Museum showcase lighting

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PAGE 6-7’Heat is a major issue when thelighting system is going nightand day. It was a majoradvantage that we could put thelight generators outside thecase. Now heat is not an issueat all.’Jeffrey StreanDirector of Design and ArchitectureCleveland Museum of ArtOhio, USA

Cold light means perfect conditions forin-case temperature and humidity control.No heat in the showcase means no heatto damage or to dry out precious, vulnerableor ancient artefacts. And no heat meansno air circulation, which means no dustcirculation. The cabinet interior stays cleanand the display stays dust-free, whichminimises the need to open the case forcleaning.Total temperature and humidity controland air-tight light fittings mean perfectly safelighting in pressurised display cases.No infrared radiation and no ultravioletrays are emitted. Absence of UV rays ensuresthat even the most precious and sensitiveexhibits are protected. Absence of IRradiation removes the risk of heat exposureand reduces the need for noisy, energyconsumingair conditioning.There is only one point of maintenance,and it is always outside the cabinet’s displayarea. The light generator is completelyhidden from view yet easily accessible. Ithas one single lamp, which means very littleand very easy maintenance. No specialexpertise is needed, so any member of staffcan easily change the lamp.

PAGE 8-9’The lights had to be really,really discreet. Ideally, weneeded a lighting solution withlight but no lamp.’Mikael SvenungssonCompany ownerM2 ShopfittersRydöbruk, Sweden

Roblon’s very discreet fittings rangein size from small to simply tiny, whichmaximises space in the in-case display area.They blend elegantly in, even in allglasscases. So the lighting technology goesunnoticed and the entire focus is onthe exhibits.The unusually flexible functionalitybuilt in to Roblon fittings means that lightfocus and beam angles can easily beadjusted, focused, directed, readjusted,refocused and redirected any time.So any time the exhibits are changed, thelighting can easily be changed too.Exceptional design emanates from everytiny detail in every fitting, which meansthat every fitting visually matches the highquality of the highest quality exhibition.Customisable fittings and customisablesolutions mean that any kind of light can bedesigned to suit any kind of object, anykind of showcase, any kind of exhibition andany kind of museum.

IcnicPAGE 10-11‘It’s remarkable to see so manyOlympic medals, one of everytype, together. You’d never findthis arrangement anywhere else inthe world. It’s iconic.‘David GrillPresidentDavid Grill AssociatesNew York, USA

flippedDesignflipped on its headPAGE 14-15

Curators, not technology, must decidehow exhibitions look. So when theinternationally-renowned Cleveland Museumof Art began a massive redesign project, thedesign solutions had to be as flexible as therequirements were stringent.‘We’re lovingly restoring the wholebuilding, detail by detail, and we’restrengthening the focus on the objects,’says Jeffrey Strean, Director of Design andArchitecture at the CMA. ‘These exhibitshave been on view before, but until now allthe detail wasn’t shown.’‘When we selected the display case andlighting companies, it was important thatthey were willing to make it happen. Theyhad to be flexible, to be willing to breaktheir production process up in order to dosomething differently.’Things were indeed done differently. Forspectacular air-tight showcases in theEuropean galleries, the CMA wanted washand accent lighting together in the samecase and same solution, running off one lightgenerator and with a range from 50 to 300lux.‘More often than not, you see display casesthat are overly dramatic, that have toomuch light,’ says Mr. Strean. ‘We wanted toachieve something different, something thatis just not possible through an off-the-shelfsolution.’‘Any time you have to go into a case, youcreate a risk, so it was a requirement thatwe don’t have to enter the case to adjustthe light.’ The standard Roblon Avant-gardeaccent light fitting is adjusted from its front.‘Roblon flipped its design around totallyso now adjustment is done from the back,outside the case.’To run accent and wash lighting off onegenerator, Roblon’s R&D team designed aspecial harness system which dims the RoblonXPO wash lighting mechanically without‘You walk in to these galleriesand everything just fitstogether perfectly. Everythinghas been thought through. Inmany museums, it’s only thelarge, dramatic items that drawthe eye. When you walk in here,you get absorbed in the detailsof the small exhibits and youwant to read every informationpanel.’Nils AagaardArea Sales ManagerRoblonFrederikshavn, Denmark

