Eleftheria Square

In Nicosia, the capital of the Republic of Cyprus, the new Eleftheria Square was recently inaugurated – a project of strong symbolic value for the divided city. The square creates a central meeting place for the community and new spatial connections intended to help reunite the divided capital, and with it the entire island.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, Eleftheria Square has returned an important place of encounter to the city, as Nicosia is divided in two ways. The massive Venetian fortifications from the 16th century separate the old town from the modern districts, while the Green Line divides the capital into two unequal communities. With the construction of a new bridge over the medieval moat and the redesign of the surrounding outdoor areas around the historic fortifications, a new public square has emerged in the heart of Nicosia’s dense city centre – with seating areas, green spaces, water features and new palm-lined pathways.

In harmony with its surroundings, the lighting concept developed by Kardorff Ingenieure in Berlin enhances the experience of the space. For the streets and pathways, the lighting design office selected Olivio luminaires by Selux. Olivio Grande luminaire heads on masts up to 17 metres high, with colour temperatures of 3000 and 4000 kelvin, provide lighting with a natural character. The light colours were deliberately used to highlight the square as a new element within the city: the surfaces are illuminated in neutral white light, while the surroundings glow in warm white.

More than 500 recessed points of light allow parts of the new square to shine spectacularly with dynamic lighting scenes. The comprehensive lighting concept includes both the square lighting and the atmospheric illumination of the water features. The city wall – so important to the city’s local identity – is also illuminated. Transformed in this way, parts of the medieval structures that were previously inaccessible now appear as gardens and new places to linger. They invite residents and tourists to stay and captivate with their distinctive design.

The elegant Olivio Floracion design line sets visible accents in Nicosia’s redesigned urban space without placing itself too prominently in the foreground. As the luminaire heads can be arranged individually around the mast, Olivio is an ideal lighting solution for creating flexible and efficient illumination in an urban environment.