Wembley Stadium, UK

Thorn bringing light to Wembley's world-class Stadium

As one of the most modern and breathtaking arenas in the world, Wembley Stadium connected by EE opened in 2007 and was built on the site of the earlier Wembley Empire Stadium, which was demolished in 2003. A UEFA category four stadium, Wembley Stadium hosts major football matches as well as other major sporting and music events. With 90 000 seats, 34 bars, 98 kitchens, 8 restaurants and 688 food and drink service points, it is the largest stadium in the UK and the second largest in Europe.

Thorn has been a lighting partner to Wembley Stadium since the 1970s, originally illuminating the Empire Stadium and in 2007 equipping the new stadium with the vast majority of its luminaires. In 2004 Thorn achieved full approval to supply lighting to Wembley Stadium following a successful tender process which involved carrying out lighting calculations using the specified lighting package of AG132.

Our highlight: The Arch lighting

In 2014 Thorn replaced the stadium's iconic arch lighting with a custom LED lighting system designed for full colour as well as special moving light effects.

The new lighting means the arch can be illuminated in an endless range of colourful possibilities. Roger Maslin, then Managing Director of Wembley National Stadium Ltd, quoted: "We can now use the arch to make big, bold and entertaining statements which can be seen right across London. With so many lighting scenes the possibilities are fantastic. From the St. George's Cross and team colours to highlight goals for big games, to solid and moving colours for event lighting, to the corporate colours of our sponsor EE and charity partners. The lighting is transformational and exciting."

Dave Holley – Regional Manager, who managed the design team co-ordination to create the lighting design scheme throughout the project, explains: "The Arch's lighting system consists of a dynamic floodlight with red, green, blue and white LED chips. 50% of the LED chips are white and the remaining are equal quantities of red, green and blue. This will allow The Arch to have unlimited lighting effects - both dynamic or static - with colours and movement to suit events and occasions. Importantly, Wembley wanted the new 'whiter' LED white to match the white achieved with the old metal halide system. We therefore had to tune the LED white to achieve this consistency."

Wembley's onsite specialist subcontractor, Hollandia - an expert in the access and maintenance needs of the arch - installed the new lighting comprising 228 RGBW LED floodlights. To speed up installation Thorn coordinated and designed a custom bracket to allow the existing fixings to be used. The heart of the new lighting solution is the controls system, designed by Thorn together with a partner which brings the endless possibilities the LED lighting installation provides to life.

Refurbishment and upgrading of existing lighting to LED is ongoing with all the Emergency Exit Signage being changed to LED from fluorescent – over 5000 units.

Executive Boxes have had their lighting changed from TH to LED and areas where maintenance is difficult and expensive the existing CFL downlights have been changed to LED – particularly the Escalator voids.

The Changing Rooms were upgraded and took advantage to use LED luminaires mainly the  Omega Pro and Chalice LED luminaires. The players changing rooms had a RGBW LED light system fitted to provide more colour and atmosphere for events of all types.

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