Tallinn tunnel lights dance to the pace of passers-through

The unique lighting solution makes the underpasses of Haabersti roundabout visually appealing and exciting for pedestrians

Normally, what is expected of a pedestrian underpass is to be completely dry, evenly surfaced and uniformly well lit so as to guard against slipping and tripping. For Estonia’s capital Tallinn, though, this is not the end of the road.

Attractive and energy-saving lighting    

An ingenious lighting solution in the pedestrian tunnels underneath Haabersti traffic junction replicates the pace of people in the walkway, causing lights to change colour according to the speed of movement. The Haabersti roundabout is one of the most important traffic junctions in Tallinn, so, installation of attractive and economical lighting solutions was envisaged while planning the tunnels.

"A dynamic lighting solution was installed on the Rocca al Mare viaduct last year, now it is a pleasure to announce that special solutions of lighting in the Zoo and Suurhall tunnels has also been completed. The passages of the tunnels are illuminated in the best possible way and the whole picture is visually attractive," said Deputy Mayor Kalle Klandorf, quoted by the city website.

The unique lighting solution makes the underpasses of Haabersti roundabout visually appealing and exciting for pedestrians. Video by Haabersti Linnaosa Valitsus on Facebook

Oleg Siljanov, deputy head of Haabersti district, added that the unique lighting solution makes the tunnels visually appealing and exciting to walk through. "The lighting design reacts to the movement of pedestrians in the tunnel and alternates colours according to the speed of movement, which in turn creates many different lighting compositions inside the tunnels," said Siljanov. He went on to say that, to prevent vandalism and increase the safety of the area, the tunnels have also been equipped with security cameras that transmit the recorded footage to the control centre of the Estonian Police and Border Guard.

Financed by the EU Cohesion Fund

The Haabersti tunnels lighting solution is the brainchild of Arhitekt Must OÜ studio, winner of the design competition announced by the Urban Environment and Public Works Department of Tallinn. The installation of the lights has been carried out by AS Elektritsentrum. The “dancing lights” concept has been implemented within the framework of the project “Reconstruction of the Haabersti junction in Tallinn”, which is financed by the European Union Cohesion Fund.