erco_lb89

All Star Lanes Boutique Bowling, Seen as working-class and staid Brick Lane, London for long enough, bowling – the leisure sport from the stereotypical Architect: Dan Evans, London American suburbs – has now been www.allstarlanes.co.uk re-invented as chic. As a pioneer of the new trend called “Boutique Bowling”, the London-based chain “All Star Lanes” presents a refresh­ ing mix of modern design and retro-elements, making bowling fashionable once again amongst

the capital’s younger generation.

At Brick Lane in the East End, Optec wallwashers and spotlights pro­ vide the bowling alleys with lively, ­brilliant light.

E

Lichtbericht 89

Shopping – with eyes wide open More and more consumers are see­ ing conscious shopping as a possi­ bility to exert influence. Likewise, store owners are equally conscious to design their retail concepts and environments such that the cus­ tomer demands for sustainability are combined with attractive aes­ thetics. Light with efficient visual

comfort is an integral part of this – as demonstrated by the National Geographic Store on London’s Oxford Street.

Published in December 2009

E

ERCO GmbH Postfach 2460 58505 Lüdenscheid Germany Tel.: +49 2351 551 0 Fax: +49 2351 551 300 info@erco.com www.erco.com

Contents

Introduction

1

About this issue

2

Keylights

4

Bright prospects

About this issue

Light & Technology

Report

6

10

National Geographic Store And it was light – in the camera obscura.

Against a completely black background, ERCO spotlights provide dramatic scenic lighting for articles and exhibits at the National Geographic Store, London.

16

Innovation focus: LED Indoor area

18

Innovation focus: LED Outdoor area

20

For efficient visual comfort New Light System DALI products

22

Focus Energy efficiency classes for lamps

23

Double focus LED luminaires as an efficient alternative

24

MPREIS supermarkets The unconventional concepts of the Tirol-based retail chain MPREIS break with traditional forms of presentation.

26

Efficient visual comfort in the retail sector Looking better, conserving resources and saving costs: it is precisely in the shop-fitting sector that lighting concepts using efficient visual comfort provide many advantages.

28

Epicure Store, Brussels It doesn’t always have to be chocolate.

At Brussels Airport, pleasure-loving travellers can now also buy top wines, rare whiskies and cigars.

30

Victorinox flagship store, London In ERCO light: an entire brand world has sprung up around the classic Swiss army penknife.

32

Backlights

”Sustainability was paramount“ An interview with Gianni Baylo, Senior Vice President and Art Director of the National Geographic Stores.

Background

Projects

12

Lighting laboratory: theory and practice at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences Lighting designer and university lecturer Prof. Clemens Tropp reports on how undergraduate interior designers learn to understand, apply and design with light – not only as a sensory quality in and of itself, but also in relation to space, technology and digital media.

ERCO Lichtbericht Imprint Publisher: Tim H. Maack Editor in Chief: Martin Krautter Design/Layout: Thomas Kotzur, Christoph Steinke Printing: Mohn Media Mohndruck GmbH, Gütersloh 1028738000 © 2009 ERCO

Tim Henrik Maack

Forbidden! The days of the good-old general service lamp, once the visible symbol of progress and innovation are numbered. For the European Union, it has now become an outright symbol of energy wastage. Although the general service lamp has not been used at ERCO for several years now, the final goodbye still makes one feel a little nostalgic. Given the prospect that in private areas everything will soon be illuminated with “energy-saving lamps”, some people’s enthusiasm for such regulations is rather muted.

On the other hand, reason for optimism is given by the rapid development of LEDs, advanc­ing with leaps and bounds from one applica­tion area to the next within architectural lighting. A brief overview of the great possibilities already offered by this light source for work in indoor and outdoor areas is presented by the “Innovation focus: LED” section on pages 16 to 19 – replete with luminaires that have been developed by ERCO under the design brief of efficient visual comfort. Another important contribution to efficient visual comfort is the addition of the Light Keeper module to the Light System DALI lighting system. This module ­supports the lighting installation in maintenance aspects and helps find and increase any potential for energy saving.

A key theme of this edition is the retail sector.

The featured projects show, in many respects, that the efficient use of energy and light has been a particular concern of the retail branch for a long time now. The National Geographic Society feels particularly inclined to protect the environment and our cultural heritage. So it is no surprise to see this reflected in the scenic displays of articles and exhibits in the latest National Geographic Store in London. Energyefficiency and lighting quality go hand in hand and demonstrate that the responsible use of resources can lead to exciting results.

With MPREIS supermarkets, the impressive feature of the corporate architecture is not repetition, but its use of individual solutions designed to suit the on-the-ground situation.

This has resulted not only in countless archi­ tectural prizes and publications but also in ­lasting economic success and a high degree

of local acceptance. It almost goes without saying that the supermarket which describes itself as a “little different” should also require a different lighting solution. “The entire light of the supermarkets comes from the merchandise” – that’s how the Austrian lighting design offices conceptlicht.at formulates its design approach.

ERCO’s basic raison d’être is to ensure the market is constantly provided with convincing lighting solutions in line with the “light not luminaires” concept. So what could be more natural than to mark the company’s 75th anniversary by publishing a book about designing with light? “Light Perspectives” is a book on the aesthetic possibilities of light in architecture.

Our aim was not only to give an exciting exposition on the conscious use of light to professional designers, but also to make the subject of light and architecture accessible to the layman – a balancing act, but one that we hope to have completed successfully.

Photographs (Page): Andreu Adrover Esquena (2), Satoshi Asakawa (2), Frieder Blickle (2, 24-25), Charles Crowell (3), Bernd Hoff (U1, 2, 6-11), Thomas Mayer (3, 26-27), Rudi Meisel (4-5, 27, 30-31, 32, U4), Alexander Ring (2, 16-19), Dirk Vogel (1, 2, 3, 12-16, 28-29), Michael Wolf (3), Edgar Zippel (3).

Translation: Lanzillotta Translations, Düsseldorf

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

1

Keylights

Bangkok Futuristic and minimalistic: that’s the look of the “Pleats Please” store from the Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake in the Thai capital.

Compar spotlights add accent lighting to the fashion displays, while Compact HIT downlights provide the ambient lighting of the shining Barcelona white interior.

Starpoint pendant luminaires trace out and illuminate the sales Pleats Please, Bangkok counter, while Compar and Gimbal Interior design: Keisuke Fujiwara recessed spotlights illuminate the Design Office, Tokyo vertical goods display on the rear www.pleatsplease.com wall of this leather goods store in a town near Barcelona.

Hamburg Mövenpick Marché runs the restaurant at the re-designed Airport Plaza. At several counters, the meals are freshly prepared right before the customers' eyes. Quadra directional luminaires with HIT and HST lamps ensure the perfect mixture of light.

Marroquinería Franquesa S.L. leather goods, Olesa de Montserrat Electrical contractor: Antoni Canals

Cologne The second brand-name store from the DREIPUNKT furniture label has opened in Cologne’s newly fashionable suburb of Rheinauhafen.

The scenic lighting is provided

by Cantax spotlights with metal halide lamps, with projections by Emanon Goborotators.

Dubai Giordano might sound Italian, but the label for gents’ sports­wear is actually from Hong Kong and is highly successful in the ­Asiatic region. The shops in Dubai are ­fitted out with ERCO track, Optec spotlights and Lightcast and Gimbal recessed luminaires.

DREIPUNKT Showroom, Cologne Architect: Bernd Schellenberg, DREIPUNKT International Lighting design: Stephan Haubner, Wesenlicht, Stuttgart www.dreipunkt.com

Giordano, Dubai Festival City Mall, Dubai Architect: Portfolio Media & ­Advertising www.giordano.com.hk

Milan Exclusive Italian leather goods, optimally presented. At the Furla store at the corner of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via S. Paolo, the lighting designers combined diffusely backlit shelves with the right amount of vertical illuminance from Optec wallwashers to show the articles’ colours and materials to their best advantage.

Furla Store, Milan Architect and lighting designer: April, Milan www.furla.com Cologne The new flagship store in Cologne is just as elegant and ­discerning as the actual clothing of the Tommy Hilfiger fashion label. At almost 1,000m2, it is the brand’s largest outlet in Europe. On three floors, individually designed and illuminated areas are dedicated to the gents’, ladies’, junior and denim collections. ERCO lighting tools are a permanent part of the brand’s image. Quadra and Lightcast recessed luminaires are inconspicuous architectural details, while track-mounted Optec spotlights provide highly effective accent lighting. Optec wallwashers ensure uniform illumination of the product shelves along the walls.

Airport Plaza, Hamburg Architect: Stephen Williams ­Architects, Hamburg Lighting design: Prof. Peter Andres, Hamburg www.moevenpick.com

Vichte The Belgian company, Dutry & Co., presents ovens and fireplaces of all kinds in an elegant setting – with lighting accents from Optec spotlights and several other ERCO lighting tools.

Showroom Dutry & Co. fireplaces and ovens, Vichte Architect: Lecluyse Ontwerpbureau, Waregem www.dutry.com

2 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

Rheda-Wiedenbrück The sister brands COR and Interlübke converted an old factory building into showrooms and now display their furniture here under light provided by ERCO. The installation uses 200 Cantax spotlights plus 400 Quadra recessed spotlights, fitted with efficient metal halide lamps.

COR Interlübke Showroom, RhedaWiedenbrück Architect: kräling+lübke, Hamburg Lighting consultant: LDE Kober, Dortmund www.cor-interluebke.de

London Wolfgang Joop has been making exclusive ladies’ fashions under the “Wunderkind” label since 2004 and has now opened his first flagship store outside Germany – in the fashion capital of London. The décor: classicist-minimalist with bright walls, wooden floorboards and carefully executed details. The light is also a design classic: trackmounted TM spotlights adding precise accent light to the showroom and shop window.

