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NEW LIGHT | ARCHITECTURE | TECHNOLOGY 2 | 2013
ThelighTwiTh individual charmandan efficienT characTer.
TRILUX New Light. We transform offices into feel-good oases. For example with Belviso LED.
The exclusive free-standing luminaire features the intelligent separation of direct and indirect light
components. Each light component can also be separately dimmed. Belviso LED proves itself to be a
master of adaptation to natural ambient light, ensuring a harmonious perception of light. It also scores
in terms of efficiency with LED technology, featuring luminaire efficiency of in excess of 77 lm/W.
For more about New Light for workstations, see www.trilux.com/belviso
3lux
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Presenting lightThe new TRILUX Light Lounge in Arnsberg
Light and the Circadian rhythmHow light influences our inner clocks
Light and learningLight for a better performance
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02 | 03 3lux:letters 2 | 2013EDITORIAL
Dear Reader,
Cover: Municipal Library Stuttgart
Photo: Boris Golz
ever since 2000, every three years the standard of education our pupils receive is polled as part
of the international PISA study. A look at the findings shows that we must not let up in the effort
devoted to the field of training. Which is why it is only right that, since the first study was
released, countless educational reforms have been initiated to improve the education system.
Together with the advances in the world of the media, this has invariably impacted on architec-
ture. And specifically lighting can make a massive contribution to enhancing learning. In their
article on “Light and learning” Kevin Rettich and Trey Laird of the SHW Group give a general
account of the key factors and how the relevant requirements can be met, and offer two case
studies (page 10). This issue’s poll of planners focuses likewise on improving educational suc-
cesses by optimizing lighting (page 38).
In the interview (page 18), we asked Dirk Justus and Mona Khamis from JK Lighting Design,
Konstantin Jaspert from JSWD Architekten and Tobias Wulf from wulf architekten how other
architects and light planners handle the topic of “light in the education sector”. The sectionon
lux:architektur section with the Stuttgart Municipal Library designed by Yi Architects (page 22),
a primary school in Barvaux, Belgium, created by LRArchitectes (page 28) and the extension to
a local school in Würenlos, Switzerland (page 34) offers a wealth of insights into the architecture
of educational facilities and the light planning involved. Moreover, we present our newly
designed Light Lounge in the main production plant at Arnsberg – where you can see and
experience our modern luminaires and control systems live (page 40).
I hope you will very much enjoy reading the current issue of 3lux:letters!
Yours sincerely,
Thomas Kretzer, CEO TRILUX Vertrieb GmbH
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VIEWS
HISTORY
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ARCHITECTURE
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LIGHT AND LEARNINGChungha Building, Seoul; Royal William Yard staircase , Plymouth;
luminaire “decafé”, Raúl Laurí; thermal power station, Važecká; Solar-
kiosk, Kenia; exhibition “Lightopia”, Vitra Design Museum, Weil am
Rhein; Smart Highway, The Netherlands; Strawscraper, Stockholm
The 3441 PSN luminaire – a classic in school lighting
Bright Light = Bright Minds?
By Ute Besenecker
Three books recommended by the Editorial broad
Light and learning. By Kevin Rettich (LC) und Trey Laird
Emotional learning or Intellectual learning
Dirk Justus and Mona Khamis (JK Lighting Design), Konstantin Jaspert
(JSWD Architekten), Tobias Wulf (wulf architekten)
Municipal Library Stuttgart, Yi Architects, Cologne; Elementary
School in Barvaux-Condroz/Belgium, LRArchitectes, Tourinnes-
Saint-Lambert/Belgium; School in Würenlos/Switzerland; Schneider
Spannagel Architekten, Döttingen/Switzerland
Planners ask, manufactures answer: Can the right lighting have a
positive influence on how well children learn at school?
Light Lounge Arnsberg
Aqueous, Marc Mawson; LED cloud, Sophie Valla Architects;
Impulsive Stage Set, Flat-e; Glowing Strand, Omer Arbel
The King of Pop is alive!
Light spectrum
Imprint
04 | 05 3lux:letters 2 | 2013
HISTORY
VIEWS
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It took just nine months to com-plete alterations and add a story to the building dating from 1980 on Apgujung Road, a popular shop-ping destination in Seoul, South Korea. The architects at MVRDV gave the previously beige natural stone front with the unsightly dis-array of billboards a new, clearly structured façade with illuminated display windows. A conglomera-tion spread over 2,800 square me-ters now features various shops, a wedding planner’s office, and two beauty clinics. The clear di-vision between retail and clinic space becomes particularly evi-dent when it is dark; illuminated with different-coloured LEDS, the windows in each of the shops ap-pear in a different colour.
Chungha Building Seoul, South Korea
MVRDV Architectswww.mvrdv.nl
A white tile mosaic not only forms the façade, but also continues in the
entrance and pathway.
The old façade of light natural stone and bright billboards was completely redesigned.
The 3441 PSN luminaire – a classic in school lightingTRILUX’s 3441 PSN has been on the market for more than 30 years now. During this period, it has suc-ceeded in making a name for itself not only as lighting for office build-ings but also primarily in schools. The standard version is a favourite for lighting both corridors and classrooms because it requires little attention. With its wide beam, the asymmetric variant of the 3441 PSN is particularly suitable for illuminating school black/white boards. Originally equipped with T8 and T5 lamps, since October this year an LED version is available, in an unchanged design. In order to use this new technology either the entire light fitting can be replaced or the new LED unit can be posi-tioned inside the light fitting, as long as the latter is not more than 15 years old. One advantage of the new illuminant is energy sav-
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As before, the illuminant for the classic 3441 PSN can be replaced quickly and easily.
ings of between 35 and 40 percent over the T8 light. The modern LED variant of the 3441 PSN is also normally easy to replace – once the reflector has been removed, the luminaire has a simple push fit fitting. However, with a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, this simple procedure is seldom necessary. The luminaire comes in the fol-lowing light colours: 3,000K (warm white) or 4,000k (neutral white). At a length of 150 centimeters, the surface-mounted luminaire can either stand alone or be used for ribbon lighting. As has been the case since the 1980s, the modi-fied 3441 PSN is also suitable for universal use.
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The Royal William Yard in Plymouth was built between 1825 and 1831 to supply the British Navy with provisions. After it was closed in 1990 the site became one of Great Britain’s largest conversion projects. Apartments, offic-es, shops and restaurants have been erected on a plot almost 65,000 square meters in size. In order to grant residents access to a park with historical fortification walls, Gillespie Yunnie Architects designed a staircase structure with a projecting observation deck. From here, visitors and residents have a breathtaking view over the coast. In the daytime the dark cladding on the steps to the old, solid stonework remain relatively inconspicuous. But at night the LED ribbon lighting integrated into the handrail unfolds its colour spectrum over the entire staircase.
Royal William Yard staircase Plymouth, Great Britain
Gillespie Yunnie Architectswww.gyarchitects.co.uk
The observation deck at the end of the built-on steps offers
a wide-ranging view of the port of Plymouth.
The lighting included in the handrail not only illuminates the steps at night but also makes them into a shimmer-ing brightly-coloured feature.
