Damla LED Lighting Systems

Where technology and light meet...

TOBB Economy and Technology University is situated in the southern part of Ankara in place of a former school named Yukselis College. With its present structure and references to vicinity, TOBB forms one of the important urban memory references in the minds of people who have been living in the city for a long time and with its present location, TOBB serves as a university located in the city center more than a campus. Also, in this project a new and modern university settlement has been carried out without changing the settlement plan and building structure by means of a different interior design, a restoration of elevation and an arrangement of environment. In addition to new current construction materials used in the application, all technological possibilities in the area of interior design, communication and informatics are used to keep the name as a university of technology that follows technological developments, so different architectural and engineering concepts have been improved. For its exterior design, similar approach models have been appropriated. Besides being faithful to the former settlement plan for its exterior design, landscape design which means a harmony of extraordinary architecture with its difference from present models and its simple language and which also focuses on technology has been improved throughout the whole of the university. Owing to its nearness to the city center, not only will TOBB take the students’ attention but also the people’s attention in the city. The lighting of exterior design that focuses on technology with a different approach to design is one of the important parts in architecture.
 
Education and service structures, a library, areas for sports, open areas and green places are included in the university campuses. The architectural dark and big buildings are completely silent and frightening open areas that people in the city picture in their minds when the night appearance of  many universities close to one another in the city is imagined. Agoraphobia which means a fear of city places as the places mentioned has an effect on people in the city is one of the important fields psychiatrists are interested in. To remove all these negativities mentioned above, it is necessary for university construction and open areas to be illuminated with a proper and good lighting by a professional lighting design.

Today, nightscaping which is considered more important day by day and becomes a different expert area has various alternatives for the environment to look different while keeping with the times. Wanting to change the image of the university to create a different one and the extensive visionary presented to designers have caused a favored of  lighting technology group of people to come into being. For the lighting of  TOBB Economy and Technology University’s exterior, it is necessary to use lighting as a meaning of architecture, an important element for places and also an element of art and to change that experience there into a visual feast in detail for the people in that place even if it lasts for a short time apart from lighting just the place. Therefore, it will be provided that students benefit from the campus like a life space for a longer time with pleasure and the central court is going to be a meditation place, so the technology of the university will have a strong impression and by using all the facilities in lighting technology and impressing itself on the townspeople of Ankara, the focus on TOBB University will develop as a miracle of a different and interactive university.

Throughout the whole of TOBB Economy and Technology University, different lighting technics have been used instead of common ones. LED technology is mostly used for TOBB’s lighting. Not only is LED a new technology for exterior design, but also it has been preferred because of its infinite color alternatives, long-life and energy-saving. Especially, low energy consumption will lead to a reduction in the university’s operating expenditure on a large scale. Most of the multi-purpose application techniques that LED technology presents designers have become active at TOBB Economy and Technology University. Except from post-type land lighting, lighting design depends on LED technology completely. In this project, LED applications have been carried out by Damla-LED Ltd. Co. that succeeded in becoming a trademark in our country with its expertise and service quality. It is the first time lighting techniques and light effects have been used with details improved by the contribution of the company.

Roadways, gathering and activity places, car parks and walls marking the boundary of property have been made clear or illuminated by LED lighting armatures. Lighting armatures have been designed in shape of a line for the inside courtyard of the university. Together with roads for pedestrians, LED lights like bars lying on both sides of the multi-purpose grass found in the middle of the courtyard will provide people there to experience changes. Aluminium body with stainless steel lines on and blue LED lighting have been used together for this place and also the stainless steel top cover has been used as a pointing on the floor. Perpendicular to the ground, lighting armatures move along the walls surrounding the university. The outside wall of the university which is about 60 cm high and also which limits the sidewalk used intensely day and night in front of the university has been lighted by LED, which caused the university to have a different image from the outside. Stainless steel railing on the wall and stainless steel top cover that is an element of lighting are combined into a pleasant arrangement. As a technological product is used, stainless lines have a different scene in the daytime. Moreover; it is possible to get the blue color by working the lighting system in the daytime if desired.

Built-in ground LED-type steel lighting armatures have been used along the entrances of the university education construction and circle-formed road for pedestrians in the courtyard. Due to the harmony between the side of the building and white color, cool white color LEDs have been preferred. Lighting armatures have been considered as a part of floor covering.

Another kind of lighting used here is surface lighting and surface lighting has an important role for lighting the exterior. By this way of lighting, living and non-living things, places and surfaces become visible while being revealed. The entrance of the university has been illuminated from three sides and LED projectors (wall washer) directed to these sides have been used for lighting. When it comes to psychology of perception and approach to design, armatures used for surface lighting are the elements that form and construe the places in a particular way and owing to these features, they are a subject in lighting design of a certain quality. TOBB Economy and Technology University is one of the first models in Turkey with its application of LED projector. In view of the fact that the activity in architecture is considered, space parts and limits have become clear besides the effect of projectors placed in different points, 3-D sides and depth has increased. Energy-saving is the other important matter to mention here. The fact that LED technology has been used in surface lighting, the university has a role as a leadership now for similar projects technologically. At the same time, cool white LED uplight spots have been set around the plant material which is in the project. In order to make borders clear in car parks, LED ground lighting armatures have been used.

One of the most extensive projects in Turkey for LED technology used, TOBB Economy and Technology University will be the one to be inspired for further projects in the future by its technology, variety of materials, energy-saving and light quality.

This project is taken as a model in application for urban life to last about appropriate lighting techniques and use of energy sources and in this case, the project will take the role on as a leadership about lighting techniques in landscape architecture.
 

The Products that have been used :

University Building Entrance
SOLVO - DA-GA-0124-CW LED Recessed Lighting Fixtures – Cool White (Lighting of the University main entrance floor)

Exterior Wall
AMON - DA-LEDL-150-B LED 1 m. Inner Wall Lighting Fixtures – Blue (Lighting of the wall that is surrounding the University with stainless steel line bar lighting fixtures that are giving light marks effect – 900 meters)

Parking Lot
TERRA 0124 - DA-GAA-0124-B LED Recessed Lighting Fixtures – Blue (Lighting of the University parking lot floor)

Outdoor Space
ARINE - DA-CA52-CW LED Lawn Lighting Fixtures – Cool White (Lighting of the hard-scape and landscape structures)
PR 01425 - DA-PR-01425-CW LED Flood Facade Lighting – Cool White (Lighting of the University Building Facade)

Courtyard
AMON - DA-LEDL-150-B LED 1 m. Inground Lighting Fixtures – Blue (Lighting of the University courtyard floor as linear forms with stainless steel line bar lighting fixtures – 600 meters)
ARINA - DA-GA-0124-CW LED Recessed Lighting Fixtures – Cool White (Lighting of the University courtyard floor)

PRODUCTS