Wunderkind Store, London Architect: Unternehmen MeierEwert Kurz, Berlin www.wunderkind.de

Hong Kong Chow Sang Sang, one of the largest jewellery chains in North Asia, lights its showrooms with ERCO. Lightcast IP65 downlights provide the outdoor lighting of the facade, while Lightcast directional luminaires ensure visual comfort and brilliant light in the interior.

Chow Sang Sang, jewellers, Hong Kong Designer: Axiom Oval, Hong Kong www.chowsangsang.com

Berlin MAC is one of the world’s leading cosmetic brands with is own branches and counters in large per­fumeries and department stores.

The brilliant light of Pollux spotlights adds scenic lighting to the counter in the Douglas flagship store at Berlin’s top address, “Unter den Linden”. A mix of low-voltage halogen lamps and metal halide lamps ensure optimum colour ren­dition with reduced energy consumption.

MAC counter at Douglas, Berlin Architecture: www.lewang.com LEWANG Architekten, Munich; CI MAC Storedesign, New York www.maccosmetics.com

Milan At his “academy”, star hairdresser Aldo Coppola passes on the latest styling techniques to his franchisees. Optec spotlights illuminate the pristine white reception area; in the lecture theatre, a Light System DALI installation controls Emanon spotlights with Goborotators and Focalflood varychrome floodlights.

Tommy Hilfiger flagship store, Cologne Interior design: Tommy Hilfiger Europe, Retail Store Development, Amsterdam Execution planning: Tommy Hilfiger Europe, Amsterdam/RPA Vision, London; Schwitzke Project, ­Düsseldorf http://europe.tommy.com

Aldo Coppola Academy, Milan Architect: Manuela Kovacs, Milan www.aldocoppola.it

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

3

Bright prospects

Victorinox flagship store, London Photo: Rudi Meisel, Berlin www.victorinox.ch

4 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

Architect: Retailpartners AG, Daniel Wettstein, Wetzikon (CH) Lighting designer: Neuco AG, Thomas Lack, Zurich

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

5

National Geographic Store, London

Licensor: National Geographic Society, ­Washington (DC) Conception and operator: Worldwide Retail Stores, Barcelona Architecture: April Studio, Milan Electrical design engineering: Norman Disney Young, London Shop fitting: Interstore Italia/Schweitzer Project AG, Naturns; Styles & Wood, Manchester

And it was light – in the camera obscura.

Against a completely black background, ERCO spotlights provide dramatic scenic lighting for articles and exhibits at the National Geographic Store, London.

www.shopnatgeo.co.uk Some people, driven by an insatiable desire to wander, are always venturing off to remote destinations, backpack and sleeping bag in hand.

Others prefer to complete world tours in the comfort of their own home, their fingers walking the globe as they dream, unburdened, of places that even intrepid explorers only reach with difficulty. Hardly anyone remains indifferent to the exciting world of tours, expeditions and explorations – which probably explains why the highly regarded institution of the National Geographic Society, founded in Washington in 1888 as a society for the promotion of geographic research, is one of today’s largest and most popular non-profit organisations in the field of science and education. In the form of the National Geographic Magazine, the research society created a medium to widely publicise its agenda right from its early days. This agenda was to promote the research and preservation of both the environment and our cultural heritage. The magazine now has a circulation of several million and is published in 31 languages.

In addition to the traditional yellow-bordered cover page, the magazine’s most notable trademark are the top-class photo reports, which have a visual power that expels all the dry and academic stuffiness from the subject of ­geography.

The success of the National Geographic media brand now also includes television channels and film productions. This, together with the constant demand for licensed products with the National Geographic label, which have been available in an online shop for several years now, has inspired a further step: to develop a concept for a retail outlet under the brand name “National Geographic Store”. This led to the National Geographic Society (NGS) teaming up with the Barcelona-based retail specialist “Worldwide Retail Stores”. The first fruits of this cooperation are the large “National Geographic Stores” in Singapore and London, which offer an authentic and unique shopping experience in prime locations.

The store on Regent Street in London opened in November 2008. In a setting that stands out from the neighbouring branches of international fashion labels, the store presents a range of goods and services aimed equally at those who are enthusiastic explorers themselves and at those who prefer to be “armchair tourists”.

Outdoor clothing and equipment tested and approved by National Geographic are complemented by a travel agency specialising in longdistance tours and expeditions, while maps, globes and travel literature awake the travel bug. The store has an area called the “global marketplace” featuring furniture, handicrafts 6 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

and other trinkets, both useful and decorative, from all around the globe. Presented on bare pallets, these items look for all the world as if they had just been unloaded from the cargo hold of an East India Company trading ship.

In addition to the sale of items, the proceeds of which go to the work of the National Geographic Society, the ground floor also provides space for exhibitions. This particularly includes photographs from the National Geographic Magazine. Plus the store also features an auditorium for presentations and events.

The entire appearance of the shop concept is aimed at capturing the visual power of ­National Geographic’s photography. To use the words of the art director Gianni Baylo, the concept is presented as a “camera obscura”, that is, as a stage area with black walls and ceiling where the exhibits and products are dramatically displayed. In keeping with this, the spotlights and the lighting track are also completely finished in black.

ERCO’s concept of efficient visual comfort made a convincing argument for the designers.

This was because sustainability is one of the core values of NGS and should therefore also be expressed in the retail concept. Here, it primarily means attaching particular importance to glare protection. For this reason, some of the luminaires from the Cantax and TM spotlight product ranges, which are already excellently shielded ex-works, were additionally fitted with honeycomb anti-dazzle screens and barn doors.

This not only resulted in optimum visual comfort, but also created a virtually magical effect because the lighting effect, and not the light source, comes to the fore. Since our eyes can adapt to the dark surroundings, the concept can use lower illuminances than are usually necessary in retail design. Effective lighting technology, efficient lamps – predominantly metal halide – and the use of Light System DALI for lighting control in the auditorium add the finishing touches. This fulfils National Geographic’s exacting requirements for sustainability, while perfectly implementing the shop design concept and, at the same time, also ensuring that the practical running of the store goes without a hitch.

Products from all around the world, which fulfil the National Geographic Society’s criteria for sustainability, are presented on the ”global marketplace" as if fresh out of the ship’s hold. Powerful accent lighting lifts the product arrangement out of the deliberately dark surroundings.

Cartography is tradi­ tionally one of the key areas promoted by the National Geographic Society. Accordingly, the store has a massive selection ­ranging from atlases to wall charts and from street maps to globes.

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

7

Virtuoso displays of lighting quality. While the luminous globes are shown to their best advantage in subdued ambient brightness, the glass, crockery and utensils sparkle under the brilliant light of the metal halide spotlights.

The lighting concept for National Geographic relies almost exclusively on direct accent light-

Wavelike steps are a ubiquitous feature of the ground floor sales area. The terraced format also provides the ideal conditions for hosting events with the minimum of alteration work. The result is a highly flexible concept, which, according to the trade magazine Retail Week, is one of the

The tools for lighting the National Geographic Store: black Cantax spotlights (above) and TM spotlights (below) with different light distributions are mounted on ERCO track, also finished in black. Some of these spotlights also have ­additional anti-dazzle attachments such as

honeycomb anti-dazzle screens or barn doors. The installation uses highly efficient metal halide lamps – ­supplemented by low-voltage halogen lamps in places where dimming is a must – and is controlled using Light System DALI.

An area of the ground floor is dedicated to temporary exhibitions. The high flexibility of the ERCO spotlight/track ­system really pays off here. The spotlights can be repositioned and re-aimed quickly and conveniently.

With Cantax, which has Spherolit reflectors that are replaceable without tools, even the light distri-

butions can be adjusted to suit the lighting task – from narrow spot to wide flood or wallwash.

ing on merchandise and exhibits, giving the shop an unusual, intensive atmosphere.

rare cases in shop design where the use of the word 'experimental' is actually justified.

The National Geographic Store continues the trend of “curated shopping”, where themed retail worlds go beyond the classic boundaries between the branches.

It offers a wide range of goods and services that combine into a coherent, overall package sum­mated under the ­National Geographic brand.

8 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

9

”Sustainability was paramount“ An interview with Gianni Baylo, Senior Vice President and Art Director of the National Geographic Stores. Interviewed by Martin Krautter, Lichtbericht Editor-in-chief.

Martin Krautter: When looking at the new National Geographic Store, the impression is very different to most other recent store designs. How would you describe the overall atmosphere of the store?

Gianni Baylo: National Geographic is a multifaceted, varied and intriguing brand; to design the store to be anything else would have been misrepresentative. I wanted to create a store that was not just a retail space selling merchandise that bore the National Geographic logo like so many other flagship stores. I wanted to extend the brand, reflect their core principles and replicate the excitement that one feels when watching a program produced by, or reading an article outlining National Geographic’s field work. It was this photographic embodiment of the brand, one that people are very familiar with, that led me to my core creative idea, that of the ‘Camera Obscura’; a black theatrical environment where one is allowed to walk all the way through the space and gradually discover each area. The customer was to perceive the

space on an individual level, in a similar fashion to the Society’s vision of how people might be inspired to think about the world around them.

This creates an atmosphere of excitement, a curiosity and a thirst for knowledge in the customers that gives the store such an inspiring and unique energy.

MK: What was your inspiration when looking for images and materials and creating spaces for this store?

10 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

GB: I have travelled throughout my lifetime to some very beautiful and interesting places, and I have always had a passion for art and literature.