It would appear that you can do more with coffee grounds than read the future – even make a pioneering, environmentally friendly material. Inspired by the idea of creating something new from everyday waste, the Spanish designer Raúl Laurí spent a lot of time investigating used coffee powder before finally coming up with the ideal blend of natural binding agent, pressure and temperature. The result is an ecological material, which can also be recycled, from which the Spaniard produces luminaires with a wonderful coffee aroma. Currently the two pendant luminaires Kamaria and KojiS are available in the porous material. The Koji cordless table luminaire, which in 2013 won first prize at the Salone Satellite in Milan, should be on sale as of next year.
decaféRaúl Laurí design lab
www.rlauri.com
The Koji cordless table luminaire goes out when turned upside down. When horizontal it shines with medium brightness, and when upright at the highest level.
The upright luminaire made of recycled coffee grounds is due to
be launched in 2014
06 | 07 3lux:letters 2 | 2013VIEWS
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Thermal power station Važecká Conversion into a cultural and sports centreVažecká, Slowakia 2013www.atriumstudio.sk
In Košice, one of this year’s European Capitals of Culture, the architecture studio Atrium planned the conversion of a former thermal power station into a public cultural and sports centre. Completed in 2012 in the residen-tial area Nad Jazerom, the building’s exterior already hints at its use. The concrete structure’s rough skin is reminiscent of stylized rocks projecting over the heads of passers-by. The folded concrete elements turn the façade into a climbing wall, with openings allowing natural daylight into the five-story interior. At night LEDs illuminate the geometric façade in the colours of the Capital of Culture’s logo.
Illuminated in pink, blue, green, and orange, the climbing wall
attracts climbers and passers-by in the evening too.
SolarkioskKenia, EthiopiaSOLARKIOSK GmbH, Berlinwww.solarkiosk.eu
In addition to a cool drink, the vil-lagers’ meeting points provide suf-ficient light for spending a pleasant evening together, like here in Turmi, Ethiopia.
Local staff can also cool and store medication in the 2.45 x 3.70
meter structures.
Worldwide there are 1.5 billion people living without electricity, 800 mil-lion of them in Africa alone. In countries south of the Sahara, electricity is often generated with non-renewable means such as gasoline. In order to guarantee environmentally friendly communications and energy supply, the Berlin architecture studio Graft, in collaboration with lawyers Ulrich Möller and Andreas Spieß, has set up so-called solar kiosks in several Ethiopian and Kenyan villages. These are meeting points driven by solar panels, where villagers can not only charge their cell phones, lamps, and batteries, but also enjoy cold drinks and surf the Internet. In the next two years 500 to 1,000 of the mobile, quick assembly construction kits are due to follow in other villages.
STATEMENT
to concentrate. Sunlight at daybreak or corresponding cold white electric lighting are the best means of help-ing schoolchildren pay attention during lessons and remain more ef-ficient throughout the day. Bright light can also help ward off the tiredness that frequently overcomes them directly after lunch. In the late afternoon, on the other hand, the
Bright Light = Bright Minds?Light is the key element controlling our sleep/wake rhythm. Schools, however, draw up their timetables without taking natural light into consideration. As such, an early start to lessons can be challenging for children, especially on dark win-ter days. Bright bluish light lets the body and mind know that it is day-time, and thus time to be awake and
lighting in classrooms needs to change to warm light. Deliberately supplementing natural daylight us-ing new energy-efficient lighting and control systems is becoming more and more established. Systems such as these make it pos-sible to regulate the brightness and color of the lighting and at the same time adapt the light the use the
room is being put to, and the time of day. This can have a positive effect on children and optimize their learn-ing environment without their being any disadvantages for their biologi-cal clock. The right lighting can play a role in more efficient learning and improved results. Integrating this in schools is a task for architects and lighting planners.
Dipl.-Ing. Ute Besenecker M. Sc. Raumseele Inc.
Troy, NY, USA
Below:Different lighting moods during the
course of the day: morning, daytime, afternoon (from left to right)
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Lightopia28. September 2013 to 16. March 2014Vitra Design MuseumWeil am Rheinwww.design-museum.de
In 2010 Carlos Cruz-Diez trans-ported visitors to the artificial world “Chromosaturation” in the colors red, green and blue.
The 1968 design for the disco-theque Il Grifoncino in Bolzano was
the work of Cesare Casati, Gino Marotta, and Emmanuele Ponzio
and consisted entirely of translu-cent, back-lit Plexiglas.
The “Lightopia” exhibition at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein is devoted to how our life has developed and been changed through new light-ing technologies. 300 works from the worlds of art, design, and architecture will be on display, including numerous icons by Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Achille Castiglioni, Gino Sarfatti and Ingo Maurer from the museum’s luminaire collection, which have never before been on public show. Other exhibits such as László Moholy-Nagy’s Light-Space Modulator and a reconstructed 1968 discotheque illustrate the power and impact of light. Visitors can themselves experience numerous interactive and walk-in installations. The accompanying program comprises symposiums and workshops with renowned artists, designers, and experts.
08 | 09 3lux:letters 2 | 2013VIEWS
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It sounds like something from the future, but construction work is due to begin in late 2013: In the Netherlands so-called smart highways are being built according to a design by Studio Roosegaarde in cooperation with the construction firm Heijmans. The aim is to design roads that interact with motorists, making them aware of current traffic situations by means of light, energy, and automatically adaptable road signs. The “glow-in-the-dark road”, for example, can recharge with natural daylight and at night light up the sides of the road for up to ten hours. Dynamic paint warns drivers of major fluctuations in temperature. Applied to the middle of the carriageway, ice crystals, for example, become visible, warning drivers of ice and slippery conditions. The technology is due to go into operation in the next five years.
Interactive light illuminates only those places on roads where cars
are actually travelling
Clear symbols on the road quickly inform motorists of road conditions.
Smart HighwayStudio RoosegaardeRealisation end of 2013www.studioroosegaarde.net
Strawscraper Urban Power Plant
Belatchew Arkitekter, Stockholm www.belatchew.com
A viewing platform at the top of the tower affords tenants a good view of the Swedish capital.
The architecture studio Henning Larsen originally designed the Söder Torn in Stockholm with 40 stories. Following discrepancies regarding the design, in 1997 con-struction work came to a halt at the 26th floor. In order to achieve the original height with a lookout platform, but primarily to use the space ecologically and economical-ly, Belatchew Arkitekter designed a shell covered in thin straws, which create energy when they move in the wind. Even a gentle breeze gen-erates this so-called piezoelectrici-ty. With the permanently undulating façade, it is almost as if the tower is breathing. During darkness as well additional life is breathed into the building when it is illuminated in alternating bright colours, driven by the energy it has generated itself.
At night the wind farm is illumi-nated in shimmering bright col-ours, making it visible from afar
throughout the city.
READING
To mark the 10th anniversary of Zentrum für Internationale Lichtkunst Unna the society has now compiled a catalog of its col-lection. It shows the 14 perma-nent installations that were on the show in the labyrinth-like cor-ridors, cold storage rooms and fermentation tanks at the former Lindenbrauerei brewery build-ing. The pieces included works by Mario Merz, James Turrell, Christian Boltanski, Rebecca Horn and Olafur Eliasson. The catalog once again summarizes the ex-hibitions and is accompanied by explanatory texts. Insights into the genesis and future of Zentrum für Lichtkunst round out this invitation into a mysterious world of color, light and shadow.
