dbell

Casino Düsseldorf, Germany

Lighting designers at Licht Kunst Licht have created a unique way to bring a touch of the outdoors to a basement cafeteria, harnessing the power of “artificial daylighting”.

Few people would suggest a basement without daylight as an ideal location for a cafeteria. However, Licht Kunst Licht, alongside Frankfurt-based architectural firm ttsp hwp seidel, has created a biologically effective “artificial daylighting” system that transports employees of a multinational banking and financial company in Düsseldorf to the banks of the Rhine.

The canteen in the financial corporation’s basement was typical for the time of its construction. Yet while the red granite façade of the building, designed by HPP Architekten in the 1970s, still emanates a timeless elegance, the windowless canteen had become visibly outdated. Coupled with the inadequate technology, illumination and functionality, the space had a distinct lack of daylight and flair, which affected the overall quality of the space. A renovation was therefore badly needed.

This renovation saw the architecture and lighting of the staff restaurant and associated kitchen optimised; the crooked and inefficiently used dining area and kitchen plan layouts were fundamentally simplified, and free flowing, interlocking functional areas were established. As a result, the amount of seats could be increased from 150 to 200.

An essential design task in the renovation of the 465sqm space was the introduction of an additional daylight component and a reference to the outside world. Given the canteen’s basement location, this task proved difficult for the architects, and for the project lighting designers, Licht Kunst Licht.

Isabel Sternkopf, lighting designer and project manager from Licht Kunst Licht, explained: “After getting involved in this project, the architect and client gave us an initial briefing that was focused on artificial lighting only, but in the course of the project it turned out that an additional daylight entry was required by the local district government. As a result our lighting design suddenly focused on generating this subsequent daylight input.”

However, comprehensive studies undertaken by the German lighting design firm demonstrated that, with the small window openings that could be established, the daylight intake would be minimal, and the positive effects of natural light and a view to the exterior would be imperceptible.

“We performed calculations and realised that there is no possibility to provide sufficient daylight,” Sternkopf continued. “So we started a discussion with the local district government and tried to convince them that an artificial daylighting concept adds more value to the users than small basement windows.”

Sternkopf and her team argued that the added value for the user could only be established through artificial light that simulates natural light with daytime-related and annual variations, dynamic changes in light colour, light direction and intensity, while simultaneously supporting the circadian rhythm of the occupant.

As a result, Licht Kunst Licht developed the idea of a 22-metre-long, floor-to-ceiling artificial panorama window. Extending across the entire canteen rear wall, it compensates for the lack of daylight by establishing a mimicked relation with the exterior.

Displaying images from artist Stephan Kaluza’s series The Rhine Project, in which he followed the entire 1,233 kilometres of the river Rhine, documenting his voyage with a series of camera shots taken every few minutes, the window was intended to show a view of the Rhine that one might see from a room at ground level. The photograph is printed on a folded plasterboard, which is applied to an existing concrete wall. A floor-to-ceiling glazed window is located in front of the photograph, protecting it from dust and damage, while enhancing the impression of a window to the outside.

Illuminated by iGuzzini’s Linealuce Compact fixtures concealed in the ceiling behind the glazing, the lighting starts at a warm 2,700K in the morning, gradually changing to a cool 6,000K around noon, before returning to the warmer hues in the evening. Similar floor-mounted RGBW-LED profiles, mounted behind the glass wall, allow for an upward grazing light effect on the backdrop, emphasising and intensifying the texture. These fixtures create light colours in orange hues for the scenes during sunrise and sunset.

However, while the panorama window is an impressive, innovative solution to the lack of natural daylight, Sternkopf had to work to convince the district government that the window had no harmful effects on the health of the employees. “We had to prepare countless presentations and meetings, and at the end we needed to provide a medical certificate that confirms that our artificial lighting concept was not harmful to the users,” she said. “We did a lot of technical and scientific research to find out how the artificial lighting could appear as natural as possible, and we had an expert of occupational health and safety, as well as an occupational physician consultant involved in the project.”