This project gave me so much scope to draw on my experience and my many life­long inspirations. Wagner and Velazquez served as food for thought, as well as Shintoist Japanese Temples, central Italian cities and Balinese hieratic dance.

The romantic, eccentric, visionary King Ludwig II von Wittelsbach von Bavaria, who engaged a set designer, rather than an architect in designing his castles, and T.W. Adorno’s fascination with the unfinished as opposed to the completed task. I wanted to create a project that was a work of art in its totality, and many, many influences brought a wealth of experience to this venture. I believe that everything from the store design to the product selection reflects this.

MK: The National Geographic Brand comes from the publishing sector and is now being extended to cover many additional sectors. Can you tell me about your involvement into this brand extension strategy?

GB: Working with National Geographic has been a lifelong career aspiration of mine, and about 5 or 6 years ago we began to explore this as a retail possibility. We were lucky enough to get an opportunity to present our ideas to the Society’s board members and they were really enthusiastic. The project has escalated from there with some great input from the Italian Architecture firm, April Studio as well as other partners.

MK: How did the briefing look like that you got from National Geographic?

GB: There was no briefing as such, we were keen to comply with all of the brand values and principles that are key to the Society’s work, but largely this was a project where we had creative autonomy and National Geographic had more of an overseeing role. They were fundamental to the process in an advisory fashion, ensuring that the store complemented its brand equity.

MK: Lets talk about the role of lighting in the store. How did you describe the quality of lighting that you wanted to achieve to your partners in the design process?

GB: The lighting in the National Geographic Store was of a great deal of importance. My creative vision required much of the retail space to be painted black, and as such lighting the area to ensure it did not become overpowered, and ensuring the products remained well lit was paramount. ERCO provided a solution that really complemented the project, creating a perfect balance between preserving the integrity of the design and allowing the space to be practical and successful as a retail store.

MK: What was your personal experience of ERCO as supplier of lighting? At which point did ERCO enter the game and what turned the ­balance for choosing ERCO products?

GB: ERCO lighting solutions are dynamic and interesting, of all the suppliers that we spoke with during the project, they seemed to understand the concept best. We were aiming to create a space that was true to all of the National Geographic brand values but that was modern, interesting and unique and the ERCO solution really aided us in this process. Whilst the qual­ity of light and the dynamic look and feel of the proposal were all important to our decision, one of the really key factors that lead to the partnership with ERCO was the sustainability credentials of the energy saving technology that they use. Preserving National Geographic’s values regarding ecology and the environment was paramount, and ERCO lighting made a valuable contribution to our efforts in this area.

ERCO lighting played a key part in realising the project as I had envisioned.

MK: What is your summary after having opened several National Geographic Stores at different places of the world? How would you describe the public reaction and echo to the store design?

GB: We have now launched both the London store and the Singapore store with another store opening in another Pan Asian location this year, and further openings across Europe in 2010. The response has been phenomenal,

and we are really very proud of the venture.

Public reaction has been very complimentary, and people seem to appreciate the many ideas that we are trying to put across. The staff have told me that many people have made positive remarks about the design and the press reaction was really fantastic. This was an ambitious venture, and we were aware of this right from the beginning, but I think that the store is a true reflection of the brand, and that furthermore the National Geographic Store provides an avenue for reaching consumers who might other­ wise not engage with National Geographic. It adds so much value to the brand, and offers something so far removed from your traditional merchandise store.

MK: Dear Gianni, thanks for your time and the insight you gave us and I wish you every success with the further development of National Geographic Stores!

Gianni Baylo was born in 1949 in Castello Tesino, Italy, in the province of Trento. He studied philosophy in Padua and Frankfurt am Main, and has lived in Italy, Barcelona, London, and around the world looking for inspiration, products, ideas, and ”signs of change and visions.“ Baylo is the founder and creator of Think Pink, the 1980s eco and lifestyle brand, and the CEO of the family-run technical apparel business Bailo S.p.A. As the Co-founder and Senior Vice President of Worldwide Retail Stores (WRS) he is the Art Director for the vision and direction of the innovative National Geographic Store network. Baylo returns as often as he can to his Italian residence in the Umbria-Tuscany border, where he can tap into the joy and harmony that are inspired by medieval art, Italian Renaissance landscapes, and architectural proportions.

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

11

Lighting laboratory: theory and practice at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences

Professor Alexa Hartig instigated the ­establishment of a Digital Synthesis Labo­ ratory for the Interior Design course at Mainz ­University of Applied Sciences. Her colleague, Prof. Clemens Tropp, gives the lighting designer’s point of view on how the students learn to understand, apply and design with light.

The opening celebrations of the Synthesis Laboratory on the 3rd of July 2009 were also used as an occasion to strengthen ties with institutions and the media. Guest speakers in Mainz were Burkhart Fröhlich, Editorin-chief of DBZ Deutsche Bauzeitschrift (German Construction Journal) (standing) and Helmut M. Bien, Head of the Luminale in Frankfurt (seated on far right).

Climate, energy, light, design and digital media – these highly diverse topics dictate the working day of today’s interior designers. The range of different tasks is far more complex than ten or even twenty years ago. As we see in everyday practice, only the right interaction of many individual details leads to the best possible solutions, something every building owner is ultimately striving for. Furthermore, although each profession always claims to be the most important, there is still the general consensus that all aspects, artistic as well as economic, technical and ecological, must be given equal consideration. The work of the lighting designer, the building engineer, the furniture designer, the communication designers and many other colleagues is ultimately measured by the overall result.

How are such tasks to be tackled and how do we best introduce this complex profile of requirements to budding interior designers?

In the Department of Interior Design at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences, we take an in-depth look at these questions and in so doing, we take an integrative approach, i.e. we merge many individual subject areas into overarching projects, all depending on the specific task faced.

One thing is agreed: practical experience is an important factor in imparting knowledge and understanding. Only those things that we have learnt and experienced firsthand go into our long-term memory and can be quickly recalled at a later date when 12 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

a real-life situation calls for their application. Theory does not always have to be dull and grey. It is an important basis, but most practitioners want their younger colleagues to have more practical knowledge and be less frightened of actual application.

This approach is given a central position in our course of study and ensures that, right from an early stage, the students are being prepared for the requirements they will later face in design tasks.

No college of higher education will ever be able to teach everything that an interior designer will need to know for day-to-day design work. But what it can and must do is to motivate students, to awaken their curiosity and to inspire creative thinking. This is precisely one of the core policies that we pursue in “Technology/Building ­Technology” with Prof. Alexa Hartig, in “Media Architecture” with Prof. Klaus Teltenkötter and in “Light”, taught by me. Learning by doing, not learning as a stand-alone discipline, but hand-in-hand with highly practical application opportunities, that’s the self-imposed mission that we all collectively ascribe to here.

Specifically, each of the professors not only works in his or her own field of specialisation, but also designs and implements other projects in association with other departments. At the beginning of a semester, such “synthesis projects” are offered for completion in a team as coursework. For the coming semester, these include the design of a retail outlet with complete furnishings and

f­ ittings and a project for the Luminale 2010 in Frankfurt.

Competition entries for ideas for the university’s contribution to the Luminale are invited at the beginning of the semester. A project is selected from the submitted proposals and developed as an interdisciplinary task under the guidance of several professors. As natural as this may sound, it is actually a new approach within a university curriculum. Previously, the individual disciplines were more self-enclosed, but the boundaries should be increasingly more fluid in future.

If knowledge is to be imparted not only via formulas and descriptions, but also via direct experience, this will require the appropriate facilities. When dealing with the subject of light, this means that it is not only important what a luminaire which is visibly mounted in the room looks like, i.e. what is its design, but and moreover, what is the effect of its light in the room? How does its light change the actual room and the fitted materials: wood, carpets, wall décor and many other elements? Even the most vivid description is no match for that personal moment of revelation experienced when you hold the actual luminaire in your hands, aim it in different directions or try it with various lamps.

Light is perceived as a sensory experience and is therefore best and most impressively conveyed by seeing, sensing and experiencing it for ourselves. Such experiences remain etched in our memory for a long time.

Bringing more practical work into the course This method of imparting knowledge is not helped by the classic lecture theatre format. Many years ago, Alexa Hartig and Klaus Teltenkötter had expressed a need for a greater practical content to the course.

With much foresight and persistence, they were able to convince the university admin­istration of their vision for a “Digital Synthesis Laboratory” and to secure the provision of the appropriate funds. A combined concept for the implementation at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences was developed in cooperation with Arne Fiedler.

The laboratory, conceived as a workshop and proving ground for diverse practical ­applications, was finally opened in July 2009. As a fully equipped interactive facility, the Synthesis Laboratory of the Mainz University of Applied Sciences is currently in a unique position on the German highereducation landscape. For myself, as a dyedin-the-wool practical person, the lab was an absolute godsend as I took the chair for the subject of Light in the 2009 summer term.

The opportunity to demonstrate cause and effect with a high degree of realism and to combine the teaching with real market conditions, using equipment at the cutting edge of research and development, is one that I grasped with both hands. How do you teach or learn about “light”? It is best done by showing and experiencing.

In the laboratory, the students are able to experiment with excellent, state-of-the-art technology, working either under supervision or independently. They can “play” with the interaction of very different factors, sound, light, space and much more besides.

Although designed as a modular toolbox, making it excellently suited for interdisciplinary teamwork, the laboratory also provides each individual department with a work­shop where teaching and practical application can be ideally combined.

The laboratory has a large number of applications for the subject “Light and Scenography” alone, making it possible to set up specific scenarios and then to test and freely vary their effect. Design elements such as dimming, colour and dynamic progressions can be experienced first-hand using DALI-controlled luminaires that are inte­ grated in a modular luminous ceiling pro­ viding artificial lighting.