The Essence of LightZentrum für Internationale Lichtkunst Unna e.V.Published 2013by Wienand Verlag, Cologne140 pages, 109 illustrations24,3 x 30,4 cm, hardcoverGerman, English€ 29,50ISBN 978-3-86832-152-4 www.lichtkunst-unna.de
The book “Innovative Schulbauten in Südtirol” (Innovative Schools in North ern Italy) documents the ex-hibition of the same name that was on show at Meraner Kunsthaus. The publication provides an insight into the work of the young architects in the region who have succeeded in combining traditional shapes with the contemporary architecture. Pho tographs by artist Ulrich Egger portray schools in Northern Italy in an artistic manner. Egger‘s photos are more than mere architectural documentations. Instead, the pres-ence of schoolchildren and their interaction with the teachers trans-form these school premises into environments full of life and verve. Texts by architect and publicist Andreas Gottlieb Hempel comple-ment these atmospheric photos.
The first monograph on young Chinese artist Li Hui documents at length the expansive sculptures and installations he has made from 2009 until the present day. His work using materials such as steel and wood, laser and LED lighting create surreal atmospheres are presented in a large number of highly impres-sive photographs. Editors, curators and critics explain his subject mat-ter and techniques as well as the views and motivation behind Hui‘s work. The artist sees his installa-tions as referencing Buddhist phi-losophy. Precise insights into these masterpieces are supplied by both the biography and the ten-page in-terview conducted by Bernhard Serexhe with this artist who com-bines the technical know-how of Western art and culture with an Eastern view of the world.
Li HuiSelected Works 2003-2013Christoph NoePublished 2013by Hatje Cantz Verlag, Stuttgart208 pages, 195 illusrations24,7 x 30,7 cm, hardcoverEnglish€ 39,80ISBN 978-3-7757-3546-9 www.hatjecantz.de
Innovative Schulbauten in SüdtirolUlrich Egger, Andreas Gottlieb HempelPublished in July 2013by Tappeiner Verlag, Lana, IT240 pages 26,6 x 20,5 cm, hardcoverGerman, Italian€ 29,50ISBN 978-8-87073-754-7 www.tappeiner.it
10 | 11 3lux:letters 2 | 2013SPOT
The continual refinements made to requirements for schools also mean lighting planners are faced with new tasks. Thus in educational buildings particular care must be taken when drawing up illumination concepts. Planners should always aim to underline the gen-eral design concept and at the same time take into account the needs of users. By Kevin Rettich (LC) und Trey Laird
Lighting is a part of education design in that it impacts the way stu-dents learn and teachers teach. A number of studies have shown that lighting can improve attention span, minimize distractions, and even has the potential to lead to higher test scores. Because of the range of activities that take place in an educational environment, as well as the unique nature of each user’s needs, there is no one design that works across all buildings. However, there are specific factors that designers should take into consideration when planning and executing a lighting strategy. Designers at educa-tional architecture and engineering firm, SHW Group, center their lighting design strategy around five key considerations: quantity of light, color temperature, controls, quality of light and daylighting. This strategy has been successful in both their K-12 and higher education facilities.
Quantity of LightProper lighting levels should ultimately be determined by the instructional media used. For instance, a technology presentation
on a projector would require lower light levels than a lesson on a whiteboard. Bright light supports test situations, while low light can be used to subdue students.
Color TemperatureIn some cases, studies have suggested a correlation between higher color temperatures and better test scores. Furthermore, lower color temperatures are often used in facilities for younger students to create a homely, calming environment. Higher color temperatures can be useful for older students helping to keep them alert when they take exams.
ControlsWhen it comes to controls, it’s important to bear in mind that in educational environments, one lighting theme will not work for every situation. Controls should have multiple switches for different sources. Furthermore, the impact of the type of controls – manual, automatic, dimming, etc. – should be taken into consideration
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LIGHT AND LEARNING
The SHW Group planned the Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy in Dallas with student housing and teaching areas on a campus measuring more than 10,000 square meters.
for their impact on energy savings, customization and flexibility. Finally, designers should carefully plan the placement of controls within a space to ensure that the location is appropriate to meet a range of activities.
Quality of Light Naturally, the eye is drawn to areas of greater brightness. Although designers sometimes use brightness to highlight a specific area, when that brightness interferes with visibility or becomes glaring, it can cause discomfort and distraction. Similarly, shadows can interfere with visibility by casting details into darkness. Designers should take care to employ tools such as indirect lighting, to create spaces that deliver both direct and diffused light to the occupant and activity , helping to minimize distractions.
DaylightingStudies into the impact of natural light and exterior views have sug-gested their importance for both psychological and physiological
reasons. In addition, they can have a tremendous impact on energy use in buildings. By integrating automatic daylighting controls, designers can ensure that users enjoy consistent light levels whilst reducing the building’s energy use.
Case Study: Sangren Hall, Western Michigan UniversityA number of factors impacted SHW Group’s lighting design at Western Michigan University’s Sangren Hall in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. As one of the most heavily utilized buildings on campus, the university predicts that every student who graduates from WMU with a four-year degree will have had at least one class in the 21,400 square metre facility. To this end, the facility needed to be equipped to meet the unique learning needs of thousands of students. Furthermore, the university expressed an interest in designing the project to meet the standards of the LEED® green building certification program, the United States Green Building Council’s benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Thus, the design team needed to be aware of the
12 | 13 3lux:letters 2 | 2013SPOT
and bamboo flooring. These reflective materials help to capitalize on the ambient light within a space, contributing to the quality of light and making energy savings. Since its opening in August 2012, Sangren Hall has already seen great results in its goals of student satisfaction and energy performance.
Case Study: Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy, Dallas Independent School DistrictLighting was also fundamental in SHW Group’s design of Dallas Independent School District’s Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy in Dallas, Texas, USA. The school is designed to prepare 9th through 12th graders who are primarily first generation college-bound students for the rigors of higher education. SHW Group designed the 9,800 m2 facility to emulate a college campus while incorporating the age-appropriate supervision found in a single building design. Natural light was essential to making the central commons area reminiscent of an outdoor campus. Daylight is the primary light source in the building, and ample natural light fills the commons area – and all areas – throughout the day. Artificial light is needed to supplement daylight. To maintain the open air feel of
amount of artificial light being incorporated into the lighting design and take care to include many energy efficient sources. Controls in classrooms include three switches. One switch illuminates the white board, while the other two switches provide two different lighting levels – 50% and 100% – to offer teachers flexibility and give them options for customizing. Daylighting is used throughout the building and in every classroom to minimize the use of artificial light and improve the learning environment. Daylight ambient sensors set to maintain 500 LUX constantly measure the light level within the space and uniformly dim the artificial light based on the amount of natural daylight in the space. Additional energy manage-ment features include occupancy sensors which are set up ahead of the control switches within the space. The occupancy sensors are set at 15 minutes and include dual infrared and ultrasonic technology to minimize nuisance shut off. To create optimal light-ing design, coordination with project interior designers also was important. Light colored materials reflect light and dark materials absorb it. While both can be advantageous, coordinated materials selection and lighting design are crucial. For Sangren Hall, SHW Group installed an 80% reflective ceiling, lightly colored materials
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To create a safe and familiar envi-ronment, social meeting points were positioned centrally between the academic spaces (left).
