Huis Ten Bosch Theme Park

All projectsHuis Ten Bosch Theme Park, Sasebo

Huis Ten Bosch Theme Park, Sasebo

Japan

Owing its name to one of the three official residences of the Dutch monarchy, Huis ten Bosch, which means House in the Woods, is a fabulous theme park where lighting plays the lion’s share. Located in Sasebo City, Nagasaki prefecture, Huis ten Bosch is inspired by the medieval Dutch architecture and culture, whereas many building and monuments of Dutch cities have been faithfully reproduced in the amusement park to recreate a perfect North European atmosphere.

The reference to the Netherlands gets back to the Edo Period, timely located between 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate. This period was characterized by a brilliant economic and cultural growth, but at the same time also by a strict social order and a strong isolationist foreign policy. At that time, Nagasaki and its prefecture, being the closest port city to the mainland, was designated by the Edo Shogunate as a place for exchange and trade. In 1636, the Dutch were restricted to Dejima, a small artificial island in Nagasaki's harbor, while all other foreign merchants were banished from Japan. The Netherlands were therefore the only country that was officially allowed by the shogunate to do business with Japan, becoming an important commercial and cultural touchstone for the entire area. For this reason, many scenic spots in this region are architecturally related to medieval Dutch buildings and constructions, reproducing in an almost perfect way their peculiar features on towers, channels, streets, houses and so on.

Year

2019

Lighting design

Komaden Corporation (JAPAN)

Lighting concept, design and installation

Komaden Corporation (JAPAN)

Import, distribution, and Light design

Lightcosmo CO., LTD.

Also a beloved location for TV shows, movies, and commercial shooting, this amusement park is nowadays a very popular attraction based on four differently themed areas. The Flower Kingdom features many kind of flowers blooming across all seasons. The Game Kingdom is fitted with 44 thrilling attractions; The Light Kingdom is one of the world’s largest illumination site where more than 11 million lights create a magical atmosphere at night; and, last but not least, the Music and Show Kingdom, where musical performances and shows are displayed all day long. Each of these areas features thrilling attractions, exciting entertainment events and is also provided with top-notch restaurants, stores, and starred hotels in order to assure a comfortable stay to its many visitors.

Illumination has always been a very important focal point at Huis ten Bosch and has been progressively enhanced during the last years especially in the Light Kingdom area, where millions of sparkling lights are capable of creating magic emotions. A newly introduced seasonal attraction, running from October, 5 2019 till May, 6 2020, called Wishes Wonderland, is based on a stunning illumination system, which enchants the visitors with its jaw-dropping effects. Millions of white lights create a sort of shining snow cap on houses and trees, bringing to life a "wonderland on earth” where people can make whishes with the happy sensation that they will really come true in this almost celestial wish-fulfilling place.

Focal point of this "wishing” area are a 15m high iconic tree and an elegant, Gothic style palace perfectly reproducing the façade of Gouda City Hall, in Dutch called "Stadhuis”. Located in the middle of Amsterdam Square, the so called Stad House stands out for its amazing beauty, its imposing height and its richly decorated façade and gothic spires. Being illuminated up to now only in a warm white light mainly focused on its arched windows and sharp pointed spires, the Stad House needed a new, eye-catching lighting to turn into the Whishes Wonderland attraction.

Hundred of thousands of crystal lamps installed on the Stad House façade, as well as on the huge tree, create an amazing sparkling silver snow effect, while an array of GRIVEN colour changers provide the required dynamic wall wash on both subjects. A series of JADE 16 RGBW and JADE 9 RGB with different optic distribution have been installed on the façade of the Stad House to deliver a tunable colour changing illumination to the whole square. Cold white, warm white, and blue are the preferred tones for this period, whereas the chosen RGBW and RGB configurations of the colour changers can provide whatever shade. Moreover, the large symbol tree that stands beside the building is lit up in colours by 6 units of EMERALD in RGBW configuration fitted with medium optics, white the square in front of it is illuminated in blue by 2 units of EMERALD RGBW with narrow optics. At the end of this seasonal event, GRIVEN’s colour changers will remain as a fixed architectural lighting installation to enhance the beauty of the Stad House every night.

The final effect is really amazing and makes you really feel in a truly wish-fulfilling place!