DALI for dynamics, convenience and ­flexibility DALI control is perfectly suited to working with dynamic processes. It enables new luminaires to be easily added to or deleted from existing scenes and the resultant ­effects to be tested. Because each individ­ ual element can be controlled directly and without great effort by computer, entire “light films” can be generated and freely varied. This is important for real-life applications where this kind of control is becoming increasingly used, e.g. for tasks such as keeping the energy ­consumption for

buildings as low as possible or for added convenience through automated sequences.

Motion sensors can switch the light off when no-one is in the room, timer switches can control the transition from work-time lighting to night illumination and specific lighting scenarios can be specified for certain situations.

In conjunction with the DALI control, which is programmable via ERCO’s extremely user-friendly Light Studio software, a wide range of luminaires is also available, equipped with different types of lamps. This enables differences in lighting quality to be directly demonstrated and made instantly tangible.

The light of a compact fluorescent lamp has a different effect to that of a tungsten halo­gen lamp; a narrow-beam downlight produces a different lighting situation than a wide-beam version, etc. There is a big differ­ ence between simply describing these differences and demonstrating them with real examples. Another important aspect is the fact that the laboratory has several copies of each luminaire, both pre-installed and as loose components. This allows them to be studied in their entirety, they can be actually held and their construction assessed. The walls of the laboratory are made of individual panels that can be covered with different surface textures in order to demonstrate the effect of the lighting on different materials.

The use of daylight The use of a solar simulator opens up a further field of activity, one that interior designers have previously paid little or no attention to, but one that is gaining ­increasing importance, especially in view of the efficient use of energy. We are talking about daylight. Whereas, in applied architecture, it has naturally always been an elementary factor, in research and study it has long been “in the shadows”. Against the backdrop of climate change, however, it is now being massively re-evaluated.

How can daylight be optimally used to save energy? How is it distributed in a room or area? What effect does it give there? How can it be controlled using equipment such as sun blinds or anti-dazzle protection to prevent unwanted effects?

It is not only the ecological aspects but also the lighting mood in rooms and the related spatial quality that are putting in­creasing focus on daylight, raising questions such as: With what means can I create a ­certain atmosphere in an interior? How can I precisely guide the daylight? What effect does the size, position or type of glazing in windows have on the lighting situation inside a building?

With the help of a solar simulator in the Digital Synthesis Laboratory, many such questions can be solved empirically. For instance, it is possible to simulate the position or motion of the sun anywhere in the world at any time of the day and year. In the laboratory, an endoscope-type camera, which is also provided, can be placed inside a model and an artificial sun connected to

The author of the Digital Synthesis Laboratory: Prof.

Alexa Hartig conceived the project as a means to offer students an interdisciplinary and highly practical proving ground together with colleagues such as Klaus Teltenkötter (left), Professor for Digital Media and Design.

Variable space, variable light: the modular construction of the hardware and software of the Digital Synthesis Laboratory provides wide scope for experimentation, while simultaneously ensuring that the facility is futureproof and expandable.

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

13

a mobile arm can be moved over the model following a specified course. The progression of shadows can then be recorded by the camera and presented for all to see via a data projector. The findings thus gained can be evaluated for many different purposes.

New technological possibilities for creating rooms and the related innovative design possibilities in viewing and experimentation can be extensively explored here. Space and spatial atmosphere can be altered and evaluated according to energy-related, thermal and acoustic criteria. Last, but not least, the central focus can also be placed on responsible use of resources, materials and energy.

An additional dimension of communication is being opened up in design work by media architecture. This new discipline within architecture deals with how the appear­ance of a building is constantly changing. The rapid development of LED technology is giving enormous impetus to this branch. The laboratory has a media toolbox for experimental work in this field and here too, the individual components are cutting edge technology.

The full potential of the Synthesis Laboratory is ideally utilised when several departments get together to collectively tackle a given task, as is planned with the project for the Luminale 2010.

Light interprets spaces: visitors experienced the effect of scenographic lighting first-hand at the opening of the Digital Synthesis Laboratory at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences.

A stage on which to perform Thanks to its modular construction, the Digital Synthesis Laboratory is precisely the kind of test arena that the practitioner requires and one that is enthusiastically welcomed by both staff and students alike.

It opens up many avenues of experimentation throughout many subject areas. This cannot be appreciated enough, especially in view of the many technological innovations with which we constantly have to keep pace. Today’s rooms can be digitally varied and controlled, and surfaces can change their appearance. This creates an entirely new dimension of communication.

It would be difficult to think of a better way to convey this new dimension, or to make it more tangible and controllable than to predominantly use first-hand experience.

For the students at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences, the laboratory provides an exciting test arena which they used enthusiastically. In the few remaining weeks of the 2009 summer term, from the laboratory’s opening to the end of the semester, it was already evident that a lively workshop had been created that inspires students to take the initiative and invites them to take a ­completely different look at the subject of space than is possible in the lecture room.

The fact that the enthusiasm quickly spread is apparent from a set exercise that was fulfilled way beyond the required level.

The task was to create a video, suitable for a trade-fair stand, to present footwear designed for specific purposes such as walking on the moon, deep-sea diving or tango dancing. This involved showing the shoes in their specific environment, which was to be created primarily by the use of light. It became apparent that the laboratory’s technical facilities had a motivational effect on the implementation of the task. Taking highly creative approaches, the students came up with surprising solutions and created convincing images which were far above the level required. To effectively set the scene for a

diving flipper for instance, students built a water tank and illuminated it with different lighting scenarios: light above the water, in the water, reflections on the water surface, diffuse light for illuminating the diving flipper, sunlight etc. The resultant effects were observed and recorded. On their own initiative, the students presented the coursework results at the opening in July, showing great commitment and taking a real joy in the work. Joy is certainly a factor that plays an immense role in imparting knowledge.

The joy of experimentation If this approach succeeds in preparing the up-and-coming interior designers, making them sensitive to the quality of rooms and able to consider the many different aspects that are relevant today, it will ensure that they will continue to take an intensive look at these things later in their working lives and that is where innovative approaches are in demand. Industrial firms and d ­ esign ­offices need graduates who are able to “think out of the box”, coping with a con­ stant stream of new tasks. This requirement comes up again and again in everyday design work. It is also precisely what makes this profession so exciting.

The Digital Synthesis Laboratory will and must continually develop and be an open playing field where experimentation is possible without targets or guidelines that are too narrowly defined. The market never stands still; new technologies are constantly opening up new possibilities. This will be reflected in the Digital Synthesis Laboratory. The laboratory is very fortunate with its current level of equipment, but this must be continually expanded if it is to fulfil its vision in the long term, something to which the Mainz University of Applied Sciences is highly committed.

The Digital Synthesis Laboratory can be compared to a theatre stage which, without actors, is lifeless. It is only when it is performed on, when the props are used and preferably by different disciplines working

Practical work with the solar simulator: as part of their coursework, students built a model with windows that could be covered on the outside with different drapes and hangings. The artificial sun was then set at different positions to shine onto the house and the effect was recorded on camera.

together, that it comes to life. Contact to the outside world is also important here, entering into partnerships and co ­operations with industrial firms, institutions and the media. The connection between the Mainz University of Applied Sciences and ERCO goes back a long way and has grown naturally. The company’s products are well proven in working with light over a long period of time. The company always puts the emphasis on the architectural solution, the scenic presentation of the spatial setting and consciously avoids short-lived fashions. The university seeks to expand the cooperation with the industry further still in future, with the long-term aim of being able to demonstrate the widest possible range of products from different manufacturers. The opening celebrations were also used as an occasion to strengthen ties with institutions and the media. The manifesto and mandate of the Digital Synthesis Laboratory is “Cooperation in many directions”. This will benefit not only the graduates, but also the industry and building owners in the long term.

About the author Prof. Clemens Tropp teaches Lighting Technology in the Interior Design course at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences. His CV: 1987: graduated from the Darmstadt Technical University, 1987-1992: development and marketing at Zumtobel Licht AG in Dornbirn/ Austria, 1992-1998: lighting designer at HLTechnik AG in Munich, 1998 to date: freelance lighting designer with TROPP LIGHTING DESIGN, a d­ esign office whose key focuses are daylight and artificial light in architectural lighting. Their area of activity covers architectural spaces of all kinds, including everything from high-rise buildings, outdoor complexes, parks and temporary constructions through to urban planning and infrastructural buildings. ­Numerous publications and awards have followed. For further information please go to: www.tropp-lighting.com www.fh-mainz.de/gestaltung/innenarchitektur

14 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

15

Innovation focus: LED Indoor area

From hopeful candidate to practical alternative: the use of LEDs as a light source in architectural lighting has arrived – and no longer just as a coloured effect light or orientation luminaire but as accent lighting and ambient lighting, right through to high-quality wallwashing. In ERCO’s established spotlight series, in various custom luminaires and, most notably, in the new Quintessence range of recessed luminaires (available from 2010), the LEDs take up their place alongside fluorescent, halogen or high-

Quintessence LED recessed spotlights Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 1620lm (daylight white).

Cantax LED spotlights Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome.

Up to 1080lm (daylight white).

Optec LED spotlights Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome.

Up to 1080lm (daylight white).

Quintessence LED recessed luminaires, round Available in daylight white, warm white, 4-channel varychrome and with varychrome ring.

Up to 2160lm (daylight white, size 5).

Emanon LED spotlights Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome.

Up to 1080lm (daylight white).

LED floor washlights Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 135lm (daylight white).