altering the accent lighting.The ability to adjust light with millimetreprecisionwas also a CMA requirement. ‘Ourlighting expert, Rusty Culp, fine-tuned thelight for each artefact,’ says Jeffrey Strean.‘He worked on each case for a week and itrendered really well.’‘There is light and shadow, but you don’tsee them, and you don’t see where thelight’s coming from. That’s another reasonthe fibre optic solution is so attractive. Theactual fittings can be the size of the head ofa nail. There are no visible fixtures. You’dhave to really crane your neck and look veryhard to even find a light fitting.’PAGE 16-17‘The lamp can be changed andthe light adjusted without thecase being opened. We hid thelight generators in separatespaces on top. Because thespace doesn’t give access to theexhibits, there’s no securityrisk. That meant we could usemagnets instead of locks. Lockslook ugly, and children can begood at putting chewing gum inkeyholes, so it’s better whenyou don’t need them at all.’Till HahnManaging DirectorGlasbau Hahn, Frankfurt, Germany

‘Before, we used at least 350MR16 lights. Now there are justtwo or three light generatorswith one lamp each. So maybetwo, three times a year youhave to replace a single lamp,instead of having to maintain350 lights. That is a hugesaving in maintenance.’Jeffrey StreanDirector of Design and ArchitectureCleveland Museum of ArtOhio, USAAll products used:pages 22-23‘We have been designing displaycases since 1836. We have anobligation to meet very highstandards. Roblon’s performancemeets those standards. We havethe same feeling about qualityand the same flexible attitude.I am glad we recommended alighting company that was goodfor us and good for the client.’Till HahnManaging DirectorGlasbau Hahn,which made thedisplay cases at the CMA

‘Part magic wand, parttechnological wonder andpart work of art, the Salt Lake 2002 torch resembles an icicleplucked from the eaves of a snowbound cabin that is just beginning to melt.’‘I wanted the lighting toemphasise the torch’s iconicstatus. At the tip, I used aClassic Downlight that shootsdown with the flame, and at thebottom three Classic Downlightswhich shoot up the torch tohighlight its surface. You canreally see the carving and thetexture.’David Grill,who designed lightingfor the Olympic torch at theCauldron Park Visitors’ Centre,Rice-Eccles Stadium,Salt Lake City, UtahThe stadium was the venuefor the opening and closingceremonies at theSalt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic GamesAll products used:pages 22-23PAGE 18-19

50 lux0.70.60.50.40.30.20.10.00.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8Designing lighting200luxThe best lighting effects are usually achievedwhen the in-case light level is 3-5 times thelevel of the surrounding ambient light. Theoptimum lux level depends on ambient lightlevels and on how daylight affects the room.It also depends greatly on how vulnerablethe exhibits are. For older and sensitiveartefacts, low levels in the 50-100 lux rangeare recommended.100 100 100 100Roblon fibre harnesses give maximum lightefficiency. They are randomised forunrivalled uniformity of light, whichensures that lighting is absolutely constantat all points throughout a showcase.Highly functional fittings which can be tilted,focused and adjusted with millimetreprecisionensure that accent lighting isrigorously precise, bringing out the tiniest,finest individual details of each separatedisplay item. With an integrated Roblonsolution, general wash and precision accentlighting can be perfectly balanced in thesame case and even run off one single lightgenerator.The right colour temperature can alwaysbe achieved and precisely fine-tuned bycombining Roblon light generators and CTCfilters in various ways.Roblon fittings, fibre harnesses and lightgenerators are combined in one integratedsolution. Considerations when designingdisplay case lighting include the bestplace to hide fibre harnesses and lightgenerators, ventilation requirements forthe light generator compartment, and therecommended fibre bending radius.Fittings can be combined variously in onesolution. Adjustable and tiltable fittings giveprecision light control. Concealed lenseseliminate glare. Fittings can be placed at themost optimal location within the case andlight beams can be adjusted with absoluteprecision, so light and shadow can beminimised and maximised as desired.LUXThe Roblon Lux Calculator is a uniquesoftware programme with which you cancustomise lighting solutions and calculateprecise lux values, beam angles and beamdiameters in a matter of seconds.It takes just another few seconds to print yourcalculations and to save them electronicallyin files that can be emailed to colleaguesand clients, and also imported back intothe Lux Calculator any time.Your calculations can also be saved asIES files that are compatible with otherprofessional light planning and 3D designprogrammes including DIALux and Visual.Roblon Lux CalculatorRoblon Lux Calculator is a free programme thatcan be downloaded from www.roblon.com.

