Gilded engineering at the heart of Mecca: how Lights of Vienna delivered a €90 million lighting landmark
This article is based on an exclusive MoveTheNeedle.news interview with Lights of Vienna.
High above the marble floors of the Mataf extension at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, light has become an architectural material in its own right. Hundreds of chandeliers and luminaires now define the atmosphere of one of the world’s most sacred and heavily visited spaces— under conditions few lighting systems are ever designed to endure. Behind this achievement lies a €90 million project that ranks among the most demanding decorative lighting commissions ever completed, delivered by Lights of Vienna.
The Austrian specialist has successfully produced and delivered approximately 550 bespoke luminaires in ten different designs for the Mataf area, the circumambulation zone surrounding the Kaaba. Manufactured from high-grade stainless steel and plated with more than 200 kilograms of 24-karat gold, the lighting had to combine symbolic presence with extreme technical resilience. Installed in an environment defined by constant use, intense heat and stringent safety requirements, the fixtures were engineered to perform continuously while remaining visually restrained within a deeply significant religious setting.
A boutique manufacturer with global reach
Based in Guntramsdorf, near Vienna, Lights of Vienna operates with a team of around 35 employees. Despite its modest size, the company has built a global footprint, delivering projects in 49 countries across five continents. Export markets account for 98 per cent of its business, spanning luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, private residences, yachts and major public buildings, with a particular focus on religious architecture in the Middle East.
“What distinguishes us is the combination of long-standing craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing capabilities and lighting technologies,” a Lights of Vienna spokesperson explains. “As a boutique manufacturer, we remain flexible and fast, while supporting clients throughout the entire product development chain—from creative consulting and design to material selection, production and on-site installation.”
That end-to-end approach is central to the company’s positioning. Rather than acting solely as a supplier, Lights of Vienna functions as an integrated partner, coordinating design intent, engineering constraints and production logistics under one roof. For complex international projects, this model reduces interfaces and risk—an advantage that has proven decisive in environments such as Mecca.
Lights of Vienna is the exclusive supplier for all lighting projects at the Grand Mosque, a role that has required the company to develop specialist expertise beyond manufacturing alone. Certification processes, export financing and regulatory compliance in large-scale international construction projects have become core competencies alongside design and engineering.
From record-setting contract to Mataf completion
The company’s involvement in Mecca dates back to 2012, when it secured what was described at the time as the largest contract in the history of decorative lighting: the complete lighting package for the Shamiya extension of the mosque. That project encompassed more than 4,450 chandeliers and luminaires and laid the foundation for a long-term collaboration with the main contractor, Saudi Binladin Group.
A decade later, the Mataf extension raised expectations once again. Awarded in 2022, the €90 million contract covered the mosque’s core area and required an entirely new generation of lighting solutions. Production ran until 2025, with all fixtures manufactured in Austria in cooperation with specialist partners in Austria and Italy.
The centrepiece of the project is the Al Fath Gate Chandelier. Measuring seven metres in diameter and ten metres in height, weighing three tonnes and delivering 360,000 lumens, it is both a visual anchor and a structural challenge. Inspired by Islamic architectural traditions, it incorporates custom calligraphy and handcrafted glass, while concealing complex engineering designed to withstand some of the harshest operational conditions in architectural lighting.
Engineering for extremes
The technical demands of the Mataf project went far beyond scale alone. One of the central challenges was achieving a balance between stringent structural requirements and practical considerations such as transport, assembly and long-term maintenance.
“With chandeliers of this size, weight becomes a decisive factor,” the spokesperson says. “We developed modular constructions that allowed efficient transport and fast on-site installation while maintaining structural integrity and visual precision.”
Climate conditions in Mecca shaped nearly every engineering decision. All drivers and LEDs were designed to operate reliably at continuous ambient temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius—twice the standard design assumption in most parts of the world. Thermal management therefore became critical, influencing LED selection, driver configuration and the development of bespoke cooling bodies.
Structural safety requirements were equally demanding. Mechanical construction was calculated to withstand wind speeds of up to 265 kilometres per hour and seismic events of up to 6.5 on the Richter scale. Each luminaire was tested to carry loads five times its own weight, exceeding international ISO standards.
Even the gold plating process presented technical complexity. Achieving a uniform layer thickness of between 2 and 3.5 microns across intricate stainless-steel components required meticulous grinding and polishing of raw parts. Any imperfection would have been magnified at the scale and visibility of the Mataf installation.
Continuous operation, zero tolerance for failure
Unlike many landmark lighting projects, the Mataf extension is not an occasional showpiece. The Grand Mosque is in near-constant use, receiving millions of pilgrims every year, with peak periods placing exceptional strain on all building systems.
This reality fundamentally shaped the design philosophy. Maintenance access and reliability were treated as core requirements from the outset. Modular components allow targeted servicing without extensive dismantling, while redundancy in critical systems reduces the risk of disruption in areas with uninterrupted visitor flows.
Comprehensive testing underpinned delivery. All luminaires passed IP43 spray tests for waterproofing, continuous high-temperature operation and structural load testing at five times unit weight. According to Lights of Vienna, the fixtures exceeded international CB certification standards across all relevant criteria.
Experience without repetition
Although Lights of Vienna’s earlier work on the Shamiya extension provided valuable organisational experience, the company is clear that the Mataf project was not a technical continuation.
“The mechanical construction and lighting technology were completely different in all aspects,” the spokesperson notes. “Quality requirements from the client had also moved to a new level.”
Familiarity with stakeholders, approval processes and site conditions helped streamline coordination, but engineering solutions were developed specifically for the Mataf environment. This willingness to start from first principles rather than replicate past designs reflects the company’s broader approach to bespoke manufacturing.
Sustainability behind the spectacle
Despite the project’s scale and use of precious materials, sustainability plays a central role in Lights of Vienna’s operations. The company sources its entire supply chain within Europe, reducing transport distances and maintaining oversight of environmental and social standards. Production of the Mataf luminaires took place entirely in Austria, supporting domestic specialist suppliers.
In December 2023, Lights of Vienna installed a 100 kW photovoltaic system at its production site, enabling it to generate a significant share of its energy from renewable sources and reduce CO₂ emissions. ISO certification has been in place since 2019, and the company is currently formalising comprehensive ESG guidelines covering resource efficiency, workplace safety, employee health, governance transparency and risk management.
“These measures are integral to how we operate,” the spokesperson says. “They reflect long-term responsibility rather than short-term positioning.”
A reinforced position at the top end of decorative lighting
Completing the Mataf extension marks a defining moment for Lights of Vienna. In a sector often driven by standardisation and volume, the project demonstrates the continued relevance of highly specialised, custom-made lighting at the very top end of the market.
“This commission highlights our strong position in the global decorative lighting segment,” the spokesperson concludes. “It shows that we can combine craftsmanship with advanced engineering, tailored precisely to local requirements, and deliver reliably on projects of global significance.”
As the company looks ahead, Lights of Vienna plans to launch a new B2C collection while continuing its work in hospitality and mosque lighting, building on what it has achieved with the Mataf extension, showcasing the role of light as a structural, cultural and engineering element within contemporary architecture.