16 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

pressure lamps and offer specific advantages such as extreme long life, maximum luminous efficacy and, due to their dimming capability, also flexibility. The powerful lighting technology systems consisting of lenses and reflectors are exclusive ERCO in-house developments for efficient visual comfort.

Quintessence LED recessed luminaires, square Available in daylight white, warm white, 4-channel varychrome and with varychrome ring.

Up to 2160lm (daylight white, size 5).

Nadir LED recessed floor luminaires Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome.

Up to 135lm (daylight white).

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

17

Innovation focus: LED Outdoor area

The rapid acceptance of LEDs in architectural lighting began with outdoor applications where their advantageous properties such as long maintenance cycles, compact design, robust construction and insensitivity to cold were seen to more than compensate for the LEDs’ earlier shortcomings in luminous flux or colour rendition. In terms of their lighting quality, current LEDs are on a par with conventional lamp types, while, in terms of efficiency, they are now already amongst the best light sources – and

Powercast LED projectors and floodlights Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 3240lm (daylight white).

there is still unlocked potential for future development. ERCO keeps pace with this brisk progress by regularly releasing new versions of LED products, ensuring that the best performing lighting tools are always available to ­lighting designers.

Cylinder LED surfacemounted downlights Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 2160lm (daylight white).

Grasshopper LED ­projectors Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome.

Up to 1080lm (daylight white).

Focalflood LED facade luminaires Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome.

Up to 900lm (daylight white).

Lightcast LED recessed luminaires Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 2160lm (daylight white).

LED Axis Walklights Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome.

Kubus LED facade ­luminaires Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 300lm (daylight white).

Tesis LED in-ground ­luminaires, round Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome. Up to 2160lm (daylight white).

Midipoll LED bollard ­luminaires Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 420lm (daylight white).

Tesis LED in-ground ­luminaires, square Available in daylight white, warm white and varychrome. Up to 2160lm (daylight white).

LED orientation ­luminaires Available in daylight white, blue, amber, green and varychrome.

Kubus LED bollard ­luminaires Available in daylight white and warm white.

Up to 300lm (daylight white).

18 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

19

For efficient visual comfort: new Light System DALI products

ERCO’s DALI technology makes lighting control energy-efficient, user-friendly and economical.

Individual light scenes to suit each situation are selected and controlled by the user. This is in combination with automated light management using sensor systems and timer programs which have the potential for enormous energy ­savings. Typical scenarios here include the use of presence detectors to dim or switch off the light in unused rooms or the use of twilight switches or analogue sensors.

User-dependent ­lighting control The lighting is adjusted to suit personal requirements.

Brightness-dependent lighting regulation The illuminance level is kept constant taking account of natural and artificial lighting.

20 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

Light Keeper The Light Studio software’s new module helps save maintenance and energy costs when operating a Light System DALI installation.

Easy installation, setup and ease of operation contribute to the high level of acceptance of these systems among the users. The further development of Light System DALI for 2010 focuses on functions for efficient visual comfort.

Event-driven lighting control The lighting is adjusted to suit the occasion and type of use.

Presence-dependent lighting control The lighting is dimmed or switched using a presence detector or motion sensor.

DALI PLUG+ PLAY In terms of lighting installations with control systems such as Light System DALI, the ­connected load only indicates the theoretical maximum: the actual consumption will be determined through the use of the programmed scenic dimming.

Time-dependent ­lighting control The lighting is orientated around time progressions and calendar events.

Consumption­dependent lighting control To reduce peak loads, the lighting is dimmed dependent on total energy consumption.

Light Keeper The functions in the new Light Keeper module support the Light System DALI operator to save energy reduce running costs and aid maintenance. For example, the running time of each Light Client is displayed in the Client List against the rated lamp life. This makes it easier to plan rational, advance lamp replacement as preventative maintenance. The error messages in the DALI network, such as a faulty lamp, are logged and displayed. The energy-saving functions are based on projections and on the envisaged connected load of the light scenes.

The use of lighting control systems for higher light quality and reduced consumption of resources is an important part of the ERCO concept of “Efficient visual comfort”. The special functions in the Light Keeper module make it even easier for the user to realise the full potential of intelligent light­ing control. For example, the con­nected load of a light scene can

be calculated and displayed, while the software calculates the potential savings in energy and costs, if the scene is modified. The “ECO-mode” function enables each light scene to be dimmed, at the touch of a button, by a predefined ­percentage until the point where the ­visual impression and visual performance would become noticeably impaired. This function allows the user to reduce energy consumption quickly and easily.

The running time of each Light Client is displayed in the Client List against the rated lamp life. This makes it easier to plan rational, advance lamp replacement as prevent­ ative maintenance.

Daylight-dependent lighting control The lighting is adjusted to suit the available daylight using an outdoor photo-sensor.

Temperature-dependent lighting control To reduce the thermal input for the benefit of the air-conditioning, the dimming of the lighting is dependent on the temperature.

Sensor technology: daylightdependent control The Light Server 64+ now has twelve inputs, six of which can also be configured as analogue inputs.

A typical application for the analogue inputs is daylight-dependent lighting control, whereby an outdoor sensor generates an analogue signal in response to the daylight conditions. The sensor can be set up with 12 switching thresholds in Light Studio. Depending on the analogue value measured, the sensor triggers the appropriate scene or sequence when a threshold value is exceeded.

Outdoor sensor

Sensor technology: constant light regulation A further application of analogue inputs is constant light regulation.

Here, an indoor sensor measures the illuminance at a pre-defined point in the room. By master dimming the relevant zone, it is held constant despite fluctuating daylight. This allows optimum usage of natural light and greatly reduces the energy used by artificial lighting. The target illuminance is set individually for each light scene in the Light Studio software.

Indoor sensor

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

21

Energy efficiency classes for lamps As a contribution to climate pro­ tection, the European Union has also included lighting in its legis­ lation on energy efficiency – this is comparable to the standards for domestic appliances. To provide a simple classification of lamps, energy efficiency classes were uti­ lised. This classification also serves as a basis for banning light sources with poor energy efficiency, such as incandescent lamps with their low luminous efficacy. Similar reg­ ulations are also planned for other countries such as Australia and the USA. The energy efficiency classes for lamps range from A for very good efficiency and low energy consumption through to G for the worst class with high energy con­ sumption. They are defined using luminous efficacy in lumens per watt (lm/W).

The EU directive prescribes a gradual phasing out, whereby no more frosted lamps (except for energy class A) and no more incan­ descent lamps above 80 watts may be sold as of the 1st of September 2009. Year by year, other lamps, even including some with low wattages, will also disappear from the shelves in retail outlets within the EU. Overall, the directive will affect private consumers more than professional lighting users.

Products for general service lamps have been almost totally deleted from the ERCO product range since 2004. The majority of luminaires with the soon to be prohibited, inefficient tungsten halogen lamps, such as the QT18 or QT32, can be replaced by luminaires with highpressure discharge lamps, which have a considerably higher lumi­ nous efficacy. Lamps inside dom­ estic appliances such as cookers as well as all reflector lamps are initially exempt from this plan.

Other more efficient alternatives offered by the lamp industry along­ side the well-known fluorescent and high-pressure discharge lamps include new technology such as LEDs and further highly developed halogen lamps. Examples include 22 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

Double focus

The gradual departure of the incandescent lamp: due to its poor luminous efficacy, it has become a symbol of energy wast­ age. The first sales bans in the European Union came into force in 2009.

versions of the doubled-ended tungsten halogen lamp, QT-DE12, with infrared reflective coating.

These require about 30% less elec­ tricity, are rated as efficiency class C and will therefore remain avail­ able for years to come.

As with the lamps, control gear will also be classified into energy efficiency classes. Together with the luminous efficacy, the respec­ tive lighting requirements and the lamp’s manufacturing and recy­ cling processes, the energy effi­ ciency classes should also enter into the equation when ­judging the various lighting tools. In addi­ tion, efficient use of the lamp lumens requires lighting technol­ ogy that is specifically designed for the lamp and precise light ­control inside the luminaire.

QT Halogen lamp

HIT High-pres­ sure dis­ charge lamp

LED T/TC Fluorescent Light emit­ ting diode lamp

Luminous 15 efficacy lm/W

22-25

92

87-94

62-77

Energy effi­ ciency class

B-D

A

A

A

Lamp

A Gen. ser­ vice lamp

E

While discharge lamps and LEDs easily attain energy efficiency class A, thermal radiators such as general service lamps and tungsten halogen lamps do not make the grade.

The directive of the Euro­ pean Union prescribes a gradual prohibition of the less efficient classes.

In the European Union, the luminaire efficiency classes are defined using the luminous efficacy (lm/W).

1500 1200 900 Luminous flux (lm) Lichtstrom

Focus

The conventional 150W tungsten halogen lamp, QT-DE12, can be replaced by the energysaving 120W version, QT-DE12-RE, which will be available for years to come. The ERCO Program catalogue already lists suitable products with the photometric data of the new lamp as of 2010.

600

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

300 0 10 20 30 Elektrische ElectricalEnergie energy (W)

40

50

60

QT-DE12-RE

70

80

90

100

LED luminaires as an efficient alternative While the replacement of incan­ descent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps is dominating the public discussion, in profes­ sional architectural lighting, the LED has already established itself as a viable alternative. Current high-power LEDs can produce suf­ ficiently high luminous flux with a luminous efficacy five times higher than that of incandescent lamps.

The R&D departments of luminaire manufacturers are concentrating their efforts on making further ­significant improvements to colour rendition and luminous efficacy in the coming years. Yet, even now, a 14W LED module will already output the same lumen package as a 50W low-voltage halogen lamp.

The average life of 50,000 hours quoted by manufacturers is many times above that of general service lamps.

