The Pope's Podium
Rome, Italy - 2007
Space Cannon has designed "Benedictusâ€, the lighting system for Podium, the Pope's mobile dais.
PODIUM, the new mobile dais, meets the needs of the large gatherings presided over by the Pope in Piazza San Pietro.
The design idea is that of the engineer Pier Carlo Cuscianna who devised this mobile structure which is flexible and easy to set up. Its design was developed by the architect Resmini. The technological aspects, materials and construction of the podium were dealt with by the South Tyrolean firms of Alfred Larcher and Ivo Barth. When closed, Podium is similar to and the same size as a normal road trailer and can therefore access Piazza S. Pietro independently or travel normally to other destinations. Once positioned in the chosen place, it can be set up in a few minutes using remote-controlled mechanisms and touchscreen controls. The electrohydraulic mechanisms for opening are controlled electronically: the Podium measures 100 square metres on the ground and 4 metres in height. First of all, the four modules that form the base slide out, then telescopic pillars rise up and, finally the covering wings open up. The self-propelled structure is made of steel and aluminium while the upper surface consists of teak.
The ceiling holds 196 light points by Space Cannon, in addition to the mechanisms for the movement of the wings and the infrared heating system.
For the lighting design of the Podium for the Holy Father, Space Cannon created a special recessed spotlight that is lightweight, elegant and minimalist in design and produces white light: "Benedictusâ€. This small 10W product is the essence of high-quality and cutting-edge technology. The high-efficiency Rebel LEDs were used for the first time in the world and have extraordinary light output and allow applications to be optimised by reducing dimensions. State-of the-art LED lighting, in addition to high resistance to extreme working temperatures and impact, offers maximum safety and minimum heat emission.
