The Avenida de los Pinos project in Guardamar del Segurga
Guardamar del Segura is a coastal municipality near Alicante (Spain). The fact that it is where we find the mouth of the Segura river, from which the town takes its name, affords the area huge geographical importance.
This upmarket spot with a beach that stretches along 11 km of coastline is a leading tourist destination throughout the summer season.
In this article we will talk about...
- Avenida de los Pinos in Guardamar del Segura
- Made-to-measure luminaires: a customised aesthetic for Guardamar del Segura
- Analysis as the bedrock for success
- The brand new Avenida de los Pinos in Guardamar del Segura
Avenida de los Pinos in Guardamar del Segura
There is a very coastal feel to the town and the vast dunes on the beach are classed as the most outstanding of all the dune systems on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Avenida de los Pinos runs along one side of Reina Sofía park as far as Alfonso XIII park and it is one of the municipality’s main avenues. It is very close to the castle.
Made-to-measure luminaires: a customised aesthetic for Guardamar del Segura
This project was unique in that we did something we had never done before and created a product that was new to the Secom Iluminación catalogue.
The previous luminaires in the municipality were spherical and used obsolete technology. They were inefficient and did not fit in with the aesthetic that the local community wished to project. In addition, they were a source of light pollution because these luminaires emit an excessive upward flux, which is environmentally unfriendly and not in line with current regulations.
Moving forward meant bringing in the experience and versatility of Secom Iluminación. As luminaire manufacturers with facilities nearby, the success of the project and customer satisfaction were guaranteed.
And so, we devised a plan. The lampposts themselves would be a straight orthogonal rectangular section curving into a horizontal arm at the top. At the end of the arm, there would be a fitted optic group with the output and photometry levels determined by the preceding analysis. This would avoid upward light flow and light pollution.
It is worth highlighting that the posts and optic groups were designed and manufactured to measure, which is an indication of the both the lamppost and luminaire manufacturers’ adaptability and versatility.
Analysis as the bedrock for success
Once all these very specific conditions had been set out, we performed an analysis to ensure we had a firm grasp on the installation’s pivotal factors, including the distance between luminaires, height, output, projection, angles and optics.
There are variations along the avenue which meant that we had to account for pedestrianised sections and areas designed for traffic. If the project was going to be a success, we would need to meet all the regulations for thoroughfares used by pedestrians and vehicles.
We chose to offset the posts and leave around 30 metres between the luminaires on each side so that the light would be evenly distributed throughout.
We needed to achieve uniformity, so we decided on a height of 5 metres and a 150° asymmetrical optic that would concentrate light and redirect beams across the entire area. This avoided shedding any unnecessary and intrusive light anywhere in the vicinity.
We also installed 10-metre posts at the junctions. We fitted a 370W Esdium Tunnel with two modules in horizontal positions onto the posts. This floodlight was rather unique because each module had a different optic so that we could illuminate areas at different distances. We used a module with a 41° symmetric optic to light areas close by and a module with a 32° narrow-beam symmetric optic to reach areas that were further away.
The brand new Avenida de los Pinos in Guardamar del Segura
It took five months to give Avenida de los Pinos a complete overhaul and, by prioritising pedestrians, we turned it into something quite different altogether. It has around 20 cafés, bars and restaurants, which means it is central to tourism in a municipality where the local population increases fourfold over the summer months.
Thanks to this project, tourists and residents can enjoy evening strolls, use the exercise equipment in the park after dark and have the peace of mind that the avenue is completely safe, even in the early hours of the morning. No matter how you look at it, it is a perfect solution in terms of energy, aesthetics, functionality and the environment.
The employees at Secom Iluminación are incredibly honoured and proud to have been part of this truly special project. Thanks to their hard work, taking a stroll around this emblematic town is a far more enjoyable experience and the avenue really stands out. Pride, satisfaction and quality are the hallmarks of all Secom projects. We are quality guaranteed.
