Warszawa Zachodnia Station – a symbiosis of engineering and light redefining the station of the future

The technological heart of the installation – light quality that transforms the perception of space

The foundation of any lighting installation, regardless of the luminaires used, is the light source. In the case of a public use investment intended to serve millions of passengers over the coming decades, there is no room for compromise in the quality of electronic components. Both in handrail lighting and in wall recesses, the same high performance, extremely dense (240 LEDs per metre) LED strip KWP GHD30 0480 24 was used. This choice was driven by a range of key parameters that have a direct impact on the comfort and safety of station users.

First and foremost, a colour temperature of 3000K was selected. In the raw, industrial environment dominated by the grey of concrete and the coolness of steel, the deliberate use of a slightly warmer light colour was an intentional design move. It helps to “soften” the perception of the architecture, introducing an element of visual warmth and calm into underground corridors and on to platforms, which is extremely important in places characterised by high traffic intensity and passenger stress. Equally important here is the high colour rendering index (CRI). Thanks to this, finishing materials retain their natural colours and people’s faces look natural, which subconsciously increases passengers’ sense of safety.

POR profile – a specialist for special tasks

The lighting of circulation routes at Warszawa Zachodnia Station is an excellent example of the breadth and diversity of the KLUŚ portfolio. The first of the implemented solutions is the handrail lighting system, based on the POR The name of this product itself indicates its highly specialised purpose – it is not an adaptation of a random profile, but an engineered solution developed from scratch with integration into balustrades in mind. This profile has been designed to “snap” perfectly into the inside of metal handrail tubes, forming with them a single, cohesive whole. As a result, the light source is invisible to the eye, and passengers see only the effect – evenly illuminated stair treads.

The specific nature of a railway station necessitated the use of solutions with increased resistance. Handrails are elements of the infrastructure that are constantly touched by thousands of hands, exposed to vibrations caused by passing trains, as well as to moisture and cleaning agents used during machine floor cleaning. For this reason, the POR luminaires supplied to the site were factory sealed by the KLUŚ production department to IP67. This means a level of hermeticity that completely protects the electronics against dust and water. The scale of this implementation is impressive – in total, approximately one kilometre of profiles was installed. They were supplied in three precisely defined lengths (in total more than 1,400 pieces), which made it possible to flexibly adapt the lighting to the rhythm of the balustrade’s structural posts, regardless of the length of each flight of stairs. The POR profile demonstrates that KLUŚ has in its portfolio dedicated solutions that address very specific, niche design challenges with masterful precision.

PDS-4-PLUS – the universal chameleon of architecture

Whereas the POR profile is a specialist in its narrow field, the second solution applied – the PDS-4-PLUS profile – is the very embodiment of universality and flexibility within the KLUŚ system. It was used to illuminate long recesses along descent ramps and on the spectacular footbridge above the platforms. In this case, the architects aimed to achieve the effect of endless lines of light that emphasise the horizontal layout of the station and dynamically guide passengers’ gaze.

Factory sealed to IP67, the PDS-4-PLUS profile was chosen for its extensive adaptive capabilities. It is a product that works perfectly as a primary linear lighting solution but, thanks to its wide range of accessories and technical possibilities, can also meet the most demanding architectural visions. At Warszawa Zachodnia Station its role was to integrate with the wall architecture – both on straight stretches and on the numerous curves and arcs that are characteristic of the contemporary form of this building. The ability to bend the profile made it possible to smoothly follow the geometry of the corridors without the need for angular connections.

To obtain a uniform line of light over lengths of several dozen metres, the profiles were combined into longer sections – three or four modules were joined in series. In total, around 800 metres of this solution were installed in the recesses and along the footbridge. In this project, PDS-4-PLUS proves that a single, well designed system can function both as decorative lighting and as wayfinding illumination, adapting to changing architectural conditions.

Comprehensiveness of the offer as a response to a prestigious challenge

The implementation at Warszawa Zachodnia Station is an excellent case study illustrating the depth of the KLUŚ offer. On the one hand, there is a strictly dedicated product (POR), which addresses a specific engineering problem with “surgical” precision. On the other hand, the project makes use of a universal product (PDS-4-PLUS), which, thanks to its flexibility, becomes an integral part of a complex architectural form. The element that binds these two worlds together is the uncompromising quality of the KWP GHD30 0480 24 LED strip – safe, durable and providing human centric light parameters. With this approach, KLUŚ is not merely a supplier of luminaires, but a technological partner capable of supporting the most demanding and prestigious investments in Poland and worldwide. The new Warszawa Zachodnia, bathed in the light of these solutions, stands as proof that LED technology is today an inseparable component of the modern urban fabric.