Light installation for a railway underpass in Berlin

Neukölln station is an important interchange on Berlin’s urban transport system, handling many passengers every day. For decades the 30-m wide, 34-m long underpass below the tracks had been gloomy and poorly lit. The lighting in this tunnel-like thoroughfare has now been redesigned to give a more secure feel, benefiting the pedestrians and car drivers who use it. Strips of back-lit glass panels – a combination of lighting and art installation – now emphasise the ribs of the bridge structure, which was erected in 1930. A rich palette of greens was chosen for the colour scheme of the glass, to create a more inviting atmos­phere. It also brings visual unity to the 38 riveted steel trusses. The 74 glass panels replace the metal sheet that was previously used in the spaces between the columns. Each glass panel is made up of 12 mm laminated safety glass interleaved with PVB foil on which are printed photographs of the bark structure of trees in the district – complete with the name of the street where the tree is to be found. On the back of the panel is a screen-printed dot pattern with 50 % coverage. By looking through the two horizontal strips or the circular “bull’s eyes” (areas where the screen printing was not applied), passers-by can look further inside the steel structure of the bridge. Each glass panel is held in place on three sides by a steel channel-section frame screwed to the columns of the bridge construction. The screws are countersunk into the columns, filled and painted, so that they are not visible. The frame is only visible at the base, where it protects the glass against mech­anical stress. The upper edge is finished with a steel facing panel. To avoid damage through vandalism, the side joints between the existing columns and the glass panels are finished with expanded rubber. The glass has no special surface coating. Its smooth surface is very difficult to scratch and graffiti is easily removed. So far there have been few incidences of malicious damage. Here as elsewhere in urban areas, it has been found that vandals are less likely to damage objects made from high-quality materials and with a quality finish.