38 ONDERWERP
AL JANOUB STADIUM, AL WAKRAH, QATAR
Broadcasting
to the world
By Ruth Slavid
© Dow Photography
ONDERWERP 39
Lighting the Al Janoub stadium that will be used for
the 2022 international football tournament in Qatar
was a demanding technical challenge. Working with
lighting designer AECOM, Signify had to provide
a solution that worked with the geometry of Zaha Hadid
Architects’ beautiful and futuristic design. The result
is a triumph for lighting, architecture and football.
40 AL JANOUB STADIUM
© Dow Photography
The dramatic, pleated form of the Al Janoub the super slow-motion action replays, the July 2017 Supreme Committee
Stadium in Qatar reflects its coastal location demanded by broadcasters and viewers Competition Venues requirements.
by referencing a dhow, the traditional boat alike. The lighting also needs to make These guidelines and requirements
of the region. One of the eight stadia that the spectators feel comfortable and safe, specify the quality of light in terms
are being constructed for the international enabling them to navigate the seating, of both color rendering and color
football tournament in 2022, Al Janoub is and possibly provide some entertainment temperature. Color rendering had to
a bravura piece of design by Zaha Hadid before the match. It can also give the be better than 90 percent to ensure
Architects. Inaugurated on 16 May 2019 for exterior of the building a presence at night that people will see on their screens
the Amir Cup Final, it has an exciting form to add to the overall stadium experience. a true representation of what is
that is appropriate both to the game and happening on the pitch. There are
the climate – and that posed considerable At Al Janoub these requirements were also strict guidelines concerning the
challenges in terms of lighting. at the highest level, because of the variability of light striking both vertical
importance of televising such a prestigious and horizonal surfaces.
Lighting plays several complementary and tournament. When it comes to hosting
equally important roles in stadia that are and televising international football For instance, horizontal surfaces need
used for world events. It must light the pitch tournaments, the governing football to have a light level between one and
so that the players can see what they are federations set out stringent criteria. two times the 2000 Lux specified for
doing. It must provide the correct lighting, The design team had to satisfy them vertical surfaces. The ratio of minimum
flicker-free Ultra-HD 4k, for the TV cameras while working with the limitations of the to maximum intensity across the surface
to be able to broadcast an accurate geometry of the stadium and of the climate, must be more than 0.7, and of minimum
representation of the match and capture as per the FIFA 2018 guidelines and to average more than 0.8. This is slightly
LUMINOUS 2019/23 AL JANOUB STADIUM 41
© Dow Photography
more stringent than for vertical surfaces, opening pitch cover, designed by Schlaich LED lighting equipment, which is more
because it is the lighting of horizontal Bergermann Partner, to provide protection space hungry than conventional metal
surfaces that is most critical for television from the searing summer sun. The result is halide lighting.
cameras. a stadium that is relatively low, preventing
the usual solution of placing lighting as Vivek Sreekumaran, senior system engineer
Lee Barker-Field, head of lighting at high as possible to keep it out of the with Signify, explained the advantages of
AECOM and lead consultant on the project, primary directions of view. LED and connected lighting system for this
explained, ‘Satisfying TV broadcast project, the second Qatar tournament
requirements was a major requirement. AECOM worked with the architects to stadium for which Signify has supplied
Because of the unusual architecture of slightly push up the edges of the building Interact Sports software, the system that
the stadium, this wasn’t as straightforward envelope. Sections could not give an connects all of the lighting in the stadium.
as on other projects.’ adequate understanding of the geometry, The benefits are additional functionality,
so it had to be modeled in 3D – a task the ease of control and the ability to have
The stadium, which will house made more difficult by the fact that the dynamic lighting, creating a variety of
40,000 spectators during the 2022 world concept architecture was in Rhino, and pre-match scenes to deliver best fan
football tournament’s group and quarter- the structural design in Revit! experience.
final matches, will be reduced to The conclusion was that a service walkway
20,000 seats capacity for legacy use. was needed to follow the line of the building Because of the extremely high ambient
The geometry has been designed to envelope and carry the equipment. This temperatures, the 458 Philips ArenaVision
bring spectators, in both modes, as close had to be as close to the underside of the Gen 2 floodlights that AECOM specified
to the action as possible. It also has an roof as possible, but with room for the are not the most powerful available.
42 AL JANOUB STADIUM LUMINOUS 2019/23
© Dow Photography
© Dow Photography © Dow Photography
© Dow Photography
And there was a concern about their Installing the lighting was a major
positioning – directly under the overhang undertaking. Signify worked with AECOM
of the roof, effectively in a hot air pocket. to draw up a detailed plan of where
The most sensitive part of the light is the every light was supposed to be installed.
control gear, and therefore AECOM took Then, once they were all in position,
the decision to position this remotely from it checked the aim of each one.
the lights themselves.
It also programmed several scenes to
“Signify were a good supply chain partner,” be used before matches. The lighting
Barker-Field said. “This was a new is monitored and controlled using Interact
emerging technology when we were Sports software. This also allowed the
planning the project three years ago. stadium to simplify the management of
Some of the equipment was in the early pitch, façade and entertainment lighting,
launch phase – technical information and at the same time deliver the best
was only available on special request, fan experience with customized light shows.
this included information on high ambient
temperatures. They listened to the The lighting of the seating areas was more
requirements that we had. They were at straightforward, with 109 Philips ClearFlood
the head of where the technology was at.” installed.
44 AL JANOUB STADIUM LUMINOUS 2019/23
AECOM was also involved in the external Related article Client
lighting of the stadium, where it worked Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy
to achieve an effect that would complement Lee Barker-Field,
Pioneer of Light Architect
the architecture, and to position lighting
↩ page 14 Zaha Hadid Architects
poles in a way that would provide this
Patrick Schumacher, Johannes Hoffmann
effect, without being visually intrusive.
Structural engineering
In addition to the geometry of the AECOM London
building, the design team is installing
Lighting designer
solar harvesting to drive a cooling system.
AECOM London
The architecture is exciting and appropriate,
Lee Barker-Field
and the lighting design and execution
will ensure that the experience will be Installer
great for players, spectators and the Midmac, Porr, Besix
many millions around the world watching
Luminaires
on television.
Philips ArenaVision Gen 2 flood
Philips ClearFlood large
Lighting systems
Interact Sports
Websites
www.qfa.qa
www.sc.qa
www.zaha-hadid.com
www.aecom.com
www.lighting.philips.com
www.interact-lighting.com/sports
© Dow Photography
AL JANOUB STADIUM 45
