’s role as a cultural beacon while offering a versatile and intuitive system designed for long-term use.

Fredrik Johansson, Branch Manager at Elektrobyrån says, "From our side, it has been fantastically fun to get to know your entire team, and the job at Cultural Centre Spira went magically smoothly from start to finish. It's also great that we have already found more work where we have utilized your help, and there will surely be more!"