• 10,000 LED luminaires light up the Flame Towers in Baku
• Super-bright SharXS lamps illuminate the stage of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest

More than 10,000 high-power LED luminaires from the Osram subsidiary Traxon Technologies have transformed Baku's new landmark, the three Flame Towers, into gigantic display screens. Inspired by the Flame Towers, the slogan of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest in the capital of Azerbaijan was "Light your Fire!" The European Broadcasting Union, which mounted the song contest, was also relying on the know-how of Osram: using special solutions, the company will be providing spectacular lighting effects. "With our lighting expertise, we are making a very prominent mark in the Middle East," explained Erol Kirilmaz, Head of Region Latin America, the Middle East and Africa at Osram.

The Flame Towers in Baku are currently one of the most elaborate skyscraper projects in the world. Once completed, the three towers in the shape of stylized flames – the symbol of Azerbaijan – will provide some 20,000 square meters of overall floorspace for apartments, a hotel and an office complex. Osram was responsible for the eye-catching exterior lighting of the three towers, which reach from 208 to 235 meters into the sky. In cooperation with American light designer Francis Krahe, Osram engineers developed special high-power LED luminaires to illuminate the towers' facades. Thanks to a specially developed and directly integrated control solution, the three towers serve as gigantic LED displays after completion so that videos and animations can be shown on the facades of the buildings. With this unique concept, the Osram group and its partners were once again raising the benchmark when it comes to impressive architectural lighting.

High luminance plus high efficiency

Last year, Eurovision Song Contest was held from 22 to 26 May in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. The organizers used the latest "eXtreme Seal technology" with advanced SharXS lamps from Osram. This technology prevented oxidization of metal components so that the lamps can withstand higher temperatures and require less cooling. They also operated quietly and minimized acoustic interference – a crucial factor for a music contest. The Osram lamps were extremely energy efficient as they developed a very high luminance, despite their low wattage.

Lighting for every event

The lamps of the SharXS range were developed specifically for major events requiring a great deal of light. A total of 1,400 Osram SharXS HTI lamps with wattages from 700 to 1,500 Watts were being used to light the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. "Very few TV events are followed as avidly and emotionally as the annual Eurovision Song Contest. Which is why we're overjoyed that we were able to impress the organizers with the performance of our products," explained Hans-Joachim Schwabe, CEO Specialty Lighting at Osram.

The metal halide lamps used emit highly concentrated light for an extremely high luminance. And thanks to the increased light output, the lamps save approx. 6,500 kilowatts in comparison with conventional studio halogen lamps – an amount that equates to the output of more than 70 mid-sized cars. The slimline design of the lamps facilitated the design of smaller and more lightweight lighting solutions, saving a great deal of space on the stage and leaving the artists more freedom of movement as they performed their songs in Baku.