Fire, Ice, and Anolis in Zambia

	Fire & Ice Nightclub. Photo courtesy DWR

Entrepreneur Siddharth Patel wanted his new Fire & Ice Nightclub in the heart of Ndola, Zambia's third largest city located in the thriving copperbelt region ... to be truly cutting edge in technology and aesthetics, so he approached Johannesburg-based lighting sales and installation specialist DWR for ideas and solutions.

DWR project manager JP Vernon conducted a site visit, chatted extensively with the client, and produced some concepts which they discussed, including the installation of Anolis Arc Source 4 MC luminaires to provide mood lighting.

This was the plan he chose.

The 28 ArcSource 4 MCs -- known for their smooth and seamless color mixing and homogenized single point source output -- are installed above the bar, DJ booth, and VIP area at the back of the space. They function as striking down-lighters and greatly enhance the ambience of the lively 200 capacity venue.

The bar is geared to attract a dynamic community of guests living and working in the city which is also Zambia's commercial capital and is currently enjoying an economic boom generated by the buoyancy of the copper mining industries. Zambia is the second largest copper producer in Africa and the seventh in the world.

The Fire & Ice Night Club occupies the site of a former News Cafe franchise outlet. The property has been completely gutted and restyled with a contemporary and chic decor, with the Anolis color changing lighting scheme now right at the heart of it.

This is the first Anolis installation in Zambia and right now the Fire & Ice Bar is enjoying the novelty of being a unique concept in Ndola, and arguably also among the first bars in the country with a lighting scheme at the heart of the installation.

The client is well tuned in to how lighting can affect the mood and atmosphere which is so essential to attracting a good and loyal audience to a bar, and making the venture a success. He also says he realized the benefits of investing in premium products.

"It was really interesting working with Siddarth, he wanted this to be a stand-out destination, and while he could have chosen other options for less money, he chose excellent products for reliability and longevity, together with a control that could be easily operated by bar managers, and didn't need a technician on site to turn on and off."

DWR has used Anolis products for numerous high profile installations in the last two years -- including extensively in the Mall of Africa and the soon-opening PwC Tower, both in Waterfall City, Midrand, and to illuminate the tropical gardens of the Cascades Hotel in Sun City.

"The kit is durable and tough as well as looking great!" stated Vernon, "and for a scenario like this, a relatively cosy space, 28 fixtures can really transform the whole room."

In addition to the commitment to premium products, the client noted he was also impressed by the long warranties offered by Anolis and the excellent backup and support package offered by DWR, renowned for their outstanding after-sales service.

In addition to the Anolis fixtures, DWR also supplied LED strips in the roof and along the bar and LED video panels to clad the front of the bar. Control is via a Nicolaudie NICSTICK-DE3.

The client is extremely happy and Fire & Ice has been an instant success and become a talking point and a meeting place for the city's movers-and-groovers.

Siddharth Patel and his company Lamba Zambia is next planning to expand this Fire & Ice concept which will include imaginative environmental lighting and cool decor design.

Anolis is an architectural lighting division of ROBE lighting s.r.o.