Further to the introduction of more natural light, the architects wanted the new-look space to feel “more like a restaurant than a canteen,” according to ttsp hwp seidel architect and project manager Tanja Nopens, and the new lighting scheme was designed to support and respect this impression. “An intelligent lighting control system allowed us to create differentiated lighting scenes to avoid the homogenous and uniform lighting atmosphere often experienced in canteens,” Sternkopf explained.

Functionally, the space is organised into four ‘zones’, each with distinct lighting approaches, ceiling heights and furniture. The largest area, with long wooden benches under an open white ceiling, is the central meeting point for larger groups to eat and exchange ideas. The wooden furniture designed for the project creates punctual warm accents that contrast with the black seating.

The focal point for visitors is the free-flow area with the food counter. Designed entirely in black, its ‘spaceship-like’ counters extend to the kitchen partition wall. Towards the exterior wall is a narrow zone with a group of four-person tables, which is surrounded by building columns and a lower ceiling, making it suitable for quiet and more confidential conversations.

The illumination for these different zones is, as intended, more akin to a restaurant than a canteen: warm and inviting. Some of the seating areas are accentuated by pendant luminaires, courtesy of XAL and Artek, while the large flex-use seating zones at the centre of the dining room are more evenly illuminated with Soraa spots embedded into a custom-designed, grid-like structure. iGuzzini’s Laser Blade High Contrast provides vibrant accent illumination above the buffet stations, complemented by the Italian manufacturer’s discreet Pinhole Adjustable Round recessed luminaires in the circulation areas.

The colour temperature of the circulation lighting and the illumination of the adjacent open kitchen area is also variable, and is controlled in sync with the panorama window wall. All luminaires are programmed to create an atmosphere similar to daylight, with gentle light transitions intended to create the impression that occupants are in a room illuminated primarily with daylight and only supplemental electrical light. “Together with the architect we have developed a concept that makes the room appear spacious, friendly and inviting,” Sternkopf said.

While the project may have presented some difficulties to Sternkopf and her team, she feels that any problems that they encountered only helped lead them to the end result. “Sometimes I still wonder what twists the project has taken over time,” she said. “In the end, we can even be grateful that the district government demanded the entry of daylight, and allowed it to be interpreted through the artificial panorama window, as it enabled us to pursue this innovative approach.

“There is no study or hormone examination yet, but there is feedback from the client that the occupancy rate of the canteen has increased significantly. Of course, this is not only due to the lighting, but the client also mentioned that the seats at the window are always occupied first, which is an indication of the successful implementation of the concept.”

Since completion, Sternkopf and Licht Kunst Licht have received a lot of positive feedback, with Sternkopf going on to present the project, and particularly its use of ‘artificial daylighting’, at last November’s IALD Enlighten Europe conference in Barcelona. “Many people were surprised by the result, and that we put so much effort into the project,” she said of her presentation.

“A lot of them were very interested in the topic of human centric lighting, especially because it is still relatively rare to work on such projects. Even though this was only a small project, it shows what added value a human centric lighting concept could generate for users.”

www.lichtkunstlicht.com

by dbell

Liquid Light, Sweden

ÅF Lighting has created Liquid Light, a unique approach to lighting design that orientates itself to human needs where natural light is lacking.

The demands of today’s technological and fast paced society requires a lighting scheme that keeps up and remains as fluid as the environment it is situated in.
Liquid Light, created by ÅF Lighting, is a design concept that brings light to life, by creating a visual environment with its own identity and unique expression.
ÅF Lighting is making it its mission to take part in designing the cities of the future and make them more environmentally friendly, efficient and navigable.
The concept of Liquid Light originated during collaboration with architectural firm Snøhetta and the construction of Powerhouse.

Located in Trondheim, Norway, Powerhouse is the world’s northernmost energy-positive building, where Liquid Light has ensured sustainability and an inspiring visual environment. The building is designed to be an office building that produces more energy than it consumes; the construction is designed so that the excess energy produced during the building’s operational time will exceed the energy used to produce the building materials, operation and eventual demolition.
“Liquid Light is contextually designed with respect for human needs and energy efficiency, ensuring unique lighting solutions for the users,” described the firm.
“The concept is inspired by natural light and based on the philosophy that the lighting should respond and adapt to the changes that are physically happening throughout the day.