Not least the ingenious lighting con-cept, and it combines the advantages of daylight and artificial light, makes spending time in the open-plan rooms of Sangren Hall a pleasant experience (right).
the commons area, designers purposefully camouflaged artificial light sources. Custom light sources integrated into the railings that surround the commons helped to achieve that effect. Throughout the facility, designers chose an aircraft cable hung, The team incorporated a unique control system in open spaces such as the commons and library allowing users to select different scenes for different situations. The scene selection controls not only provide users with the ability to customize lighting but also inherently limit the potential for energy waste in the form of unnecessary light.
SHW Group incorporated high-end interior finishes to enhance building aesthetics and contribute to the collegiate feel. The light-ing design works with this concept to highlight the materials and add to the building’s professional and artistic features.
Kevin Rettich (LC) und Trey Laird,Kevin Rettich studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan and has more than 25 years‘ professional experience in the field. As Head of the Electrical Engineering department at the SHW Group, his focus is on building and emergency lighting in schools and universities. Trey Laird has been a International Practice Director at the SHW Group for 20 years. In addition to innovative objects, he also oversees major international projects and is also involved in the com-pany‘s research and planning activities. www.shwgroup.com
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14 | 15 IMPRESSION 3lux:letters 2 | 2013
Since the 18th century, the “Duchess Anna Amalia Library” in Weimar has had one of the best-known book collections in Germany. It was supported by well-known personalities such as its namesake Anna Amalia and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. A devastating fire in September 2004 almost gutted the heart of the library, the Rococo Hall, and numerous artworks and 50,000 books, including musical scores, were lost. With the help of numerous donations the library was able to be restored and reopened in October 2007. However, for reasons of preservation access to the magnificent Rococo Hall is limited to 90,000 visitors a year.
EMOTIONAL LEARNING
Photo: Alexander Burzik / Klassik Stiftung Weimar
“Every day we should at least hear one little song, read one good poem, see one fine painting and, if at all possible, speak a few sensible words.”Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749–1832, German poet
16 | 17 IMPRESSION 3lux:letters 2 | 2013
Today the campus of Berlin’s Free University, completed in 1973 based on designs by architects Candilis, Josic, Woods and Schiedhelm, is still considered a milestone in university architecture. Since 2005, the Philological Library designed by Foster + Partners has linked six of the existing inner courtyards with one another. The new four-story building features a translucent inner membrane that provides it with plenty of daylight and generates a special atmosphere of learning. Reading desks on each story are grouped around the central bookshelves and overlook the central library space. Owing to its spherical shape on the outside and the great many linguistic and literary works on the inside, the library is also affectionately called “The Brain”.
INTELLECTUAL LEARNING
Photo: Felix Löchner
“A house without books is poor, even if beautiful carpets cover its floors and precious hangings decorate its walls.” Hermann Hesse, (1877–1962), German author, poet and artist
18 | 19 3lux:letters 2 | 2013
Artificial light plays a key role in our fast-paced and high-tech society. What status does light have in your work and how do you use it?
LOOKED INTO3lux:letters asked three renowned lighting
experts three questions on the subject of
“Light and learning”.
REFLECTION
Dirk Justus und Mona KhamisLight plannerJK Lighting Design, Büttelborn
Dirk Justus und Mona Khamis: As light planners at JKLD we
see light as a powerful substance to which people have a pri-
mary connection. However, situations in which we perceive its
presence are fragile. It is with this awareness that shape light,
allow it to infuse and deliberately shine the light on materials
and finishes. In architecture daylight and artificial light require
sensitive handling. The aim is to create atmospheres that
harmonize with spaces and people. The high priority we give
to projects that are long-term in both aesthetic and technical
terms is continually accompanied by creating energy-efficient
lighting solutions.
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Galeria Kaufhof, Oldenburg
Tobias Wulf: Using artificial light it is nowadays almost possi-
ble to turn day into night, something that assists the rapid pace
of society. The question is what as humans our attitude is to
this, and where it is leading. On a nighttime flight over the Gulf
states or even just Central Europe there are enormous amounts
of artificial light visible, but is the energy used to create it being
used sensibly? When I’m asleep at night I don’t need any light
and the next day in natural daylight am capable of doing that
much more. Lots of people, in particular architects, think they
can enjoy greater success if they work at night, can be reached
round the clock etc. I find that unprofessional – it is superficial
business. There are of course exceptions, hospitals for exam-
ple. So how do I use light in my projects? Sensibly, sparingly.
Because it is one of the few deciding factors in our work as
architects. As soon as a valuable asset like light is used in an
inflationary way it loses impact and significance.
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Land Office for Finance, Landshut
Konstantin JaspertArchitectJSWD Architekten, Cologne
Konstantin Jaspert: At night, artificial light determines a build-
ing’s appearance. Ignoring the impact a building has in the
dark would be disastrous. For this reason, the way artificial
light is used and the impact it makes plays an important role
in our work. This applies both to lighting in interiors as well as
the accentuation of architecture in urban spaces. As a mat-
ter of principle it is important to us that alongside addressing
functionality we also appeal to the emotions. Purposeful, but at
he same time harmonious lighting plays a pivotal role in user
acceptance. In addition, a building with well-balanced illumi-
nation sends out a positive message to the public domain.
Children’s nursery at the ThyssenKrupp Quartier, Essen
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Tobias WulfArchitectwulf architekten, Stuttgart
20 | 21 3lux:letters 2 | 2013
Light influences the Circadian rhythm and thus our physical performance. What would be optimal illu-mination that fosters successful learning among children and young people?
REFLECTION
Dirk Justus und Mona Khamis: At the Fashion for Floors store
in Frankfurt on the Main. Kamyar Moghadam, designer and
manufacturer of luxurious, exclusive, high-end carpets is the
official purveyor to the Court of Monaco. Together with geiseler
gergull architekten in Frankfurt/Main we developed a lighting
concept based on excitement and dramatics. With light, select
individual pieces by the designer are deliberately orchestrated
emotionally, alternating with dark areas. This makers the
carpets’ choice materials and intense colours almost physi-
cally tangible, enticing visitors into intoxicating world of haute
couture for floors.
Fashion for Floors, Frankfurt on the Main
Dirk Justus und Mona Khamis,
born in 1964 in Rüsselsheim and in 1968 in Cairo, Egypt. Justus
trained as an electrical fitter, before later becoming a master electri-
cian and gaining a qualification in business management. Having
completed an apprenticeship in wholesale and foreign trade, Khamis
studied Architecture at Hanover University. In 2007 they founded
Justus + Khamis Lighting Design together, which since 2009 has
operated under the name JK Lighting Design. www. jkld.de
Dirk Justus und Mona Khamis: Kids and youngsters need
light for learning and feeling comfortable. Creating a spatial
atmosphere that resembles natural daylight. This is achieved
by a balanced impression of brightness and good shadiness.
