Reconnecting Rotterdam: Wireless DMX in Binnenrotte Square
When aging DMX cabling brought the Binnenrotte lighting installation to a halt, wireless DMX from LumenRadio offered a fast, non-intrusive solution. With Galileo units installed on 11 lighting masts, the City of Rotterdam avoided costly excavation – and brought its iconic city square back to life with a flexible, reliable wireless system that also honors the site’s unique history.
Bringing New Light to Binnenrotte – A Historic Public Space
Rotterdam’s Binnenrotte is a space of contrasts – both the city’s historic birthplace and one of its busiest, most modern public areas. Spanning 600 meters, the square connects architectural landmarks like the Markthal and Blaak Station and plays host to weekly markets, public events, and the rhythms of daily city life.
The area’s lighting installation, originally designed to create a dynamic atmosphere through 11 professional moving-head fixtures, had long suffered from deteriorated DMX cabling. Signal interference became a regular issue, and eventually the entire system was shut down.
Replacing the cables wasn’t a viable option. Given the constant foot traffic, nearby infrastructure, and logistical challenges, a traditional solution involving cabling would have caused major disruption and driven up costs.
Instead, the City of Rotterdam partnered with LumenRadio partner LRS Solutions to find an alternative: robust, non-invasive, and future-ready.
A Wireless DMX Upgrade – Without Digging or Downtime
LRS Solutions selected wireless DMX and Galileo from LumenRadio to restore the Binnenrotte installation. Each mast was equipped with a Galileo RX, connected wirelessly to a central Galileo TX, eliminating the need for physical DMX wiring. The original fixtures – SGM G-Spot Turbo moving heads – remained in place, now fully operable via wireless DMX.
Replacing the faulty DMX cabling with a wireless system from LumenRadio has truly been a breakthrough for this project. It allowed us to revive the installation without disruptive works in a highly frequented public space.
Jimmy van Bemmel, Managing Director, LRS Solutions
The system is now fully integrated into Rotterdam’s central lighting control platform, which also manages key locations like the Erasmus Bridge, Hofplein Fountain, and various public art installations.
Light That Reflects the Past
Beyond functionality, the lighting concept is designed with purpose. The moving heads project light patterns that represent the waterway that once flowed where the square now stands. With colors and movement that mimic the shimmer and motion of water, the installation creates an immersive visual experience – connecting Binnenrotte’s history with modern design.
A Scalable, Future-Proof Solution
- No excavation or civil engineering required
- Ultra-reliable wireless DMX powered by LumenRadio’s Galileo
- Full control of SGM G-Spot Turbo fixtures
- Integrated into the city’s lighting network
- A lighting system that’s both technically advanced and culturally meaningful
What started as a defunct installation is now a vibrant, wireless lighting solution – scalable, low-maintenance, and seamlessly connected to the city’s broader infrastructure. It’s a powerful example of how wireless control can illuminate places and tell stories, without compromise. It’s wireless without worries, in action.