“The absolute main challenge in the Powerhouse project was to reach the high energy goals without compromising the quality of lighting. Some energy goals were conflicting with each other, so we encouraged the client to deviate from these constricting criterias and instead ensure a good working environment where those who want can choose to use a desk lamp, as well as ensure an overall low power consumption used for the functional lighting,” explained Thea Collett, Architect and Senior Lighting Designer at ÅF Lighting.
“Further challenged by the demands of keeping a low energy consumption, the idea of having the light triggered by real time data, such as people moving around in the building, prompted the development of the lighting concept Liquid Light.”

Morten Jensen, Country Manager of Norway for ÅF Lighting, explained the decisions behind the colour temperature choices for the space: “We are not trying to copy nature, but rather adapt to it. For example, if the weather outside is rough and cold, the lighting could adapt by bringing warmth and calm lighting into the building. The lighting changes organically in parallel with the outside environment. It adds a natural element to the lighting installations and the architecture with the intention of connecting people to their surroundings.”
Associating the living and working space with nature and the outdoors, and its impacts on our physical and mental health, is a current point of interest in the lighting industry, and recognised through ÅF Lighting’s research.
“When we include natural elements in architectural design, we instinctively reconnect with nature,” they said.

The variability of this lighting approach allows ÅF Lighting to create schemes and concepts that are individually customised for the end user, without the need for any involvement from the individual.

Sensors are used to detect movement throughout a space, and lighting is programmed to react accordingly. The changes in movement are seamlessly integrated into the environment due to long dimmer curves and positively affect the user’s senses.
Each zone can be shaped to any personal need or set the mood for a particular space that facilitates meetings or workspace.

Powerhouse was fitted out with multiple predefined sensors that determined the time of day, week or year and controlled the lighting scenarios.
“As the project developed, so did the concept of Liquid Light,” explained Collett.
“We constantly adapted what kind of sensors to use, how the control system should be programmed and what real time data should be triggering the light levels. When it was decided that the concept should be implemented, all other technical decisions needed to adapt to this.

“One of the main challenges in the early stages was to find an energy efficient, visually comfortable luminaire that could adapt to the architecture and maintain general lighting.
“The design of the luminaire was a collaboration between Evolys, Snøhetta and ÅF Lighting,” continued Collett. “This multidisciplinary process ensured a general lighting scheme that adapts to the architecture, meets the highest energy demands and provides visual comfort through both technical and visual design aspects.

“We know that people feel positive when the lighting harmonises with their tasks or location in a workspace. Liquid Light is designed to adapt and follow each person as they move around in the building. Sensors trigger movements and the lighting seamlessly changes and adapts accordingly, which creates a sense of wellbeing.

“We recently completed an inspection to see the nearly finished result, with all the different lighting principles mounted. One of the most striking elements to see was the great impact of the different colour temperatures working together.

“In all working areas we used 4000K in the E-16 fixture. A main architectonic element is the cores (toilets, kitchens, stairs, lifts, etc.) running all the way through the building. “These are covered in wooden slats and in-between some of the slats we used linear LED products with a very warm light (2400K).

“Seeing the effects of the warm wooden cores, both from indoors and outdoors, exceeded all our expectations. We often illuminate vertical surfaces as a key feature in our designs. This ensures the impression of a bright area and allows us to dim or even skip lighting in areas such as corridors. The functional neutral lighting combined with the warm wooden verticals created just the atmosphere we were aiming for.”

Energy-positive constructions are encouraged globally and are playing a significant role in hopeful solutions to global warming. Snøhetta’s new architectural concept aims to set the standard for future commercial buildings to follow suit in being environmentally conscious in their construction.

The World Health Organisation predicts that stress-related illnesses would be one of the largest contributors to disease by the year 2020. The use of lighting to create a more natural environment is one of the proposed solutions to creating a better living and working space. It is thought that by bringing elements of the natural world into the built environment - known as biophilic design - stress levels and other ailments are reduced and productivity increased.