This interplay increases the sense of comfort while at the
same time heightening efficiency and concentration. Colours
similar in intensity to natural daylight also play an important
role. Good lighting for the blackboard is another criterion.
Reflections on vertical surfaces must absolutely be avoided.
Furthermore, the additional use of an intelligent light control
system enables the right lighting for the activity or teaching
method to be selected.
Phot
o: J
K Li
ghtin
g D
esig
n
It is not always easy to create balanced lighting. Which projects are particularly good examples of this and why?
Protestant elementary school with sports hall, Karlsruhe
Tobias Wulf,
born 1956 in Frankfurt/Main. Studied Architecture at the University of
Stuttgart, graduating in 1981. Having worked for various firms such
as Auer + Weber (Stuttgart) and Gottfried Böhm (Cologne), in 1987 he
founded his own architecture studio in Stuttgart. Since 1991 he has
been the chair of Construction and Design at the Hochschule für
Technik (HFT) in Stuttgart. Since 2011 he has been the managing
partner of wulf Architekten. www.wulfarchitekten.com
Phot
o: B
rigi
da G
onzá
lez
Tobias Wulf: I have to admit that I was previously not familiar
with the term circadian rhythm, just the popular versions
“biorhythm” and “internal clock”. If we are talking about the
next generation’s education, for us architects the building of
schools in the broadest sense, there can be no compromises.
In addition to the quality of the air, that of the light is of piv-
otal importance in the successful realization of teaching facil-
ity concepts in which spatial boundaries are dissolved. With
regard to artificial light the primary maxim must be to sub-
stitute natural light as imperceptibly as possible. Not that this
means all areas and zones are lit equally, because that would
be unnatural. Changing light, bright and dark corners have a
stimulating effect on our senses and our mind.
Tobias Wulf: If balanced lighting is equated with uniform illu-
mination or if the primary matter at hand is creating optimum
light for TV broadcasts, I already answered the question ear-
lier. The benchmark is always natural light with its changing
qualities, which give rise to the character and atmosphere of
spaces, and I would interpret the term balance as not allow-
ing daylight to no longer be the basis. For me, Louis Kahn’s
1972 Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth is a good example of
this. The Danish architects Dissing and Weitling successfully
used a lighting concept based on this for the new building they
designed in 1986 to house the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-
Westfalen art collection on Grabbeplatz in Düsseldorf.
Konstantin Jaspert: Purely functional lighting in classrooms
is not enough. Rather, the light must appeal to the users’
emotional sensitivities. The focus must be on helping hem feel
comfortable. Only someone who feels at ease in a building can
perform well. Indirect lighting and warm hues play a major
role in this. A well-balanced lighting concept is of great signifi-
cance, and as such is readily accepted by children, youngsters,
and adults. This circumstance not only improves learning in
the long term, but also reduces the amount of vandalism in our
education facilities.
“Room of Tranquility” – forum in the ThyssenKrupp Quartier, Essen
Konstantin Jaspert,
born in 1961 in Trier. Studied Architecture at RWTH University
inAachen, in 1989 he was awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Preis for his
degree thesis. Having worked for JSK Architekten and Schuster
Architekten (both in Düsseldorf), in 1992, together with Jürgen
Steffens, he founded Jaspert & Steffens Architekten in Cologne. Since
2000 he has been a partner and since 2009 a shareholding partner in
JSWD Architekten in Cologne. www.jswd-architekten.de
Konstantin Jaspert: Experiencing the ThyssenKrupp Quartier
development in Essen in its entirety at night is something spe-
cial in that a new urban development featuring buildings used
for various purposes is illuminated and highlighted. Numerous
light sources for different purposes are employed in such a
way that they satisfy the functional requirements on the inte-
rior and exterior and, moreover, were composed such that they
create a “light score”. Despite the numerous different lighting
requirements, a convincing atmosphere is created that meets
with great approval by staff and visitors alike.
Phot
o: F
irm
a Ar
dex
22 | 23 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
Photos:Boris Golz
Client: regional capital Stuttgart
Architects:Yi Architects, Cologne
Location:Mailänder Platz 1, Stuttgart
Luminaire:3912 RMV
Solvan Aragon
5041 RSV
A limited range of colours and a simple design have allowed this new
building to become a strong architectural symbol of the
intellectual curiosity so at home here.
A new landmark visible from afar and located right next to Stuttgart’s main train station now dominates the state capital. South Korean architect Eun Young Yi has designed a building boasting clear and pared-down formal vocabulary for this special location – where traditional and digital media join forces to create a 21st-century library.By Stefan Staehle
TEMPLE OF BOOKS
24 | 25 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
At night the illuminated building becomes a real showpiece.
Displays in the reading areas present various topics and disciplines.
A glance at its unique location within the city makes it clear that on building section A1 of the billion-euro Stuttgart 21 station conversion project only a strong architectural symbol would be able to hold its own against the giant office and shopping complex mushrooming in its direct vicinity. As the focal point of a nascent district, this cuboid building housing the new municipal library is faced with the particular task of acting as a culturally magnet. And it speaks in favor of the responsible architect, Eun Young Yi that, despite these requirements the resultant edifice did not turn out to be a piece of loud, spectacular event architecture but that a clear, pared-down approach was taken. In this design it is inner values that count: admittedly, the uniform grid-like façade made of concrete and glass blocks makes the building seem hermetic and introverted but on the inside an impressive variety of rooms opens itself up to the visitor. The central area belonging to the municipal library is made up of three main rooms with asymmetrical axis: the “forum” on the
lowest story, a cubic room designated the “heart” on the entrance level and the reading room which rises up in the shape of an inverted stepped pyramid from the fifth right up to the ninth floor. These three elements represent the basic idea behind modern library architecture – information, contemplation and communication. Grouped around the central rooms is functional space and access areas, in turn, surrounded by a ring of work and communications zones. In the all-round galleries at inner façade level the concentric arrangement of functions comes to an end in design terms. These galleries allow all library users to cast the occasional glance at their ever-changing surroundings and to follow a new urban district as it arises. At the same time, this view offers a charming contrast to the monochrome interior decorations. The lively colors of the book spines are the only element that breaks up this interior’s gray and blue tones. A highly effective combination which highlights the particular social value of books as a physical information medium,
Layouts of the ground floor (left) and eighth floor (right) as well as sectional view (below)
even in the face of the 200 computer-assisted workstations. What this new usage concept aims at – communicating knowledge actively and not hiding it behind high walls – becomes particularly apparent at nighttime. 600 lights flush-mounted on the façade bathe the library in glowing blue light, transforming it into one of the landmarks of the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg, one that is visible from a long way off. And because the lighting in the interior of the library also plays a special role, the architects, the engineers responsible for lighting planning and the specialists at Trilux worked together from the very beginning of planning. The results are impressive: 3912 RWV, a special luminaire, allows users of the municipal library to concentrate on their work for hours on end because of these nights which are sufficiently bright without being glaring. At the heart of the lighting concept is the digital addressable lighting interface (DALI). This standardized digital interface make sure that optimum lighting is available everywhere and at all times.
26 | 27 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
The central reading room offers visitors a very special
spatial impression with its all-round galleries.