Light generator placementLight generators produce heat. Correctventilation is therefore very important,particularly for generators in closedcompartments.Closed light generator compartmentsare air-tight, which means there mustbe enough space to allow natural heattransmission through surfaces. Surfacesshould not be insulated. The air volume(m³) must always be as recommended.In compartments where the air volume islower than recommended, the thermalrise of hot air is utilised to remove heatso that it does not recirculate inside.The hot air must be directed towards anoutlet, preferably via a flexible tube.Heat is removed via cabinet and airgrilles. A fan can be installed if additionalventilation is required.In exceptionally small compartments, thelight generator must always be directlyconnected to the outside. Air intake andoutlet must be separate. Heat is guidedout of the compartment through a flexibletube. It can exit via a louvred grille.Particularly in small compartments,air flow conditions should be tested inadvance.There is minimal noise or vibration froma Roblon light generator, and any residualnoise or vibration can be further reducedby fitting a sound-absorbing material tothe compartment’s inner surface or to aplate underneath the generator. Soundinsulation conserves heat, so testing isrecommended.Generators must be easily accessible sothat fans and filters can be dusted andlamps changed effortlessly. Electricalexpertise is not required to change a lampor a filter. Air filters must be checkedand cleaned regularly. Service manualinstructions must always be followed.PAGE 20-21’LED has a life time of30,000 hours but then youhave to change every lightfitting, which can be comparedto replacing the entireinstallation. As LED is not afully-developed technology,you can’t be sure you will getthe same light and colour withreplacement fittings. Withfibre optics, you only haveto change one central bulbin a light generator that’ssupplying lots of light points.It’s simple to change onebulb, and you get the exactsame light and colour. Andonce you’ve changed the bulba few times, you’ve surpassedthe life time of LED withouthaving to change the entireinstallation.’Jesper KongshaugLighting DesignerCopenhagen, Denmark

Fibre harness integrationRoblon fibre harnesses can be run, unseen,through cabinet cavities, through wall, flooror ceiling cavities, and through track casing.Roblon fibre optic lighting solutions arehighly customisable. They can be integratedretrospectively into existing display cases orinto new cases during the design phase. Theycan be seamlessly integrated into displayniches and into table-top, free-standing,built-in and wall-mounted display cases,regardless of case size, shape or material.The bending radius depends on the fibredimensions and whether PMMA or glassfibre is used. The exact bending radiusfor any given fibre can be looked up inRoblon’s main catalogue, available onwww.roblon.com.Roblon fibre harnesses are subject to thehighest quality control. For example, everysingle Roblon PMMA fibre is individually testedbefore being released from the factory.When designing lighting, Roblon recommendsthe use of a prototype in order to test underrealistic conditions.The integrated solution is delivered ready forinstallation. Electrical skills are not requiredfor installation or maintenance.

