Acoustic cloud chandeliers enhance Belgian parliament

Design studio PWL has created an energy-efficient and broadcast-compliant lighting installation with acoustic optimisation for the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in Brussels.

Many of the politicians using the chamber found that the building’s architectural limitations – the glass-topped dome causes reflections into the centre of the room – created bad acoustics.

The Belgian company designed a light with a natural feeling that would reduce the overall energy consumption. The clouds at the lowest level of the three-layered chandelier provide general lighting, as well as lighting the upper clouds. The two higher levels feature uplighters to illuminate the clouds above and the ceiling. PWL also replaced the lights in the side of the dome with energy-efficient LEDs to mimic natural sunlight.

Amptec developed the sound system and the absorbent acoustic panels required for the entire area.​

PWL’s chief executive, Luc Peumans, said: “Our mission was to improve acoustics without altering the building’s characteristics. With this in mind, our design team created a chandelier with integrated lighting. In this way, the room’s harsh and inefficient halogen lighting could be replaced by a more energy-efficient LED lighting to reduce electricity consumption.

“The new lighting meets the requirements for TV recording, as well as modern soft light standards for illuminating architecture buildings,” said Peumans. “Moreover, the communication between the politicians is now far smoother.”