Located at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers and sitting at the foot of the Citadel, the Walloon Parliament is visible throughout the landscape of the Namur valley. If in the past it seemed to have been erased from the urban context by public lighting, LIGHT-TO-LIGHT wanted to establish an illumination commensurate with the importance of this building classified as a Walloon heritage site and the centre of political debates. This desire to reveal the edifice to the Namur night site was implemented by completely illuminating all the façades, in order to highlight all the architectural volumes of the structure.

The design aspect…when sobriety and elegance are combined

The lighting of the Parliament of Wallonia forms a foreground in harmony with the lighting of the Citadel. Indeed, the lighting chosen by LIGHT-TO-LIGHT reveals the red colour of the facades and the grey of the stones; therefore respecting the bichromy of the monument; and highlights its dimensions and volumes; thus emphasizing the sides of the roof. Sobriety and respect are the key words for the lighting concept of this former functional building, because any colourful transformation would be inappropriate outside particular events. In addition, the façades are illuminated in their entirety, including the roof, to provide a coherent and complete reading of the whole in the city’s night landscape. The direction, as well as the contrasts in tone and light intensity, accentuate the outlines of the edifice. In addition to revealing the intrinsic beauty and harmony of the monument to the people of Namur, this lighting meets the criteria of durability with its energy efficiency, and visual comfort with the photometry of the luminaires.

The Parliament of Wallonia is thus adorned with light to be contemplated in the capital of its region.

Lighting design: Fiorenzo Namèche – Light-To-Ligh, inauguration and commissioning: 27th January 2016.

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