Lighting of Greek Parliament and Unknown Soldier Monument Wins at 2024 LIT Awards

Photo source: Hellenic Parliament

The lighting of the Greek Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier monument, situated in front of the building on Syntagma Square in Athens, has received a prestigious award at the 2024 LIT Lighting Design Awards competition.

The project, executed by DANILOF Studio Light + Perception under the assignment of Zambelis S.A., which won the contract, received distinction in the “Heritage Lighting Design – Traditional Building Showcasing Lighting” category.

The LIT Lighting Design Awards is an international competition based in Switzerland, dedicated to recognizing exceptional lighting projects across architecture, design, and construction worldwide.

The awards committee, based in Switzerland, selects the best lighting designs from around the globe across various categories, including landscape lighting, architectural lighting, bridge and infrastructure lighting, and façade lighting.

The Greek Parliament building, designed by Bavarian architect F. von Gärtner, was constructed in 1843 as the royal residence. It became the country’s parliament in 1935. The Monument of the Unknown Soldier, designed by sculptor F. Rok and architect E. Lazaridis, was inaugurated in 1932 to honor the fallen soldiers.

Innovative lighting design at the Hellenic Parliament

The award-winning lighting design focused on preserving the integrity of these historical landmarks while minimizing light pollution. The project utilized low levels of lighting, with further reduction after midnight to ensure minimal disruption to the natural night sky.

An innovative feature of the lighting system is its automatic transition from cold to warm lighting after midnight. This shift reduces the blue spectrum of light emitted, helping to mitigate light pollution.

The lighting design also incorporated compact LED systems with precision optics, locked focusing, and anti-glare equipment to limit light diffusion toward the sky.

Another key achievement of the project was the seamless integration of the new lighting with the building’s architecture and its surroundings. The lighting accentuates the façade’s morphological features, making them more visible at night while ensuring they remain less noticeable during the day.