Unlike the comparably efficient high-pressure discharge lamps, LEDs equipped with the appropri­ ate control gear can be dimmed without any problem and are therefore suitable for applications requiring different illuminances.

Warm white LEDs currently have a colour rendition index of Ra>85, putting them on a par with fluo­ rescent lamps and high-pressure discharge lamps. Different colour temperatures, from warm white to daylight white, provide additional scope for design.

When designing LED luminaires, the manufacturer faces two cen­ tral tasks: heat management and lighting technology. Even LEDs heat up due to the flow of current, although their optimum operating temperature is far below that of incandescent lamps. The luminous flux and the functional life both rapidly decrease above a critical temperature limit. The design of LED luminaires must therefore guarantee that the LED module always operates below the critical temperature range. This will ensure that maximum output is obtained throughout their entire life.

Due to their high lumi­ nous efficacy, long life and good dimmability, luminaires with LEDs present a highly promis­ ing alternative to less efficient light sources.

The combination of lamps and lighting technology systems such as reflectors and lenses results in further advantages for LEDs, which are already inherently highly effi­ cient, over conventional ‘point’ light sources. This concerns the fact that the LED’s light emission is directed from the outset, being at a solid angle of below 180°.

This allows new methods of light ­distribution, such as using lowloss lens systems. This advantage becomes clear if not only the luminous flux of the lamp but also the light output ratio and the illuminance on a target surface is compared for LED spotlights and conventional spotlights and set in relation to the power consumption.

Thomas Schielke museum kunst palast, Düsseldorf: the first LEDbased applications dem­ onstrate the potential for exhibition lighting. The warm white LEDs have

excellent properties in terms of luminous flux, dimmability and preser­ vation of exhibits.

Conventional point light sources emit their light in a solid angle of virtu­ ally 360°, whereas LEDs, which are directional by design, emit light in a solid angle below 180° – without losses due to spill light or light emitted towards the lampholder (shown red in the draw­ ing).

In comparison: three spotlights with similar light distribution and illuminance on the target surface. Thanks to opti­ mum lighting technol­ ogy, ERCO LED spotlights already reach more with less even today. With a lamp of comparable lumi­ nous efficacy, the light output ratio is signifi­ cantly higher than for an equivalent spotlight for high-pressure discharge lamps.

Lamp Lampe(lm/W) (lm/W) Luminaire Leuchte (lm/W) (lm/W) BeleuchtungsIlluminance stärke bei 3mat 3m (lx/W) (lx/W)

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 (lm/W) (lx/W) LED tw, 14W

HIT, 20W

QT12, 50W

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

23

MPREIS ­supermarkets

Lighting design: Manfred Draxl, conceptlicht.at, Mils near Innsbruck

The red MPREIS cube is a constant feature at all supermarkets, but the architecture is individu­ ally designed taking the respective location into account. In this way, the company makes a sustain­ able contribution to the regional building culture.

www.mpreis.at

The unconventional concepts of the Tirolbased retail chain MPREIS break with traditional forms of presentation, making food shopping a special experience.

Fresh and regional – these attributes determine the produce range at MPREIS. As with the design of the supermarkets, this is an important factor for the company’s lasting success.

In Manfred Draxl’s light­ ing concept, Optec spot­ lights with metal halide lamps in the colour of warm white 830 add bril­ liant accent light to the goods.

24 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

The Austrian company MPREIS calls usual brand philosophies into question. Instead of built uni­ formity, its policy is to have a variety of architec­ tural styles. The starting point for any design is always the specific location.

The company’s success story began in the early 1920s. Founded by Therese Mölk as a little food store in Innsbruck, today’s highly success­ ful retail chain is still in family hands, being owned by the fourth generation. Every day the 130,000 customers can expect a varied and variable assortment offering convincing value for money and competent, friendly staff. But MPREIS is more than just a snazzy foodstuffs supplier. “Sustainability” and “networking” are themes that percolate down to all aspects of the company. Employees are appreciated. The in-house training scheme has won awards.

Manufacturers and suppliers from the region are given precedence, both when sourcing goods and when awarding contracts for build­ ing the supermarkets. Such investments safe­ guard local jobs and purchasing power. The local microstructures of agriculture, commerce and skilled trade are retained; transport routes and the consumption of resources are considerably reduced.

This corporate culture successfully permeates all areas of the company and is impressively evi­ dent in the corporate architecture. The 30-plus architectural design offices that have been used to date, together with countless publications, architectural prizes and client prizes, have all shown that high-quality building culture pays off in the long term.

The Austrian lighting design offices con­ ceptlicht.at has now developed a master plan for MPREIS which specifies the essential design elements and is individually adjusted to suit the different store geometries and daylight situ­ ations. The most important design feature for the lighting designer is that “the entire light of the supermarkets comes from the merchandise”.

Track-mounted spotlights are directed at the shelves according to the fixed zoning. The light­ ing designers opted for ERCO’s Optec spotlights and these are now used in the refurbished stores

in Lans and Inzing in Tirol and also in Sinich in South Tirol. This range of luminaires is noted for its sophisticated lighting technology and mas­ terful design. The latest generation of highly efficient metal halide lamps with an optimised colour rendition of Ra>90 are used in the stores.

The food and the packaging look good in this light, as do the customers. The Optec spotlights are distinguished by their compact design and precise reflector technology, available in spot, flood and wide-flood characteristics. Highquality Spherolite reflectors based on reflective spherical segments ensure defined light inten­ sity distribution, combined with efficiency and high visual comfort. The economical operation of the luminaires is optimally assisted by elec­ tronic control gear. The adaptation to 3-circuit track means that the lighting will still be flexible even if the stores are renovated in future. The discreet, silver colouration of the luminaires and track underlines the technical character of these lighting tools.

In the checkouts area of the new super­ markets, this accentuating, direct lighting ­concept is supplemented by direct/indirect T16 light structures. These emphasise this spatial zone with a uniformly brightened ceil­ ing, discreetly differentiating it from the shop floor. Like the lamps in the spotlights, the T16 fluo­rescent lamps used here produce the warm white light colour 830. Energy-efficient lamp technology is combined with modern warmstart ECGs to enable an average lamp life of up to 24,000 hours for low maintenance and run­ ning costs.

The external effect of the artificial lighting is not to be underestimated. This is because the preferred design for MPREIS supermar­ kets is an open architecture with large glass panoramas of an alpine landscape. The defined interior lighting therefore plays an important role in ensuring the corporate architecture is always ­instantly recognisable. The interaction of direct and indirect components of light is exactly defined, as are the colours of light by the lamps used. With all these aspects, the profes­

sional lighting design makes an important ­contribution to the brand profile of MPREIS as the supermarket which is a “little different”.

Professional lighting adjusts the spectral com­ position of the light to suit the various product groups. Meat and sau­ sages, for instance, look more attractive when a special “food filter” is used. Food filters are available as accessories for many ERCO spotlights.

Bakery products, on the other hand, are shown to their best advantage in the warm-hued light of spotlights with highpressure sodium vapour lamps (HST).

Direct/indirect T16 light structures emphasise the checkouts area as a zone with higher illuminance.

As well as being excep­ tionally efficient, they also provide high visual com­ fort and therefore offer pleasant working condi­ tions for the staff.

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

25

Efficient visual comfort in the retail sector Looking better, conserving resources and saving costs: it is precisely in the shop­fitting sector that lighting concepts using efficient visual comfort provide many advantages – for the environment, cus­ tomers and shop owners.

At Chicco, an Italian provider of baby and toddler products, the efficient ­visual comfort approach has proven itself admirably, achieving a rapid amortisation of the investment in ­high-quality lighting.

Qualitative lighting design Case study: LPP Reserved, Bydgoszcz Lighting design: Studio 1:1, Gdansk Products: downlights, lens wallwashers and recessed spotlights from the Quadra range of recessed luminaires, equipped with metal halide lamps.

Efficient lighting ­technology Case study: Chicco shop, Monza Architecture and ­lighting design: Arch. Paolo ­Lucchetta Retaildesign Srl, Venice Products: Optec spotlights with Spherolit reflectors, narrow spot and wide flood, equipped with 35W HIT-CE metal halide lamps.

Back in the 88th edition of the Lichtbericht, we introduced the concept of efficient visual comfort together with its five factors: vertical illuminance, qualitative lighting design, effective lighting technology, intelligent lighting control and efficient lamps. In their interaction, these factors enhance each other, releasing massive potential to conserve resources and save costs in architectural lighting.

Total cost of ownership Efficient visual comfort is a concept borne of lighting practice. It is no empty theory or pseudo-ecological front, but an approach that has been developed and tested under the harsh economic conditions of the retail branch. In talks with designers and building owners, ERCO’s lighting consultants are able to show time and again how the investment in high-quality, specialised lighting tools makes long-term economic sense and why seemingly good-value lighting solutions can prove to be expensive in the long-run. It is crucial to look not just at the procurement costs but also at the entire lifecycle of the lighting system. This “total cost of ownership” not only includes the purchase and installation of the luminaires, especially the costs for energy, spare lamps and maintenance, but also the hidden ongoing costs such as additional expenditure for the air-conditioning required to compensate for the thermal load of the lighting. Due to relentlessly spiralling energy costs, both the users and the environment benefit from energy efficiency, because saving energy also means saving costs.

26 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

With the five factors of efficient visual comfort, ERCO gives both lighting designers and users alike starting points for sustainable lighting concepts. In the long-term, their low running costs more than compensate for the higher ­initial investment in high-quality lighting technology and design.

