Arctura Tower

The Arctura water tower holds 26 million litres of boiling water that is used to heat homes in the surrounding region. The 65-metre-high structure, wrapped in an almond-shaped curtain of stainless steel, stands on a hill above the local ski station of Östersund, which already makes it a landmark for the area. This is why a restaurant with a spectacular view has been installed on top of the tower and why lighting designers LjusDesign were engaged to design the tower's illumination. This light design, which is projected onto the mesh by means of LED fixtures, was inspired by Arcturus, the 'provincial star' of Jämtland and one of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere. The lighting programme adheres to astronomical time. During the long winter nights, the tower mimics the 'northern lights' display until about an hour before sunrise when it burns steadily. This 'sunrise' effect lasts for about an hour after the real sun has risen.