TECHNOLOGY
Luminous intensity distribution
The double row of lamellae ensures glare-free light at the workstation
or in public spaces.
Guaranteed glare-free light in offices, schools, service counter areas, exhibition spaces and particularly at workstations where screens are used is among the special strengths of the luminaire series 390.../391... The special luminaire 3912 RWV also displays these qualities. It enables optimum lighting conditions in places with the most diverse uses. Indeed, the recessed luminaire, with its frame whose color is matched to the surrounding architecture, ensures even distribution of light intensity thanks to its fine segmentation. In order to always satisfy users‘ individual wishes, the 3912 RWV‘s two fluorescent lamps can be centrally controlled and digitally dimmed by means of an electronic ballast.
Special luminaire 3912 RWV
At the centre of the library is its “heart”: a square room with an edge length of 14 meters.
28 | 29 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
Photos:M. van Coile
Client:Municipal administration Barvaux-Condroz/Belgium
Architects:LRArchitectes, Tourinnes-Saint-Lambert/Belgium
Location:Barvaux-Condroz/Belgium
Luminaire: Aragon
Deca WD3InperlaSolvan
The windows on the old building have been highlighted by means of
bright metal jambs (right).
The redesigned, recessed entrance area stands out from the darker
existing building (below).
LRArchitectes have extended the elementary school in Barvaux-Condroz to include a new building dominated by a bright green color and generous glass facade. By contrast, the old building has consciously been given a quieter look which is only accentuated by means of a few daubs of color. This visual contrast in particular has made the building ensemble into a real eye-catcher.By Marina Schiemenz
MANY-HUED SCHOOL
30 | 31 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
A completely glazed hall section serves as a buffer zone leading to the old building located behind it (above).
The classrooms are child-friendly and have been designed with green and blue as their dominant colours (below).
32 | 33 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
In 2011, a Belgian architecture bureau, LRArchitectes renovated and extended an elementary school with kindergarten in Barvaux-Condroz, a district that has been incorporated into the town of Havelange, in the Walloon part of Belgium. According to the US online Huffington Post, it is one of the most beautiful public schools in the world. Located on the main street, the existing building and its classrooms have been completely reconstructed on the inside. The openings onto the street remained unchanged but were further accentuated with projecting metal jambs in blue, green and yellow tones. The architects had almost the entire old building clad with dark gray fibre cement slabs which resulted in a striking large shape primarily distinguished by its visual clarity and the way it had been reduced to basics. Alongside the eastern gable side of the old school building where there is a zebra crossing allowing children to cross the street safely a new, slightly recessed entrance area with a sheltered vestibule was erected. This simultaneously formed the link between the classrooms in the
old building and the newly-erected dining room. The elongated building, which was also furnished with gray fibre cement blocks on the street side, demarcates the playground to the east. The quiet courtyard frontage now features a generously glazed hall in front of the old building on the ground floor. A grass-green parapet stretching from the end of the canteen building frames the narrow porch. The cheerfully designed hall area not only, however, has a connecting function but also a climactic one, acting as a kind of second skin and a buffer zone between this and the old building. In the interior of the school, the rooms are colourfully decorated and tailored to the children’s requirements. Giant crayons decorate the large window areas, clothing hooks have been placed at a child-friendly height of one meter. The classrooms not only feature the obligatory desks and chairs but also changing tables for the smallest children as well as climbing frames and slides for letting off steam during breaks – everything in the dominant colours of green and blue.
Floor plans (left)
Clad with gray fibre cement slabs, the old building forms a
single visual entity together with the school’s new building, with
its open (right).
TECHNOLOGY
The elegant and simple cubic form of the Deca can be used
in many ways.
The square wall and ceiling-mounted luminaire consists of a white, powder-coated body made of sheet steel. The finely structured surface of the opaline PMMA cover ensures even light distribution. Mounted on the wall or the ceiling, with its warm white light it is ideal for lounges, entrances, foyers, corridors, stairwells, waiting areas, hotels, restaurants, as well as living spaces. Two independent LED systems ensure homogeneous diffuser illumination and a light yield of 63 lm/W. Moreover, sized 450 x 450 mm the luminaire can optionally come with decorative accessories in various designs.
Deca WD3
Luminous intensity distribution
34 | 35 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
Photos:Boris Golz
Client:Local municipality Würenlos/Switzerland
Architects:Schneider Spannagel Architekten, Döttingen/Switzerland
Location:Würenlos/Switzerland
Luminaire:Solvan InperlaBelviso
In the material and colour concept, roughened concrete surfaces and
warm colour tones define the overall image (right).
The new four-story building continues the façade structure of
the existing buildings (below).
The population is rising in the prospering town of Würenlos, northwest of Zurich. Architects Schneider Spannagel were commissioned with extending the local school. Their design takes into consideration not only the open school culture, but also provides bright, friendly classrooms. Teachers and students moved into the new Feld school building in August 2013.By Britta Rohlfing
ROOM FOR DEVELOPMENT
36 | 37 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ARCHITECTURE
A bright and friendly atmosphere also dominates the meeting area in the principal’s office.
Würenlos School in Switzerland has made openness, transparency and a motivating learning environment its guiding principles. The school in the canton of Aargau, 30 minutes northwest of Zurich, has just under 700 students, from kindergarten age to the ninth grade of high school. Yet the existing premises in the centre of the town of 6,000 residents did not offer sufficient space for optimum teaching. Swiss architects Schneider Spannagel designed a compact, four-story extension offering students and teachers bright, friendly classrooms and the school a basis for the open school culture it desired. The new block with 12 classrooms, a science room, 12 group rooms and five music rooms continues the façade structure, geometry and materiality of the existing buildings. A roofed walkway forms a highly visible link to the old complex. The interior boasts light, south-facing classrooms. Bright-yellow fitted cupboards
provide the classrooms with pleasant splashes of colour. Along the corridors glazed walls afford views into rooms for group work or the staff room. The building is accessed via the new foyer, which can be partitioned off from the school proper and used separately. The foundation stone is also set into the floor here, presented under a glass panel with a compass rose etched into it. The walls in the entrance areas have been kept in blasted exposed concrete, whose roughened surface generates a warm gray tone. The entire outer shell of the building corresponds to the Minergie standard, a Swiss award for energy-efficient architecture. It is fitted with a Minergie ventilation system. Students like using the newly formed outside area between the old and new buildings as an additional, attractively designed break area. The extension, which cost 7.6 million francs, was able to be opened in time for the beginning of the 2013/2014 school year.
TECHNOLOGY
Luminous intensity distribution
Guarantees the even illumination of vertical surfaces: the recessed
luminaire Solvan
The recessed strip luminaire Solvan boasts an extremely slim design, its flat edge only three millimeters thick. It is particularly suited to illuminating vertical surfaces, such as whiteboards in schools or shelving in shopping centers. A wallwasher specular reflector with asymmetric distribution and highly reflective, satin-finished surface ensures even illumination. The luminaire bodies made of white, powder-coated sheet steel can also be assembled into continuous lighting strips without the need for tools. The luminaire, fitted with a T5 fluorescent lamp with 35, 49 or 80 watts, can be installed in sawn ceiling incisions measuring 1484 x 89 millimeters by means of quick-assembly springs.
