The light plays an important role in creating a welcoming and versatile atmosphere inside St. John's Church
St. John's Church in Malmö
The many beautiful architectural qualities of St. John's Church in Malmö are visible during the bright hours of the day. The flow of daylight interplays with the volumes creating balance and serenity. The aim of the lighting designers was to create a welcoming and versatile atmosphere in the dark hours, with an easy and flexible lighting control to accompany the different activities the Church offers.
Different color temperatures were used to enhance the architecture of the church and its many material qualities. White walls and metal surfaces are contrasted by accentuated warm-toned light on the wooden details and beautiful murals. The organ pipes in cold metal are highlighted by cool light, and artwork carefully illuminated in honey tones. For a better light quality and distribution, the chandeliers' light sources are replaced by lighting fixtures with direct light mounted on to the chandeliers. The fixtures are hidden carefully in the existing installations as to not distract from the classic architecture.
Well-balanced light levels which are the very basis of lighting design are carefully adjusted on site. Since the church is used for many different occasions lighting controls have been essential and it was of great importance to give the Church staff the possibility to operate the lighting in a simple and reliable way. A solid control system with pre-programmed scenarios is easily accessible through a control panel. The different scenarios provide a setting for all the activities the Church offers, from giving excellent readability in the pews during services, to providing subdued ambient lighting during concerts and other events.
The lighting design project was completed in 2017. Energy consumption and maintenance intervals have been reduced in a very significant way because of modern, carefully selected LED luminaires and light sources, intelligent light control, and thoughtful lighting planning.