The Tokyo Skytree opened to the public on May 22, 2012. Standing at 634 meters (2080.05 feet) tall, the Skytree is the tallest tower, and the second tallest structure in the world. The base of the tower has a similar structure to that of a tripod, and the cylindrical structure has seismic proofing in the form of oil dampers that can absorb half the energy from an earthquake. The exterior lattice is painted "Skytree White", based on a traditional Japanese color called aijiro (bluish white).
There are 2 illumination patterns, "粋" (Iki) which represents the spirit of Edo and the Sumida River which is right by the tower, and "雅" (Miyabi) which represents the aesthetic sense. These are used in alternation on a daily basis. Iki uses a pale blue while Miyabi uses Edo purple with gold.
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An environmentally friendly All-LED lighting system was used. Compared to the combined use of HID and LED lights, "Iki" consumes 43% less energy, and "Miyabi" 38%. Panasonic provided 1,995 units of EVERLEDS for the Tokyo Skytree. The lights can be controlled in intervals of 1/30th of a second.
Besides the illumination of the main structure, there also is a ring of "Tick-tack" lights on the perimeter of the upper observatory decks that are in a constant chase, the "Snow cap" at the apex, and illumination of the steel-frame to highlight the concave and convex curves of the tower.
The Skytree's lighting consultant was Hirohito Totsune of Sirius Lighting Office Inc, who oversaw the project. The lighting designers included Koichi Kaiho and Naoko Shinohara.
Gundam Front Tokyo opened on April 19, 2012. The world's first permanent Gundam entertainment facility is located in DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, Odaiba, and right in front of the mall stands a 18 meter tall Real Grade 1:1 scale RX-78-2 Gundam statue (RG1/1 RX-78-2 GUNDAM Ver.GFT).
Every night, a 7 minute long display called "Gundam Stand Atop Tokyo" has the Gundam coming to life. Behind the Gundam, on the wall of the DiverCity mall, is a 32 by 11.5 meter (105'x37') video screen, which acts as the backdrop.
Architectural lighting design is very different from concert and theatrical lighting. However, the aesthetic appeal and energy efficiency is just as important, or even more important than the functional light in many new buildings and structures. Especially with the Skytree and the Gundam Front, we see how lighting is used in ways that can also be applied to concert lighting.
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Another interesting use of Panasonic's EVERLEDS:
Other insane happenings at the Skytree:
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