Solvan
The strip luminaire Solvan pro-vides the necessary illumination and a good working environment in the classrooms.
38 | 39 SERVICE 3lux:letters 2 | 2013
PLANNERS ASK,MANUFACTURERS ANSWERIn the everyday work of a planner, many a question comes up which cannot be found in any handbook. Answers to such questions are given here by the experts of TRILUX who also tell you one or more tricks.
Thomas KretzerManaging directorTRILUX Vertrieb GmbH
Can the right lighting have a positive influence on how well children learn at school?
The fact that light plays a pivotal role in controlling the hu-man biorhythm has been generally known for some time now; light activates and calms us, it improves our mood and has a relaxing effect. Scientists have now succeeded in ana-lysing these processes, which occur at hormonal level, and making them comprehensible for us all.We now know that the light around us influences what is known as the circadian rhythm, a sort of internal biological clock that operates 24 hours a day. Melatonin, the body’s own sleep hormone, the production of which is greatly influenced by the surrounding light, plays a significant role in these processes. It assumes control of human wake and sleep phases. Light slows down or suppresses the production of melatonin and makes us active.In particular the colour particles in light are decisive in setting our biorhythm: Blue light has an activating effect, warm white light with a high proportion of red a calming effect. Permanently exposing our body to light whose colour spectrum our bio-
rhythm needs helps us be as efficient as possible during the day and sleep well at night. Yet we know from personal experi-ence how difficult it is in everyday life to comply with this sys-tem. Schoolchildren, for example, whose internal clock on winter mornings is still set to “sleep”, although their teacher already demands full concentration, find themselves in a situ-ation in which their biorhythm does not correspond to the de-mands of everyday life.It is precisely here that dynamic light and light management systems that are not dependent on natural daylight can help, because the spectral composition of natural daylight can be reproduced. Artificial light colored with the appropriate colour can generate an effect in people comparable to the real thing. Light management systems measure the incident natural day-light and bring the light in the classroom to the desired level. This way the duration and intensity of the light, as well as the colour temperature, can be controlled. Specifically emphasiz-ing blue natural daylight particles strengthens the schoolchil-
dren’s natural biorhythm, their ability to take things in, and their efficiency. Yet it is not only biorhythm that influences schoolchildren’s learning behaviour. Indeed, shadows, reflections, and too bright light in some places make the information on the whiteboard less easy to see, such that their concentration begins to flag and they learn less. Increasing the brightness of vertical light has proved its worth in solving these prob-lems. In order to guarantee sufficiently bright and, most im-portantly, even lighting around the whiteboard, this should on average be 500 lux. With regard to biologically effective light, LED-based solu-tions stand out. White LED luminaires in particular have proved their worth, because they not only support our circa-dian rhythm, but are also extremely efficient. However, re-gardless of where light is sourced, used the right way it pro-vides positive impulses for increased motivation, efficiency, and wellbeing in schools.
Light management systems that are not dependent on natural daylight provide the appropriate light sce-narios (above).
The new building at Freiherr-vom-Stein high school in Münster fea-tures a flexible, accentuating light-ing concept (below).
Phot
os: T
rilu
x
3lux:letters 2 | 201340 | 41 TRILUX
With a view to continuing its successful corporate communications in the accus-tomed manner, TRILUX is adapting each of its client areas to the latest trends. Under the supervision of Creative & Brand Manager Sabine Brunner, the Light Lounge on the second floor at the Arnsberg HQ was recently given a makeover.
partners is possible, as is a creative break, where you can read your e-mails sitting in comfortable armchairs. It is also pos-sible to hold a conference with several people in an easy-going atmosphere. However, each of these activities takes place at a different time of day and requires appropriate lighting. TRILUX has come up with artificial lighting for interiors that seems biological and takes its cue from nature. The new Belviso family of luminaires by TRILUX delivers this high degree of flexibility; moreover, their distinct design and sophisticated light aesthetics make them suitable for a variety of office worlds. What is unique about Belviso is that, by means of different lighting strengths and dynamically changing light colors (from warm white to daylight white), with just one luminaire it supports our biological rhythm, from an invigorating mood in the morning and bright light for concentration, to a gentle easing into break time. The Light Lounge is an ideal place to demonstrate light in practice.
Working like is changing completely. The sobriety of classic offices equipped with the bare necessities has long since made way for cutting-edge office landscapes, in which various activi-ties overlap. A new generation of employees, for whom pres-sure, mobility, and an increasing workload are now par for the course, have high expectations of their working environment. TRILUX intends to help shape the change in the field of lighting. To ensure that it remains state-of-the-art for clients, the Light Lounge will be modernized every two years. As light only ever fully comes into its own in conjunction with its environment, the interior design is also being given a facelift. A slightly curved walkway in the middle leads past the bistro and along the rede-signed office zones to the creative area, which has room for lots of office activities. Designed by Ben van Berkel (UNStudio), the group of furniture gives the creative zone a lived-in feel to it. Here an informal meeting between two employees or business
LIGHT LOUNGE ARNSBERG
Phot
os:T
RIL
UX
Via a large display on Belviso vari-ous lighting moods can be control-
led in the creative area, revealing numerous possibilities.
A curved walkway takes visitors past the bistro and along the office zones to the creative area, in which differ-ent office activities come together.
42 | 43 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ART
Mushrooms? Flowers? Fire? Lava flows? – Nothing of the sort! The photographer Marc Mawson created these fascinating images with the right blend of light, water, and colour alone.By Patricia Sahm
It must have been a gray morning in Great Britain when Marc Mawson poured milk into his coffee and discovered the chang-ing patterns that emerge when two liquids are mixed. As a result the photographer began exploring the topic in depth and spent a lot of time experimenting with different consistencies of several fluids before finally coming up with the right blend of the two substances encountering each other, and the exact lighting. What emerged are several series of the colourful, shimmering photographs with which the artist intends transporting us to a bizarre, undiscovered world. Some of his works seem almost floral, others in turn like a powerful volcanic eruption or other natural occurrence. They are snapshots of extremely ephem-eral things, the precise time of which has to be captured as a photograph. Queen Elisabeth II has also had the pleasure of experiencing this art form: During Sir Paul McCartney’s per-formance at the concert to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee there was a slow-motion film of the Aqueous collection running in the background. www.markmawson.com
AQUEOUS
These unusual shapes look like mushrooms shooting out of the
ground but consist entirely of pigment and water – combined with the right amount of light.
Phot
os: M
ark
Maw
son
LED CLOUD When a street was lowered in the course of the redesign of Amsterdam’s Noorderpark, a gas station became unus-able. The landscape architects responsible for the project however, West 8, recognized the potential of the former gas pump facility and opted against tearing it down. Instead the planners commissioned Sophie Valla Architects to redesign the building. The young French architect turned the former Rozer Tanke (pink gas station) into a cultural centre with an extraordinary light installation. In cooperation with Invent Design, she transformed the roof of the structure into an LED cloud consisting of 60 back-lit textile panels. A complex soft-ware program controls individual LEDs, coloured spotlights and 30-minute light sequences that simulate the weather and path of the sun. To enable onlookers to enjoy the show in comfort, the architects installed concrete loungers, making the spot a popular meeting point for park visitors. The instal-lation is also part of this year’s Amsterdam Light Festival, which begins on December 6. www.sophievalla.nl
The roof of a disused gas station in Ams terdam becomes the starting point for an impressive light installation. LEDs simulate the day’s weather in the night sky.By Philip Teleu
Phot
os: M
arcu
s K
oppe
n
Although the unusual gas station no longer supplies fuel, it has a very special light show to offer.
