KicK Adds Ambiance to Rockstar Energy Bike Park

The Rockstar Energy Bike Park is the latest feature project at the North Houston Sports Complex. The park sits just a few hundred feet south of the North Houston Skate Park and is one of the largest and most unique BMX parks in the United States. It features more than 150,000 sq. ft. of space that includes a world class BMX racetrack, concrete bowls, dirt jumps, pump tracks for all ages, a flatland freestyle area, and an amphitheater that sits in the middle of the park.

The Bike Park was created for both amateur and professional riders. It is known for inviting riders of all ages access to the park, with some areas specifically designed for those that are new to the sport and younger. A few areas are sized with the intent of hosting professional BMX events. It also offers “Street Features,” which to novice eyes would look like rails, stairs, and other structures that are used for tricks.

Open Day and Night

The park is open and operational day and night, making the lighting a key component to the ambiance and functionality of the facility. Superior lighting products were required to perform as advertised and provide precise IES patterns with unapparelled uniformity and low glare optics reducing harsh glare that could disrupt the riders’ line of sight and cause accidents. The safety of guest was paramount.

The project specifiers, Wylie Consulting Engineers and the Office of James Burnett consulted with Lighting Associates, Inc. on elements of the lighting design at the facility. One area of focus was the walkway lighting. The team wanted to see options for fixtures that weren’t obtrusive but provided ample lighting with wide spacing. OJB was immediately impressed with the KicK™ Medium from Architectural Area Lighting (“AAL”), which was selected for this area once the photometric design was finalized.

KicK from AAL

The ramps, railings, stairs, bowls, and structures of the BMX park were created to give freestyle riders infrastructure where they can perform tricks such as half-cabs, grinds, and flairs. In the special bowls and street feature areas of the park the lighting design called for a luminaire that would complement and reinforce the design aesthetic of the space without any compromise to performance. The designers knew that these areas would be heavily featured in event photography and videos, especially during high-profile professional competitions.

The modern, sharp lines of KicK make it incredibly unique. The luminaire plays off these structural elements by offering its own height, sleek and modern look. It also scales with the intended design aesthetic by making a statement during the day.

When mounted together, KicK resembles or mimics the shape of a fish tail, while providing 360-degrees of light for the riders to practice their best tailwhips. The luminaires entice riders’ adventurous spirits by lighting up the park at night and adding to the atmosphere during the day. KicK provides pleasing, crisp visual texture for the riders to practice at night as easily as they would during the day.

Alpha by Beacon

Also featured on the Rockstar BMX Park site, is the Alpha floodlight from Beacon Products, providing dependable, precise, and direct flood lighting. With six standard NEMA beam spread options, the versatile Alpha is configured for specific areas of the park utilizing larger beam of light covering more surface area or a very narrow beam of light for accuracy. The Alpha is well-suited for outdoor sporting activities and provides consistent, reliable, exact lighting for riders throughout the park.

VBGL Vaportite

The VBGL Vaportite pendant luminaire plays off the architectural design elements of the park by serving industrial, modern, and contemporary aesthetic appeal with efficiency. The frosted glass globe eliminates glare allowing the BMX riders of the park to adequately survey their surroundings even in the early hours of the evening. The VBGL pendant is also ideal for all weather conditions and can withstand intense periods of rain and wind, making it ideal for Texas weather in the outdoor sports park.