Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart: WE

Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart:
WE-EF projectors for a jungle atmosphere
Just like a concrete mountain ridge, the new Great Ape House at the Wilhelma Stuttgart designed by Berlin architects Hascher Jehle – nestles in the surrounding landscape. WE-EF
projectors are used to provide enough light for the authentic plants from the African jungle
inside the enclosure to not only thrive but also be enjoyed by the building‘s visitors.
The Wilhelma Stuttgart places great importance not only on being one of the most popular zoos in
Germany, but also one of the best botanical gardens in the country. Architectural extensions thus
present complex challenges – they must incorporate the interests of animals, plants and visitors
alike in both their functional and aesthetic design. The most recent example of this approach is
the new Great Ape House. Since its opening in May 2013, it has provided the gorillas and bonobos
monkeys 13 times more space than in their former abode established in the 1970s. Like a concrete
mountain ridge, the design from Berlin architects Hascher Jehle nestles in the surrounding
landscape of the Wilhelma in east Stuttgart. The indoor and outdoor enclosures for the apes hug the
long stretch of the visitors’ area.
The enclosures feature large-scale glass partitions around the visitors’ area to allow the closest
possible contact between man and ape. Lush vegetation creates a jungle atmosphere as well as
providing the animals an opportunity to retreat to the sanctuary of nature. The botanists at the
Wilhelma were careful to recreate an authentic habitat for the apes with around 75 plant species
from the African tropics. This vegetation, of course, requires additional lighting in order to flourish
in a European climate. This is why more than 100 WE-EF FLC240 projectors have been installed on
the exposed concrete ceilings and directed towards the planters above as well as the beds that run
along the glass partitions.
High-pressure lamps for optimal spectrum
The WE-EF projectors were selected for their neutral technical design, their ease of use and their
high-quality, efficient optical systems. The housings, which have a protection rating of IP66, feature
5CE superior corrosion protection developed by WE-EF and are thus protected from the tropical
humidity in the building. Optical accessories, such as flood or linear spread lenses, are used to
adjust the light distribution so that illuminance of approximately 3000 lx is achieved on the various
plant levels. In preparation for the project, prototypes were set up and measurements taken in a
Ludwigsburg film studio that offered comparable installation heights.
The team, led by the technical Head of the Botany Department, Dirk Herkert, voted for projectors
with metal halide lamps instead of the LEDs usually preferred for this type of lighting, as the spectral
properties of the light source would ultimately determine the success or failure of the plant lighting.
Conventional, exchangeable lamps provide more opportunity for experimentation and room for
future optimisation.
WE-EF solution proven in practice
The WE-EF solution proved to be an excellent choice even over the first few months of the project.
Fitted with warm-white 150 W metal halide lamps, the light provides a good spectral compromise
between the requirements of the plants and the comfort of visitors. Herkert reports that the growth
WE-EF LEUCHTEN
GmbH & Co. KG
Toepinger Strasse 16
D-29646 Bispingen
Germany
Tel +49 5194 909 0
info.germany@we-ef.com
www.we-ef.com
of the vegetation has thus far fulfilled expectations. Although the strictly linear arrangement of the
projectors on the ceiling, chosen for technical reasons, did not facilitate their optimal orientation, it
was still possible to achieve precise, even illumination of the plants without creating a distracting
glare from reflection on the glass panels of the building.
The Great Ape House, runs on a daily schedule from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. reflecting the natural
circadian rhythm of the African tropics. The projectors can be operated in groups to reduce energy
consumption — when some plants receive sufficient sunlight through windows and skylights in the
summer, for example. Visitors can enjoy the lush vegetation in brilliant, natural-effect light, and the
transparent façades of the Great Ape House even draw them from afar to enjoy the new attraction at
the Wilhelma Stuttgart.
Project: African Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart
Architects: Hascher Jehle Architektur, Berlin
Photos: WE-EF – Andreas Körner
March 2014 / For more information contact:
WE-EF LEUCHTEN Andrea Rayhrer Kommunikation
Robert Diedrich
Alexanderstraße 126, D-70180 Stuttgart
Tel +49 5194 909 146
Tel +49 711 6200 7838
r.diedrich@we-ef.cominfo@andiray.de
WE-EF LEUCHTEN
GmbH & Co. KG
Toepinger Strasse 16
D-29646 Bispingen
Germany
Tel +49 5194 909 0
info.germany@we-ef.com
www.we-ef.com
Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart / Photos: WE-EF – Andreas Körner
01 Just like a concrete mountain ridge, the new Great Ape
House at the Wilhelma Stuttgart - designed by Berlin architects
Hascher Jehle – nestles in the surrounding landscape.
02 Since its opening in May 2013, new Great Ape House has
provided the gorillas and bonobos monkeys 13 times more
space than in their former abode established in the 1970s.
03 The enclosures feature large-scale glass partitions around
the visitors’ area to allow the closest possible contact between
man and ape.
04 WE-EF projectors are used to provide enough light for the
authentic plants from the African jungle inside the enclosure to
not only thrive but also be enjoyed by the building‘s visitors.
05 Lush vegetation creates a jungle atmosphere as well as
providing the animals an opportunity to retreat to the sanctuary
of nature.
06, 07 More than 100 WE-EF FLC240 projectors have been
installed on the exposed concrete ceilings and directed
towards the planters above as well as the beds that run along
the glass partitions.
WE-EF LEUCHTEN
GmbH & Co. KG
Toepinger Strasse 16
D-29646 Bispingen
Germany
Tel +49 5194 909 0
info.germany@we-ef.com
www.we-ef.com
Great Ape House, Wilhelma Stuttgart / Photos: WE-EF – Andreas Körner
08, 10 The Great Ape House, runs on a daily schedule from
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. reflecting the natural circadian rhythm of the
African tropics. The botanists at the Wilhelma were careful to
recreate an authentic habitat for the apes with around 75 plant
species from the African tropics.
09 The WE-EF projectors were selected for their neutral
technical design, their ease of use and their high-quality,
efficient optical systems. The housings, which have a
protection rating of IP66, feature 5CE superior corrosion
protection developed by WE-EF and are thus protected from
the tropical humidity in the building.
March 2014 / For more information contact:
WE-EF LEUCHTEN Andrea Rayhrer Kommunikation
Robert Diedrich
Alexanderstraße 126, D-70180 Stuttgart
Tel +49 5194 909 146
Tel +49 711 6200 7838
r.diedrich@we-ef.cominfo@andiray.de
WE-EF LEUCHTEN
GmbH & Co. KG
Toepinger Strasse 16
D-29646 Bispingen
Germany
Tel +49 5194 909 0
info.germany@we-ef.com
www.we-ef.com