In late 2001, the Aluminium Centre in the Netherlands moved to an eye-catching new building in Houten, near Utrecht. Set on the edge of an artificial lake, the building is the result of an architectural competition held by the Aluminium Centre and won by Architect Mischa de Haas.

Used to hold meetings and conferences for Europe’s top aluminium producers, the Aluminium Centre is a powerful testament to the strength and functional qualities of the metal, providing a practical example of the versatile and aesthetic qualities of aluminium as a building material.

Inspired by the surrounding landscape of poplar trees, as well as the wish to show off the lightness and strength of aluminium, Mischa designed a building uniquely supported by 368 aluminium pillars. The Centre sits atop tubular, forest-like "trees", which, protruding from the water at various angles, serve as drainpipes and service conduits as well as supports.

Martin Architectural´s distributor in the Netherlands, Fairlight, was asked to supply a fitting illumination solution for the pillars, one that would reveal the dynamics of the building even in the evening. Following a demonstration whereby Martin Exterior 600 and 200 color changing luminaries were used to illuminate the aluminium poles, all parties involved agreed that this was the optimal solution. Fairlight proposed two Exterior 600s and one Exterior 200 for the illumination project. The fixtures were supplied by Fairlight’s customer Artilite.
 
The Exterior’s CMY color-mixing system allows for projection of an innumerable variety of color shades, colors reflected rather beautifully by the aluminium “trees” and mirrored in the surrounding water. The combination of pillars, light and water has given an animated aspect to the entire structure.