Philips 2014 Annual Report Download - page 61

Sector performance 6.3.6
Annual Report 2014 61
Putting a bridge back on the map
The port city of Corpus Christi, Texas, has always been dominated by its
magnicent bridge across the bay. But as times got tougher, the lights on
the bridge went out and a nocturnal landmark disappeared.
Happily it’s now back – and, with the help of thousands
of energy-saving and environmentally-friendly LEDs,
it’s innitely more striking than ever before. An exciting
new project to re-illuminate the structure, in which the
city authorities worked in partnership with Philips, gave
the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge a makeover by treating
it as a living work of art.
They didn’t just demonstrate how LED lighting in cities
can transform a space – they created a vibrant
attraction that allowed this industrial design jewel to
show itself in a new, 21st century guise. Multi-colored
strip lights now pick out the contours of the bridge in a
beautiful, ever-changing, ultra-modern display that has
become a tourist attraction in its own right and
revitalized the area.
“Philips had a very innovative design department.
They’ve been here every day to help us through the
process,” says Terry Orf, Senior Architect at Naismith
Engineers.
Because the locals love the Corpus Christi Harbor
Bridge so much, it has even boosted the fortunes of one
local photographer, who now uses the bridge as a
dramatic outdoor studio.