Purchased from Glasgow Garden Festival for around £825,000, the 76-metre tall Rhyl Sky Tower has been a key landmark on the north Wales town’s promenade since 1993.
A rotating gondola, removed in the project’s early stages, previously allowed rides to the top. On a clear day this offered spectacular views of the bay to the north and Snowdonia to the south.
The architectural lighting proposal was drawn up by Ion Development of Liverpool in partnership with Denbighshire County Council. This coincided with a refurbishment of the nearby Pavilion Theatre, with remodelling of the external fabric, entrance and front of house facilities.
LTP Integration was brought onboard as specialist integrators by manufacturers Anolis UK, whose architectural lighting products had been specified as part of the town’s regeneration scheme.
The ambition of the project was to turn Rhyl Sky Tower into a decorative light beacon on the West Parade, alongside other lighting projects across the town; including the front façade and fly tower of the Pavilion Theatre.
We were tasked with devising complete solutions for these dissimilar structures, including control and fixing methodologies.
The luminaires were to be installed on the exterior of the Sky Tower, fixed back to the structure in a circular array. As the Sky Tower flexes in high winds, fears of weakening the structure with multiple holes around the circumference led LTP Integration to consider an alternative fixing method.
During an initial site visit, external longitudinal flanges were identified as being suitable to take a clamping arrangement. The company designed an eight-part stainless steel hoop that is secured to these flanges, presenting a fixing point for the luminaires and services.
With considerable cable lengths involved, control equipment needed to be housed in waterproof enclosures inside the Sky Tower.
LTP Integration adapted special fixing plates for attaching equipment to the elements within the structure. To take the weight of the cables, a mechanical solution was devised. This is comprised of a stainless-steel sock, through which the cables are fed, thus gripping them under gravity and limiting any strain.
Physical challenges were plentiful with a project of this complexity. Firstly, we were presented with space restrictions due to internal counter weights and a narrow steel ladder.
Our installation team worked proficiently within the tight confines, using harnessing equipment to navigate up the structure.
A mobile elevated work platform was utilised for the external works, with our suitably trained personnel also having to be acutely aware of a radiation exclusion zone due to the mobile phone mast atop the Sky Tower.
Three luminaires form a trio of beams to create a searchlight effect at the summit, accessed via a small inspection hatch.
For the Pavilion Theatre, LTP Integration supplied a range of Anolis equipment to Fred Weston Electrical Contractors Ltd and later commissioned this as per the specification. The system here includes ArcLine™ 36 and ArcZone™ fittings, again controlled via Pharos.
LTP Integration delivered intuitive, integrated solutions that offer great versatility.
The combined expertise of our design and installation teams – working in close collaboration with Anolis – has enabled a large variation of colours and tones to be selected to illuminate these key features in the heart of Rhyl’s waterfront regeneration.
“It’s inspirational to see lighting features become a big part of the town, in turn attracting people and encouraging commercial enterprise and activity.” – Andy Hughes, Lighting Consultant (Denbighshire County Council)
For further information on the products and services used in this exterior architectural lighting project, or to discuss a similar structure lighting scheme, please get in touch today.
Contact us on +44 (0)1554 740500 or click on Discuss a Project and let us know your requirements.