Suggestions
There is certainly a lot of automation and computerization built in lighting controls – timing through astro timeclocks as well as coordinated building management systems. Dimming and occupancy controls have become critical for energy-savings as stadiums are now pursuing LEED certifications at the highest level.
To address sustainability and light pollution, stadium management teams are also being more considerate of the number of night games as well as hours of operation throughout the week that have minimal effect on surrounding residential and natural inhabitant environments.
Unclear whether this pertains to a sport event or other recreational event held on the field. If it pertains specifically to field lighting, I am unable to answer as all my previous experiences relate to lighting spaces beyond the field.
For recreational events held on the field that require special effect lighting beyond the floodlighting installed to light the field, it is most common for third-party stage design teams to be hired to provide supplemental entertainment features.
In our design process, we reference the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Lighting Handbook, Table 31.2 Misc Applications Illuminance Requirements, where Public Circulation Corridors have a recommended horizontal requirement of 50fc and vertical requirement of 30fc. Where there are feature walls or dramatic features/retail venues, a 10:1 or 20:1 illuminance ratio between focal point and task light is recommended to make these elements and spaces more evident and appealing.
As I mentioned in my presentation, it’s about getting everyone from entry to seat/suite but along a more meandering path with a few pauses or stops along the way.
Such distractions would ultimately be taken into consideration with the preliminary design discussions and research of surrounding areas. Several international stadiums set in residential and or business districts will have a pedestrian buffer zone at the immediate perimeter. Where there will be moving elements at the façade, they may be located on non-moving traffic facades or the animations could be timed to be on when there is not high volumes of car traffic in the areas adjacent or outside of normal business hours to prevent distractions in residential areas.
As with the Allianz Arena, color-changing at the façade was limited from dynamic to static colors only for the very reason you mention – cars were colliding on the neighboring A9 Autobahn.
We start our design discussions and charettes with the latest and greatest in mind. Over time, as we develop the design and coordinate between front and back of house, we begin the process of seeing what can still be achieved with the equipment specified on the project (often provided in the electrical engineers’ documents). When VE discussions begin, we often have to make choices that maintain adaptability for the stadium as a whole, rather than limiting special features to those with VIP tickets.
Submittals are important to review – between our design as well as the EE team and any other lighting design team on the job – so we are all in line with dimming protocols, voltage intakes, and color temperatures as well. Understanding how maintenance and operations would like to access feature controls as part or separate from the building management system (BMS) (designers prefer to keep them separate) and how Ownership will experience the lighting effects they have hired us to provide are all part of the process with controls coordination and specification. And it’s most important to pay attention because without proper control of your lighting design, the original intent could be lost after all that coordination effort.