Incorporating biophilic design into their projects, the Liquid Light concept will play a crucial role in creating the natural environment effect with artificial lighting.
“Liquid Light is designed by using real time data harvested from traditional and natural sources like windmills or through temperature sensors, such as seasonal changes, or direct and indirect sunlight, as well as unconventional data sources, such as cloud formations, bird migration, human movement and automatically generated sine curves. It is a combination of conventional parameters and real-time data that determines these organic light scenarios,” explained ÅF Lighting.

Following on from Liquid Light’s conception, ÅF Lighting joined up with Snøhetta once more, this time to create an underwater dining experience at Under. The restaurant, due to open in March 2019, is located on the coastline of the Norwegian village, Båly. The concrete rectangular structure is semi-submerged five-metres under the North Sea and provides diners with a one-off underwater eating experience.

Due to the uniqueness of the project, it was important that the designers and client were transparent with their plans throughout the construction process. “All of the designers were forced to work together in order to deliver a holistic design that added value to the building and the business the project will show and serve,” explained Jensen.
“From day one, the design group has been a part of the client’s vision. All the designers were part of an advisory group that acted as ambassadors and gave the client input on professional skills.

“The project demanded full transparency in the design and engineering, therefore all the members had to have a good understanding and knowledge about each others’ approaches and were kept informed of any technical issues throughout the whole construction period.”
Both teams at ÅF Lighting and Snøhetta undertook extensive research, before embarking on the project, into the human impacts on marine life and the effects artificial lighting and architectural creations had on it.

“Research shows that light has a significant impact on the ocean’s ecosystem and, together with marine biologists, ÅF Lighting tested different lighting solutions and measured the effects on local marine life. Thus, the lighting concept at Under extends beyond the interiors into the water to measure the effects of light according to luminous emittance and spectral distribution,” explained ÅF Lighting.

The aim was for the lighting to attract various species that would be visible from inside the restaurant for the guests to see, but without harming the natural environment.
“By adding light to the area around the submerged restaurant, we can attract fish and observe the marine life at night. The light sources and amount of light will affect the marine species, depending on the light source,” explained Jensen.
“The underwater stage lighting was a challenge to position correctly due to the fact the ground is continuously changing through tides and currents,” elaborated Collett.
“The initial lighting fixtures are now in place and positioned under the water but there will need to be a scuba diver with lighting design skills that can maintain the luminaires over time.”

As well as functioning as a restaurant, the building’s other purpose is as a research centre for marine life. The coarse concrete surface of the building is specially chosen to encourage marine life such as mussels to cling to it, resulting in an increase in biodiversity.
The structure of the building played an important factor in the lighting design, as it was key for the designers to illuminate the space but discreetly disguise the fixtures, so as not to distract from the overall completed look.
“The whole building is mostly covered by seawater and leaning into the sea,” described Jensen.

“The ceiling is curved for acoustic purposes, so there was a special need for a tailor-made solutions for each luminaire. We ended up with more than 400 fixtures positioned exactly with vertical output and into a grid formation with no space for flexibility, which brought with it some challenges in the detailing.”

“Our main challenges were to maintain a natural light and to create a safe atmosphere at the bottom of the ocean for the visitors,” added Jensen.

“Due to the minimal amounts of daylight below the sea and with a natural reference to the theme of the restaurant, we envisioned that the lighting would float into the room where it is needed. It is finely tuned to the surroundings inside the restaurant and designed in harmony with the nature around, with an aim of creating a visual ecosystem.”

“By use of LEDs in a matrix located in the ceiling, the light sources are small with good glare control, which makes them almost invisible. Technically, Liquid Light consists of data harvested from different sensors, and for instance in Under, infrared sensors detect heat, while acoustic detectors respond to sound frequencies in the room. The data is then interpreted and transformed into light scenarios constantly changing and adapting to its milieu and the people using the space,” reflected ÅF Lighting.

“Liquid Light is designed to bring the wild outdoors into our civilised world. Just like air quality, thermal comfort and acoustics, lighting is a precondition for people to live and work comfortably in a healthy building. With Liquid Light, we embrace the challenges of designing human centred lighting.”

www.afconsult.com
www.snohetta.com

by dbell