d]arc awards Winners

Put to the Task

darc takes a look at some of the latest workspace lighting projects and top products suitable for the office environment.

Secto Design Head Office Kauniainen, Helsinki

On the outskirts of Helsinki, in the small town of Kauniainen lies the head office of Secto Design. The office building is of huge significance to the journey and development of Secto Design. It was here that Tuula Jusélius, the founder and Seppo Koho, the designer of all Secto Design light fixtures, met for the very first time in 1995. Back then, the building was Jusélius’ private family home that has since had a major renovation to turn it into what it is today, a unique, fully functional office and showroom. From the outside, it still looks like a family home, situated right next to nature with woodland areas all around. Employees can enjoy their breaks outside in the garden or take a walk on one of the many small paths in woodland areas right outside. However, as soon as you open the front door you are greeted with a rhythmic group of Kuulto ceiling lamps that look stunning against beautiful wooden knot-free panels. The rest of the hall is decorated in linen textile paneling and cupboards that match the ceiling. From there one can partially see the beginning of the display of the entire Secto Design collection. The office is not only a space for the employees to do their work, it is also the company’s showroom in Finland. The entire collection is presented on the lower level. The office rooms and workstations are equipped with selected models to fulfill the lighting requirements in the space. Each desk carries one or two Owalo table lamps that can be easily turned to direct the light as needed. The Owalo collection is further presented in the kitchen, with two Owalo pendants above the kitchen island. In the conference room next to the kitchen, a vintage Alvar Aalto table is placed with three Attos fixtures hanging in a straight row above it. The Atto model works perfectly in conference rooms as it emits more light than many of the other models while still adding to the ambiance of the room. In the winter the office, being a former family house, can easily become a cozy, relaxing space to work with sofas surrounding the fireplace on the upper landing. Among the sofas lie a couple of wooden chairs from some of the very first products of Secto Design that were made back in the 90’s before the company chose to focus solely on lighting. As a tribute to the birth of Secto Design this common space is only equipped with models from the original Secto series. These can be seen hanging from the ceiling, the walls, and the floors. The high wooden ceilings create an airy atmosphere, filling the upper level with a feeling of grandeur. Perched above the stairs, one of the more recent models, Kontro, hang in a cluster, adding ambiance to the room with the warm subtle light flooding through the iconic wooden slats. The company’s principles of ecology shine through the choice and style of design in the office with natural materials dominating the spaces and a well-designed lighting scheme enhancing the natural light that floods in through the large windows. www.sectodesign.fi

The Baelen Group Paris, France

To illuminate the Baelen Group office meeting rooms, Designheure was commissioned by Camille Guillotin, from the turnkey office development agency Kubik, to create a series of three Eau de Lumière chandeliers. Each of which reflect the bold contemporary touch to the spaces as well as meeting the project’s fast turnaround time. As part of its development, The Baelen Group, a renowned investment holding company, took on the lease of an independent building located in one of the most beautiful areas of Western Paris. Throughout the course of this renovation, Kubik has brought this private mansion in the 16th Arrondissement, up-todate by adding a touch of modern decoration throughout all of the office’s spaces. Within five weeks, the renovation was completed in terms of the flooring, wall coverings, fittings, lighting and electrical services. Within each of the meeting rooms and office spaces, the different ceiling heights were considered and the chandeliers were customised in order to suit the layouts. The collection Eau de Lumière by Designheure was chosen thanks to the modern, graphic style with a variety of different lampshade forms. For the main office meeting room, the Chandelier 4 Grand Carré Eau de Lumière was proposed in a customised oval layout to suit the elongated meeting table below. Each of the four large square lampshades were orientated in terms of their position to spread light evenly throughout the length of the table and apply a graphic and dynamic viewpoint from all positions around the meeting room. This chandelier was created in custom finishes as well; with a black textile outer and a satin gold interior, with tinted wood panelling at the bottom of the lampshades. The composition provides a striking yet warm touch within the room. These finishes are then continued throughout the other two chandeliers in the adjacent office spaces. Whilst the forms of the shades differ throughout these chandeliers, the aesthetic is continued, which can be appreciated as an ensemble when the meeting room doors are opened between the spaces and the chandeliers can be seen to be aligned along the same axis across the ceiling. To suit the adjacent office spaces and meeting rooms the Chandelier 4 Moyen Rectangle Eau de Lumière was customised in a larger height emphasising further the great volumes within these spaces. The rectangular formed lampshades reflect and draw the viewers eye around the various architectural features in the room as well. The Eau de Lumière collection is available with different lampshade sizes and forms. Each lampshade has a metal internal structure that is enhanced with an outer fabric finish, housing an integrated LED system inside. The decorative paneling within the lampshade is available in both a wooden or a Carrara marble finish. Working with the designer David Oppizzi, the Eau de Lumière collection takes its inspiration from the world of luxury perfume. From a sculptural aspect, the form was to symbolise the iconic shape of the perfume bottle, the extraction of an essence and playing with volumes that reflect light. In compliance with the DNA of Designheure, each collection also offers infinite possibilities of colour customisations, providing clients the opportunity to sculpt their interiors even further. www.designheure.com Images: Jared Chulski Photography

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