The example of Chicco The cooperation between Chicco, a retail chain for baby and toddler products and ERCO, is a prime example of the implementation of the “efficient visual comfort” principle. Chicco’s planners were considering an attractive, apparently inexpensive quote for the lighting in their chain stores when ERCO’s lighting consultants pointed out to them the weaknesses and hidden costs of the intended solution. They then supported the planners in redesigning the lighting in the sense of efficient visual comfort. Thanks to the superior reflector technology and the excellent glare protection of the ERCO products, the samples provided confirmed by just how much the number of luminaires and therefore the connected load could be reduced, all while maintaining the same lighting quality. The pre­ cise reflectors guide the light effectively and with little or no spill light to the required target surface. The high visual comfort of the spotlights creates the best conditions of perception for the human eye, making lower illuminances necessary for a comparable impression of brightness.

There are also advantages when it comes to maintenance: the thermally optimised housing and electronic control gear of the ERCO spot-

lights are gentle on the efficient metal halide lamps, leading to a longer lamp life in comparison to cheaper luminaires.

Vertical illuminance Case study: UPIM department store, Milan Architecture: UPIM/Maria Grazia Travo, Milan Products: Compar ­Spherolit wallwashers with HIT-CE metal halide lamps.

Department store (plan view, schematic)

The thermal-load factor Having a lower connected load and more efficient lighting simultaneously reduces the thermal load. The result is that air-conditioning systems use less energy or they can be downsized right from the start, giving further potential for making big savings. For Chicco in any case, the higher investment made in good lighting was recovered in around three years and, for its remaining life, the lighting system will continue to save costs every single day; an advantage that no businessman should ignore.

Initial concept Criticism: - Poorly shielded downlights, excessive illuminances - No clear hierarchy of perception, insufficient contrast between merchandise and surroundings - Tightly packed downlight grid ­pattern, no zoning - Unevenly illuminated walls due to luminaires with unspecific, rotationally symmetric light distribution

Equipment: Downlights, HIT 150W Directional luminaires with flood ­distribution in the wall area, HIT 70W Number of luminaires: 223 Illuminances: Floor: 1750lx Merchandise: 1880lx Wall surface: non-uniform, up to 1000lx Connected load: 26.23kW (58.33W/m2)

Concept with efficient visual comfort Strategies: - Visual comfort: glare protection, reduction of illuminances - Light quality: perception-orientated design concept with specialised lighting tools - Wallwashing Detailed solutions: - Additional downlight grid, zoning - Uniform wall lighting with wallwashers, giving higher uniformity of lighting for a simultaneous reduction in the number of luminaires and connected load of 1/3 - Directional luminaires with display lenses for optimum presentation of goods for the lowest possible number of luminaires

Equipment: Downlights, Compact HIT 70W and 35W Compar wallwasher with Spherolit reflector, wallwash, HIT 70W Compar recessed spotlight with ­display lens, HIT 70W Number of luminaires: 198 Illuminances: Floor: 450lx Merchandise: 1300lx Wall surface: uniform 300lx Connected load: 13.51kW (30.02W/m2) Energy saving: 49%

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

27

Epicure Store, Brussels

Architect: Atelier d'Architecture Pierre Vanden Broeck, La Hulpe Photos: Dirk Vogel, Dortmund

It doesn’t always have to be chocolate. At Brussels Airport, pleasure-loving travellers can now also buy top wines, rare whiskies and cigars – in a cleverly illuminated ambience, which is both tasteful and modern.

There’s a joke going around the business lounges of the world that many airports these days are more like shopping malls with runways. With a 10-20% share in revenues, the retail activities certainly now make a substantial contribution to the sales of large airports – and all because travelling by plane means: waiting, waiting and more waiting. Consequently, the air-side shopping facilities, to use the technical term for the shops beyond the security checkpoint, are a welcome distraction. Most popular with passengers are high-quality products, preferably with a regional theme. That’s according to Belgian Sky Shops’ customer surveys at least.

The company massively extended its floor space at Pier A of Brussels Airport in 2008. Belgian specialities naturally include chocolate, of which over 850 tonnes were sold at Brussels Airport in 2007 – more than in any other single retail location in the world. However, the Belgians, renowned for their epicurean tastes, are also seen as competent connoisseurs of other luxury products too – which lends the necessary credence to the modern and refined appearance of the wine, whisky and cigar store named “Epicure”. On the specialist website “Moodie Report” (www.moodiereport.com), Marc Leemans, Com­mercial Manager of Belgian Sky Shops, praises the selection at his new flagship store, which culminates in a glass cabinet for rare and exclusive brands. “From a Pétrus 1879 and a Rothschild 1985 and 1990 to a Château d'Yquem 1986, 1998 and 1999. We don’t feature any bad years here,” explains Leemans, which he then immediately qualifies, “though of course in the rest of the store we feature other, very good wines starting at €25. This is all about personal service, tasting and experience.”

28 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

The whisky department: accent light from Cantax spotlights in a ceiling channel, augmented by the discreet effects of the integral lighting built into the shelving.

www.skyshops.be

For connoisseurs, Epicure keeps the best vintage wines and rarities in an air-conditioned, glass cabinet. Directional luminaires with low-voltage halogen lamps in the ­ceiling module create a carpet of light, empha­ sising the shelving in this enclosed area.

Efficient visual comfort: modern lighting technology, such as Spherolit reflectors and metal halide lamps, is combined with intelligent lighting design to keep energy consumption and running costs within limits.

Grazing light for the ashlar-look rear wall and brilliant frontal highlights for the fine wines: the intricate lighting uses two rows of spotlights to produce an aesthetically and functionally pleasing, high-quality appearance.

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

29

Victorinox flagship store, London

Architect: Retailpartners AG, Daniel Wettstein, Wetzikon (CH) Lighting designer: Neuco AG, Thomas Lack, Zurich Photos: Rudi Meisel, Berlin www.victorinox.ch

Everyone knows the penknife with the distinct Swiss cross on its characteristic red handle, and everyone can tell at least one story where the army knife has helped them out of a tricky situation. Whether it came to the rescue under the most extreme conditions on a mountain tour of the eight-thousand-metre peaks of the Himalayas or whether it saved lunch by opening a tin of beans on a camping trip, the stories about its uses are as varied as the knife itself. Furthermore, just as the knife’s range of functions have expanded in recent years with the constant addition of new tools, so too the product assortment of the Victorinox brand has also increased.

Founded in 1894, the knife manufacturer now offers all you need to survive in the urban jungle – from functional clothing, watches, luggage and perfume through to domestic and professional knives.

The brand logo gracing the facade of the corner building on London’s New Bond Street is clearly recognisable even from afar and conveys familiarity and reliability to the onlooker.

Although this is already the world’s fourth flag­ship store, it is the first of its kind in Europe.

Once inside, the shopper is able to discover the diverse world of Victorinox products which extends over several floors. Three floors are architecturally linked by a 10-meter high glass display column and by a stone facade which covers the entire height of the store and is scenically lit with grazing light. The brand experience is supported by a varied use of digital media, such as film, videos and computer touchscreens.

A particular highlight is the “Tool Finder” located on the store’s basement level. This is an interactive penknife configurator which allows the customers to become product designers by entering specific user requirements to configure their own penknife for any situation.

MP

Whereas the designers opted for track-mounted Cantax spotlights in the storefront, in the showrooms they selected Compar recessed spotlights for metal halide lamps mounted in ceiling channels. Their light ­provides a tidy, businesslike atmosphere and sets clear accents on the ­product presentation.

The grazing light from Grasshopper projectors invitingly lifts the facades of the historic corner building on New Bond Street out of their surroundings (above). The natural stone wall, scenically illuminated with Tesis Uplights, acts as an adjoining element linking the different floors (right).

The efficient and power­ful light heads of the Compar recessed spotlights can be quickly and flexibly aimed, allowing rapid adjustment to suit different situations.

30 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

31

Backlights

E

museum kunst palast, Düsseldorf ERCO LED spotlights were premiered at Düsseldorf’s “museum kunst palast”, where they presented priceless hand-drawn sketches from five centuries in the “Auf Papier” (On Paper) ­exhibition from the 30th of April to the 9th of August 2009. In the wing of the palace, the ­museum displayed works from Italian, ­German and Dutch artists from the 15th to the 20th centuries. These are extremely sensitive exhibits since the centuries-old pigments and materials, such as paper and parchment, are adverse to light, handling and humidity. Special conservational precautions were therefore taken in all areas right through to the lighting. Consequently, the new Optec LED spotlights now provide attractive lighting that is gentle on the exhibits. Their high-power LEDs in warm white produce a light that appears very natural and is free of harmful IR and UV components. The spotlights also provide long life for low energy consumption and can be individually dimmed using the integral potentiometers. www.museum-kunst-palast.de

Fortnum & Mason, London In the run-up to Christmas, the traditional department store Fortnum & Mason is resplendent in particularly festive finery. Original and lovingly made decorations make the store on Piccadilly a central attraction both for the locals and for the tourists who flock to the British capital to do their Christmas shopping. The flexible lighting with Optec spotlights for low-voltage halogen lamps can be quickly and easily adjusted to suit the seasonal requirements, ensuring that the Christmas decorations and gift ideas are shown in their best light.

Architect: Jestico & Whiles Architects, London Lighting designer: DPA Lighting Inc., Campbell Design, London www.fortnumandmason.com

Light Perspectives

between culture and technology

Light Perspectives between culture and technology The wide variety of modern lighting concepts – all in one publication. With the release of the reference book “Light Perspectives – between culture and technology” at the end of October, ERCO will be contributing to promoting communication and dialogue between designers and engineers, building owners and planners, professionals and laymen. What are the intrinsic qualities of light? How are the techniques and design approaches implemented in architecture? And, how are abstract concepts conveyed with the help of lighting qualities? These are all questions that the book answers. The 21 chapters – divided into the three sections Light, Space and Perspectives – cover the actual qual-

www.erco.com/light-perspectives

Each chapter is headed by an opposite pair of terms, such as “Light and dark", “Square and round” or “Static and dynamic", each exploring a new design dimension. A large-format photograph of a lighting application is presented by way of an introduction.