The freedom to design, define and control lightAvant-gardeLight TubeCleverly designed to blend completely in withany given surface. Exceptionally well-definedlight beams and flexible functionality forfine-tuning light. 360° adjustable. Glarefreelens. Choose wide, medium or focusedbeams. Ideal for meticulous lighting: createa row of millimetre-perfect light spots orarches; or cast light exactly where you wantit on a table, along a wall, through a room, ina display case.Casts light elegantly downwards in displaycases. The slim, discreet design ensures thatfull focus is on the items displayed. 360°adjustable. Even in the lowest, smallestshowcase, it illuminates objects precisely.Choose to illuminate the centre of the case,or highlight several objects individually.XPONoteOne lighting system, multiple lightingsolutions. Choose discreet light points tocreate wash lighting. Choose optical headsto highlight specific objects. Or choose tocombine both on one conduit. Choose lightbeam angles, conduit finishes and lengths.Tilt fittings in multiple directions and adjusttheir focus as often as you want.Precision light, beautifully wrapped in asimple, subtle design. High light efficiency.Choose between medium, wide, asymmetricand diffuse light. Choose between miniature,medium and large fittings. Ideal in niches anddisplay cases and also for room lighting.PAGE 22-23Featured projectsMoesgård MuseumÅrhus, Denmarkwww.moesmus.dkPhotos: Torben Morsø, 2xTorben, ÅrhusPages 1, 3, 4, 5, 7The National Museum of DenmarkCopenhagen, Denmarkwww.natmus.dkPhoto: Christina Hauschildt, CopenhagenPage 8The Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic MuseumJoe Quinney Winter Sports CenterUtah Olympic ParkPark City, Utah, USAwww.olyparks.comXPO Conduit (0600 0100)XPO Optical Head Focus (0600 0350)XPO Optical Head Medium (0600 0351)XPO Optical Head Wide (0600 0352)Ball & Socket Medium (0301 2203)Crystal Ball 18.5 (0310 1256)FL 75 US dimmable light generators (0150 0204)FL 75 E Colour US light generator (0150 0205)Colour Wheel, Special, FL 75 (5100 0150)Roblon PMMA Ø3 mm (5200 0551)Roblon PMMA Ø4.5mm (5200 0552)Roblon PMMA Ø6 mm (5200 0553)Lighting distributor: www.visual-lighting.comPhotos: Douglas Barnes, Salt Lake CityPages 4, 5, 6, 9, 10-13Hall of Florida FossilsFlorida Museum of Natural HistoryFlorida, USAwww.flmnh.ufl.eduFlorida Museum photo by Tammy JohnsonPage 9

NovaBebopA skilful series of downlights with a uniquedimple feature for sharp tilting. 360°adjustable. Tilts 35° all around, and up to50° at the dimple point. Pioneering buttonsystemlets you freely adjust and lock thebeam tilt and dimple point. Choose large,medium or uniquely small fittings. Choosewide, medium or focused beams. Ideal forillumination on walls, in niches and in displaycases.Ingeniously designed to transform swiftlyfrom recessed to raised. When recessed,blends completely in with any given surface.Any time you want, without using tools,pull the optical head out and position itwith millimetre-precision. Available withadjustable focused, medium or wide beamsand a glare-free lens. Ideal for galleries,museums and retail outlets where displays,designs and moods change.Framing SpotFL 150-3Paint a space with light, then frame it. Fix asquare or triangle of light on one space: on asculpture, on advertisements, on a receptiondesk, on a painting. Available with speciallenses for long distance, high intensity andextra tight focus.A uniquely compact, very durable and veryquiet light generator. High light efficiency.Extremely long lamp life. Very easylamp exchange. Easy handling. Speciallydesigned for showcase lighting. With a widevoltage range and multiple internationalcertifications, this one generator can be usedanywhere in the world.See the full range of Roblon fittings on www.roblon.comThe Cleveland Museum of ArtOhio, USAwww.clemusart.comAvant-garde size 3-25 Focus fittings (0332 7511)XPO Conduit (0600 0100)XPO Light Points (0600 0200), customisedFL 150-3 B light generators (0161 0000), customisedRoblon PMMA Ø1 mm (5200 0510)Roblon Glass Ø2 mm (5200 0120)Roblon Glass Ø3 mm (5200 0130)Photos: John Rae, New YorkPages 14-17Cauldron Park Visitors’ CentreRice-Eccles StadiumSalt Lake City, Utah, USAwww.stadium.utah.eduClassic Downlight Ø32 Medium Tiltable fittings(0310 1264)FL 2001-1 US 42W light generator (0120 0151)Roblon PMMA Ø4.5 mm (5200 0552)Lighting distributor: www.visual-lighting.comPhotos: Douglas Barnes, Salt Lake CityPage 18Designed for Roblon bySchmelling Industriel DesignAvant-gardeBebopFraming SpotNoteNovaXPO

Roblon A/SLighting DivisionNordhavnsvej 1PO box 1209900 FrederikshavnDenmarkTel: +45 9620 3366Fax: +45 9620 3396info@roblon.comwww.roblon.comRound the world, round the clockUp-to-the-minute product information and documentationis always available on www.roblon.com· Product features· Product functionality· Product photos· Data sheets· Dimension sketches· Beam angles· Mounting instructions· User manuals· Compatible accessories· Spare parts· Roblon Lux Calculator· Roblon distributors in over 40 countriesSee the full list of Roblon distributors worldwide onwww.roblon.com© 2008, Roblon A/S