1. Case Studies

Cosenza’s new bridge

Modern cable-stayed bridge illuminated at dusk, spanning a wide riverbed with city buildings in the background. The sky is cloudy and the bridge’s cables and pylon are prominently visible.
Client
City of Cosenza
Project location
Calabria, Italy
Project date
2018
Modern cable-stayed bridge illuminated at night, with a prominent central pylon and cables. The sky is dark and dramatic, and city lights are visible in the background.

A New Icon for Cosenza: Light Elevates Design

The San Francesco di Paola Bridge in Cosenza, Italy—designed by Santiago Calatrava—aims to be more than infrastructure: it's a visual and cultural landmark. The city wanted a lighting solution that would emphasize the bridge’s harp-like form while also providing safe, reliable illumination for both traffic and pedestrians.
Moderne Schrägseilbrücke bei Dämmerung, beleuchtet und über einen Fluss führend. Im Hintergrund sind bewaldete Hügel und einige Gebäude zu sehen.

Lighting That Enhances Structure and Emotion

Thorn Lighting delivered a sophisticated LED concept that highlights both the architectural elegance and functionality of the bridge. Using RGB spotlights and carefully positioned fittings, the lighting underscores the towering pylon and its cable network, transforming the structure into a glowing symbol of the city by night. Dynamic effects synchronized with music bring added emotion and cultural relevance.
A modern cable-stayed bridge at night with illuminated railings and a dark sky. One person in a hooded jacket walks in the foreground, while two others stand near the pylon in the distance
Image showing the family of Contrast floodlights from Thorn Lighting

CONTRAST FLOODLIGHT

Bring out the best of the urban environment

From super-compact spotlights to powerful floodlights, Thorn’s Contrast is a single, unified series of architectural luminaires that meet the needs of different applications including Durham Cathedral. A wide variety of beams, colour temperatures and optical accessories makes Contrast highly versatile. A range of mounting options including column mounting increases its flexibility. This enables users to create high-impact designs and displays.
A modern cable-stayed bridge photographed at night, with two people standing near the central pylon. The perspective is low to the ground, highlighting the bridge’s railings and cables.

Products that Perform: Efficient, Flexible, Beautiful

The project utilized 40 Contrast 88W LED spotlights (4000K, 8° narrow beam) for precision uplighting of the pylon. Anti-glare visors ensure visual comfort, while DMX controls enable colourful, adaptable scenes. Additional Tubilux LED linear luminaires from Zumtobel were installed in the railings to provide consistent pedestrian-level lighting. The full solution cut energy consumption by 60% while delivering powerful aesthetic impact.

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