The illuminance for ­illustrations on paper and parchment usually has to be less than 50lx. Here, an ERCO ­lighting consultant uses a photometer to check the spotlight’s dimmer setting.

The didactic part of each chapter explains the subject area more comprehensively with regards to perception, lighting technology and lighting design. Texts, photos, diagrams and drawings are used in combination to optimally put across complex facts and concepts.

Warm and cold The twin terms “warm–cold” convey the perceived temperature of light and colour. Misunderstandings can arise because the scale used for colour temperature contradicts what common sense would suggest. Bluish daylight white has a higher colour temperature than reddish warm white.

However, with terms and definitions defined, adding contrasts in colour temperature proves to be a simple design concept in architectural lighting.

Brilliance and glare Perception Critical zones to avoid glare from luminaires or windows are easily calculated. Starting from the position of the observer, the reflection of the visual rays can be drawn on the diagram indicating the ceiling and wall surfaces where reflected light will cause glare.

Vertical visual tasks, such as those relating to glass display cabinets, require the surface behind the observer to be taken into consideration.

For horizontal visual tasks on shiny surfaces, luminaires in the ceiling area become critical because they can cause reflected glare.

Brilliance A source of light in the room, be it a point of light such as candle flame or a small halogen lamp, can be considered to be brilliant.

However, brilliance occurs on surfaces due to the reflection of the light source or, with transparent materials, due to the refraction of light.

Brilliance can be used to attract attention and intensify a lively ambience, especially because the high-contrast sparkle on surfaces seems to move as the observer moves around the room.

The layout of highlights on an object can reveal the form of edges and curves. Using brilliance effects to emphasise the shape and surface structure also enhances the value of objects. This aspect is highly relevant especially for show rooms or other prestigious areas.

However, if surfaces of low interest have high luminance or if reflections impair visibility, any highlights on them will then be seen as glare. When sunlight reflects on the water at the seafront, however, the resulting dance of sparkling light, like the brilliant sparkle on chandeliers, is appreciated. Conversely, reflections of light sources on glossy printed paper are disturbing even at considerably less intensity and are interpreted as glare.

Any luminaires or windows reflected in a screen produce high luminance levels.

The resulting glare reduces the legibility of information. Conversely, luminaires that are not in the critical zone will not cause any reflected glare.

Highlights on shiny surfaces add a brilliant lustre to glass, ceramics, paintwork and metal, enhancing the value of the objects. The more the highlights are reflected, the more dazzling the impression. Chandeliers with their lightrefracting crystals give the luminaire its brilliance.

When light hits a window pane, the rays are not split but, depending on the angle of incidence, are either reflected or transmitted. On a diamond, however, the light is incident on all facets and reflected and separated into the spectral colours as in a prism. On the surfaces, this not only results in

white sparkling light, as on a pane of glass, but the characteristic iridescence, as the colours of the rainbow start to dance when the diamond is turned.

Glare A characteristic of high-quality lighting design is the absence of glare or its reduction to a minimum. Because glare decreases our visual capability, it runs contrary to the quest for well-lit rooms and visual comfort.

The causes of glare can be physiological, such as when sunlight or any other light source interferes with the visual task and perception is impaired. Alternatively, psychological, as when there is a subjective disturbance in the field of vision due to distracting high luminance levels in the peripheral areas. In the case of this relative glare, the observer’s gaze is repeatedly drawn from the visual task towards the much brighter source. This presents an annoying distraction for the objects of perception, whether it is a computer screen or an object in a display case in a store.

The repeated change between the very different luminance levels stresses our visual system. At computer workstations, for instance, this will result in productivity dropping. High contrasts which are experienced when we look out of a window are invariably tolerated. This all goes to show that glare should not be considered in isolation from the point of view of information content.

A distinction is made between two forms of glare: direct glare and reflected glare. Both types can be causes of physiological or psychological glare. With direct glare, the disturbance is caused directly by the high luminance of the light source. The degree of glare in this case primarily depends on the luminance of the dazzling light source, and particularly its luminance contrast with respect to the visual task, how close it is to that task and how bright it is.

58

In the run-up towards Christmas last year, customers at Fortnum & Mason were greeted by this impressive display.

In 2009, Optec spotlights will again be placing the new and original decorations in the right light.

The concluding simulation section uses a virtual architectural situation, simulated in ­photographic quality, to present different variations in the lighting in respect of the previously explored paired terminology.

Reflected glare, by contrast, is that which is produced on reflective surfaces. Objects in glass display cabinets or information on computer screens can sometimes only be seen with difficulty because bright luminaires or windows are reflected on the glass surface and vision beyond the reflection is impaired. Reflected glare from luminaires can be avoided by them being suitably positioned.

Glare arises in various forms in everyday situations. Physiological glare is caused when direct light or reflection superimposes what appears to be a very brightly shining surface on top of the visual task, which impairs perception.

Psychological glare refers to the subjective disturbance when the view is distracted by high luminance levels in the peripheral area of the field of vision.

Reflective surfaces, in particular, can easily cause glare by reflecting daylight or lamps.

59

Architecture and theatre Lighting concepts Stage At night, the foyer is transformed into a black stage whose spatial borders almost completely disappear into the darkness. Only the exhibits are in the spotlight. The narrow beams of light reveal the shape clearly and produce brilliant reflections from the glossy surfaces. The glow of light at the end of the side wall adds spatial depth to the scenic display.

Architecture using daylight Daylight provides the foyer with ambient light, while added wallwashing optically enhances the room, making it look more spacious. Due to the uniform level of brightness on the walls and the floor, the room appears plain and neutral. In order to draw even more attention to the exhibits on the plinths and enhance their modelling effect, they are subtly accentuated using directed, narrow-beam light produced by spotlights.

Both architectural aspects and elements of stage lighting effects are frequently used in exhibitions. The foyer of a company headquarters provides a perfect illustration, simultaneously serving as a prestigious entrance and an area for exhibits. Textile cylinders are suspended from the roof beams to emphasise the individual plinths. Classical architectural lighting consisting of daylight and ambient lighting is the opposite of the dramatic lighting concepts used on the stage. Natural light enters the room through the glass roof. The luminaires for wallwashing, accent lighting and projection are mounted on the roof beams and on the circular rails from which the curtains are suspended.

White and coloured By accentuating the curtains, the high-contrast scene using white light is able to reveal the full height of the room. In comparison with the exclusive illumination of the round plinths that simply concentrates on the floor area, this lighting concept has a more all-embracing effect encompassing Highlighting the exhibition Concentrating the light on the exhibits on their plinths results in the room losing significance. The light on the curtains draws attention to the exhibition by using grazing light from spotlights to make the fabric opaque. The stripped light on the steps looks like an unrolled carpet and attracts the visitor towards the rear area. The soft glow of light in the background subtly indicates that the room continues in depth.

216

32 ERCO Lichtbericht 89

ities of light, the relationship between light and space and, finally, the dimension of light as it relates to culture and content.

The reference book “Light Perspectives – between culture and technology” will be avail­able via the on-line mail-order company ­Amazon and in selected specialist stores, priced 39 euros. A preview chapter is available for downloading from the following link:

the entire room. The illumination of the steps and the rear area uses light to establish continuity throughout the depth of the room. Coloured scenic lighting is restricted to the wall surfaces to ensure that the colour rendition of the exhibits remains unimpaired. The soft colour progression on the right wall enhances the overall perspective.

Lighting effects By projecting patterns of light, an independent motif is superimposed over the exhibition. The curved lines reinforce the circular theme of the curtains and create symbolic waves.

The patterns of light, which can be set in motion, draw attention to the lighting effects and create a play of brilliants. With this dominance of highly contrasting shapes of light, both the exhibits and the room itself recede into the background and by comparison are far less apparent.

Emphasising the room Lighting the walls alone draws the attention to the room and the peripheral surfaces. The darkened exhibits are played down and become secondary.

The contours of the objects can be recognised as a silhouette against the bright rear wall; however, no further details of the shapes are discernable.

217

ERCO Lichtbericht 89

33

All Star Lanes Boutique Bowling, Seen as working-class and staid Brick Lane, London for long enough, bowling – the leisure sport from the stereotypical Architect: Dan Evans, London American suburbs – has now been www.allstarlanes.co.uk re-invented as chic. As a pioneer of the new trend called “Boutique Bowling”, the London-based chain “All Star Lanes” presents a refresh­ ing mix of modern design and retro-elements, making bowling fashionable once again amongst

the capital’s younger generation.

At Brick Lane in the East End, Optec wallwashers and spotlights pro­ vide the bowling alleys with lively, ­brilliant light.

E

Lichtbericht 89

Shopping – with eyes wide open More and more consumers are see­ ing conscious shopping as a possi­ bility to exert influence. Likewise, store owners are equally conscious to design their retail concepts and environments such that the cus­ tomer demands for sustainability are combined with attractive aes­ thetics. Light with efficient visual

comfort is an integral part of this – as demonstrated by the National Geographic Store on London’s Oxford Street.

Published in December 2009

E

ERCO GmbH Postfach 2460 58505 Lüdenscheid Germany Tel.: +49 2351 551 0 Fax: +49 2351 551 300 info@erco.com www.erco.com