44 | 45 3lux:letters 2 | 2013ART
The London design studio Flat-e conceived an audiovisual cube which ensures the singer Jamie Lidell’s show is a colourful, varied event.By Monja Horrer
IMPULSIVE STAGE SET
For the video for British singer Jamie Lidell’s new single, the light and video artists at the design studio Flat-e designed an audiovisual stage set in the form of a projection cube. Delighted with the cube, which consists of a simple frame with transparent gauze stretched across it, and with a great interest in technical refinery, Jamie Lidell decided to use the cube for his world tour. Conveyed by means of a transmitter integrated in the microphone, control software transforms data into projected visualizations, which map the singer’s movements. The interplay between coloured and black-and-white light, as well as changing patterns ranging from simple lines to expressionistic areas of colour, makes Lidell’s music dance. In or in front of the cube, ornaments are superim-posed on or appear behind the artist, putting him very much in the limelight or causing him to appear as a black silhou-ette. In addition to the changing stage set, integrated LED lighting can make the microphone stand look like a brightly coloured lightsaber. www.flat-e.com
Phot
os: A
dam
Ale
xopo
ulos
, bef
orel
ight
Various different visualizations form the background to the stage
show and present the singer in the right light.
The light installation, over 30 meters high, hangs like a cable har-ness made of wide copper wires in the main hall of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, branching out in the foyer to form an expressive chandelier. Owing to its size, the glowing sculpture enters into dialog with the building and gives the atrium and the gallery levels of the magnificent Victorian building, which houses one of the world’s largest arts and crafts and design collections, a whole new feel. In 2009 designer and architect Omer Arbel, Creative Director at the Canadian design and manufacturing company Bocci, developed the 28 series glass light – a filigree, blown globe light with a small, solid glass core, which is pro-duced in 28 different colors. Yet what looks like a masterful old-school feat is actually based on cutting-edge technologies. Omer Arbel developed a system of blowing and finishing the glass globes not by mouth, but using compressed air in an automated production process where every object is nonetheless unique. The installation “Bocci 28.280” is being shown in the context of this year’s London Design Festival. www.bocci.ca
Copper wire and 280 spherical glass lights are fused to make an impressive light installation. The “Bocci 28.280” by designer Omer Arbel is on show in the foyer of the Victoria & Albert Museum.By Franziska Bettac
GLOWING STRAND
Filigree glass luminaires and raw copper strands subtly evoke associa-tions of traditional arts and crafts, while also calling to mind the tech-nological information age.
Phot
os: N
ick
Bar
r
46 | 47 3lux:letters 2 | 2013CURIOSITY
Michael Jackson seems to be very much alive! At least his
shadow is. Seen as they are, the sculptures by Dutch artist
Diet Wiegman seem to have been put together in a rather
haphazard fashion. Yet the artworks consist of meticulously
arranged individual components, which only come together
into an overall image when precisely positioned light rays
shine onto a wall behind them. These “holes in the shadow”,
as Diet Wiegman calls them, cause images of famous people,
paintings or objects as we know them to emerge. The artist
uses anything he can find to create this effect, from rusty
tin cans and screws to glass shards and old military bags.
By recycling in this way, he seeks to call on the observer to
see something positive even in refuse. A “perspective” the
Dutchman has successfully realized by making impressive
art out of trash. www.dietwiegman.tumblr.com
THE KING OF POP IS ALIVE!By Patricia Sahm
Phot
os: ©
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IMPRINTIssued by:TRILUX GmbH + Co. KGHeidestraßeD–59759 Arnsbergwww.trilux.eu
Editorial Staff:Vivian Hollmann (TRILUX)Thomas Kretzer (TRILUX)Marina Schiemenz (GKT)Patricia Sahm (GKT)
Publisher:Gesellschaft für Knowhow-Transfer in Architektur und Bauwesen mbHFasanenweg 18D-70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingenwww.ait-online.dewww.gkt-publishing.de
This magazine and all its con-tributions and pictures are protected by copyright. The publishers and editors accept no responsibility for unsolicit-ed pictures and manuscripts. Colour and dimensional devia-tions correcpond to the usual tolerances. Subject to colour and model changes. In charge of address data processing: the publisher.
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Contacts for architects:
Sabine MadausNorth GermanyPhone +49 (0) 151.17 11 02 [email protected]
Martin WestermannCentral GermanyPhone +49 (0) 151.17 11 03 [email protected]
Martin RohdeSouth GermanyPhone +49 (0) 151.17 11 02 [email protected]
Richard HoltGreat BritainPhone +44 (0) 12 45.46 34 [email protected]
Chris SkinnerGreat BritainPhone +44 (0) 12 45.23 63 [email protected]
Lorenzo ClericiItalyPhone +39 02.36 63 42 [email protected]
Hetty Rümke-de GierThe NetherlandsPhone +31 (0) 33.4 50 71 12 [email protected]
Pavel BoucekCzech RepublicPhone +420 235.524 [email protected]
Markus BuccoSwitzerlandPhone +41 (0) 56.419 66 [email protected]
All of us have seen a rainbow at one time or another in our lives and stood in awe gazing at this amaz-ing natural spectacle. Similarly to the way that prisms divide up light, when it rains, the water molecules in the air refract the white light of the sun into its individual col-ours. This phenomenon was dis-covered by British scientist and philosopher Isaac Newton (1642–1726) who was considered one of the most important men of science of his day. In 1666, he bought him-
LIGHT SPECTRUM
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dIm
ages
self a prism at a fair in Stourbridge, England, and continued to exper-iment with it until he could prove that sunlight can be divided up into the seven colours red, orange, yel-low, green, blue, indigo and violet. Since, until then, people had firmly believed that light was a homog-enous phenomenon, the publica-tion of his theories in his “Theory of Colour” was strongly criticized, and not only by Goethe. As we know today, the light visible to the hu-man eye without technical assist-
ance can be divided up into what is known as the light spectrum. The same colours that were discovered by Newton so many years ago man-ifest different wavelength ranges. In physical terms, white light is a light made up of identical quanti-ties of all wavelengths. These vary from around 380 through 780 nm. Directly adjacent to this range are the UV range with shorter wave-lengths and the IR range with longer wavelengths, some of which are visible to animals.
Isaac Newton (above)
A rainbow consists of the seven colours in the visible light spectrum
discovered by Newton back in the 17th century: red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo and violet (right).
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NEW LIGHT | ARCHITECTURE | TECHNOLOGY 2 | 2013
ThelighTwiTh individual charmandan efficienT characTer.
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Presenting lightThe new TRILUX Light Lounge in Arnsberg
Light and the Circadian rhythmHow light influences our inner clocks
Light and learningLight for a better performance
