Navy Pier, Chicago

USA

Located on Lake Michigan's shore, Chicago Navy Pier originally opened as a shipping and recreational facility in 1916 and it quickly became one of Chicago’s most dynamic and vibrant landmarks. Throughout its history, the Pier has been a center of commerce, a military base, a school, an events venue and a world-renowned destination, continually transforming its identity in purpose, offerings and culture since its inception. One of the largest of its kind in the world, the 3,300-foot-long pier became the modern piece of attraction it is today in the 1980s, when it turned into Chicago's most visited landmark due to its lovely location and uncountable attractions.

Beside its world famous iconic 150-foot tall Ferris wheel, Navy Pier currently encompasses more than fifty acres of parks, gardens, shops, restaurants, family attractions and exhibition facilities. Moreover, a theatre and an IMAX cinema, the Chicago Children's Museum, along with year-round events and shows make it the top leisure and culture destination in the Midwest with nearly nine million visitors a year.

Year

2017

As part of the multi-phase Centennial Vision master plan launched in 2016 to envision the Pier as a modern, more efficient, and well organized multifunctional urban park space, numerous sustainable redevelopments have been gradually implemented at the pier since last year on the occasion of its 100th anniversary celebration. They include expanded park space, comprehensive conservation measures, improved storm water management, planting of approximately 200 new native and appropriately adapted trees beside the use of recycled local materials, the installation of a sustainable LED lighting system and better bike, pedestrian and water access.

The promenade
Recognized as one of the best boardwalks in the US, the 2,000 feet long pedestrian south dock of Navy Pier offers to its countless visitors a wide selection of activities and attractions. The recent and ongoing improvements made to the south dock include new paving stones, the planting of 200 trees, as well as the construction of a green infrastructure specific for the pier’s storm water management system, along with a brand new illumination equipment. The 43,000 square feet of permeable pavement installed along the promenade to help divert rain water to planter irrigation is an ecofriendly, sustainable practice, which, at the same time, embellishes the south dock delivering an elegant and refined allure to the whole promenade.

In order to further enhance this renovated promenade and its beautiful paving in a discrete, soft way at night, while respecting the green guidelines concerning environmental compatibility and reduction of overall energy consumption, a peculiar lighting scheme was delivered to the whole path by an impressive number of LED image projectors by GRIVEN. Mounted ten by ten on 18 very high poles, 180 units of GoboLED 80 D in a specifically developed custom version deliver a smart illumination to the promenade at dusk, replacing the old, traditional lighting system of the famous pier boardwalk in a new, unexpected way.
Largely used to project accurate and sharp images, logos or graphics in outdoor or indoor location for marketing and communication purposes, in this particular case the LED image projectors by Griven were specified to deliver both light and atmosphere to the pier promenade. Its brand new, eco-friendly pavement is now enlightened with blurred, undefined light spots, which resemble the foliage of a tree trembling in the wind, simulating the daylight effect trees reproduce on the dock. The poles are very high and located at a distance from each other in order to allow an irregular, non-invasive but efficient illumination to the whole length of the south dock, fully enjoyable by pedestrian at night. The 170 GoboLED units have been delivered in a custom grey RAL, with specifically engineered power supply units and tailored gobo holder system in order to comply with the unique project requirements.

With all the renowned, uncountable advantages of the single powerful LED that is fitted with, GoboLED 80 D projects a bright and accurate rendition of graphic designs or logos in outdoor and indoor locations with the help of a dichroic or metal gobo. GoboLED 80 features greatly performing linear 0% to 100% electronic dimmer, strobe (25 FPS max) and black-out facilities. With totally smooth and silent gobo indexation, 4 gobo rotation speeds in both directions can be selected in automatic mode, while, in DMX mode, clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation speeds are growing and adjustable from 0 to 100%. The ventilation system, acting only when necessary, is also distinguished by a totally noiseless operation, whereas manual zoom and focus functions combine with more in-built beam angle tuning options to provide with maximum design creativity, dynamism and flexibility the most demanding design and application requirements.