Pharos in control at Avas Lookout Tower

As part of a complete renovation of the Avas Lookout Tower in Miskolc, Hungary, a dynamic lighting scheme, controlled by Pharos Architectural Controls, now illuminates the famous landmark during the darker hours to great effect.

Standing 72-metres tall, the Avas Lookout Tower was designed by Hungarian architects Miklós Hófer and György Vörös. Built in 1966 to replace an outdated tower made of wood, the new Avas tower stands as an emblematic feature of the Miskolc landscape, serving as a key monument to the social-realist history of the city. The renovation project features a refurbished visitor experience, while the area surrounding the tower has also been dramatically improved.

Pharos was appointed by the city’s local government to equip the Avas tower with the capability to run a decorative lighting system. The Pharos team worked alongside Lisys-Project – specialist lighting designers and installers – to bring the tower’s overhaul to fruition.

The concept behind the system was to provide an energy efficient lighting solution while also allowing special lighting scenes to be designed to celebrate and commemorate a variety of cultural and gastronomical events held in Miskolc throughout the year.

This has been achieved with a four-universe Pharos Designer LPC (Lighting Playback Controller) which is responsible for all lighting control and systems automation tasks. The LPC’s built-in web interface, used with a custom UI, can be reached by designated city officials remotely via an integrated 3G/4G router.

The Designer LPC provides individually controllable and independently running timelines and scenes, offering the freedom of real-time manual overrides, with the versatility of powerful show control and integration features. With a compact form and minimal power requirements, the LPC can be installed virtually anywhere.

Mark de Gruyter, Sales Director for Pharos Architectural Controls said: “The Avas Lookout Tower is an important monument in Miskolc, acting as a reminder of the heritage of the city while also providing inspiration and hope for the future. The improved illuminations not only look impressive, they allow the tower to be used as a powerful visual element in the city’s celebrations of significant civic and cultural events.

“The power of the LPC from Pharos Architectural Controls is fantastically evidenced in this project; this one piece of equipment can deliver dynamic lighting control for a large-scale structure comprising hundreds of luminaires. It’s a testament to the ability of our technologies.”

Gábor Nyéky from Lisys-Project added: “The renovation of the Avas Lookout Tower was long overdue, with an outdated lighting system that was inefficient and ineffective. The new lighting scheme is dynamic, thought-provoking and captivating. We knew that the LPC from Pharos would deliver everything we needed with regard to controllability, and we are delighted with the results.”

In addition to co-ordinating the lighting with holidays and other celebrations, the tower can also be illuminated in the colours of the Hungarian flag, which was an important element of the design for the local community.