“With our lighting design, we always put ourselves at the service of architecture and the architect’s design intent”, explains Prof. Andreas Schulz, founder and owner of LichtKunstLicht, of his office’s work methodology. This respectful and analytical approach to the architectural design and already existing built environments forms a sound foundation for aesthetic, functional and technically sophisticated lighting concepts. Expert juries of international lighting design competitions were convinced, as the realization of these concepts have already led to nine LichtKunstLicht projects receiving prestigious awards.
The office had the pleasure of receiving awards in three internationally renowned competitions: the IALD International Lighting Design Awards (International Association of Lighting Designers), the GE Edison Awards (General Electric), and the AZ Awards for Design Excellence (Azure Magazine). Further recognition was received domestically at the DeutscherLichtdesignPreis, (German Lighting Design Awards) with awards for several individual projects and the prestigious distinction of “Lighting Design Office of the Year.
What is it that they are doing right? One cannot help but ask this in response to such a shower of recognitions. When analyzing the winning projects, it’s clear that all show a remarkably close relationship between light and architecture. Uneccesary, ostensive luminaires are nowhere to be found.Consequently, all light sources at the Drachenfels restaurant near Königswinter are concealed within perforated ceiling coffers. At the subway station Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz in Leipzig, they have been located entirely behind glazed wall and ceiling surfaces, or – similar to the LWL Museum in Munster – they transform into a ceiling integrated luminous frame. In other projects, the light traces the contours and surfaces of the built environment. A good example of this approach is seen in one of the awarded projects, the Ministry of the Interior of Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart, where framing light channels outline the courtyard galleries.
To achieve this integral design approach, it is of eminent importance that the dialogue between architect and lighting designer starts as early as possible. This is not only important for optimal integration of artificial light, but also drives a conscious discussion on the daylight strategy ;LichtKunstLicht considers electric illumination and daylight design as equally important disciplines. One result of this design approach is the Ahrenshoop Museum of Art, winner of four separate design awards. In cooperation with the architects, the small museum on the Baltic coast has been designed as a succession of spaces predominantly illuminated with daylight, coupled with a synchronized, supporting electric lighting system.
In order to ensure that successful projects emerge from such a design process, an integral planning approach alone will not suffice. An interdisciplinary architectural understanding and a combination of creativity and technical competence are essential requirements. LichtKunstLicht has the necessary expertise and experience to harness both the design possibilities and technical requirements of new light sources, such as LED and OLED, within complex lighting control systems to utilize their full potential for the task at hand.
The interdisciplinary team at LichtKunstLicht, consisting of 26 staff members, proficiently master the design tools required to realize attractive, comfortable, and efficient solutions. “I am incredibly proud to have the opportunity to reach for the stars with such a great team for over two decades” underlines Prof. Andreas Schulz in light of the office’s award distinctions. Simultaneously, he never loses sight of the future. “We are delighted to have the privilege of working on such exciting projects. One of them, for example, is the lighting design for the new National Museum of Qatar, designed by Jean Nouvel.”
Overview of Awards:
DeutscherLichtdesign-Preis (German Lighting Design Awards, www.lichtdesign-preis.de) - 2015 Lighting Design Office of the Year - 2015 Hospitality Award for the project Restaurant Drachenfelsplateau, Königswinter, Germany - 2015 Transit Buildings Award for the project Subway Station Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz Leipzig, Germany - 2015 Jury Award - Daylight for the project Ahrenshoop Museum of Art, Ahrenshoop, Germany
IALD International Lighting Design Awards (www.iald.org/about/awards/award.asp?year=2015) - 2015 Award of Merit for the project Ahrenshoop Museum of Art, Ahrenshoop, Germany
GE Edison Awards (www.gelighting.com/LightingWeb/na/resources/edison-awards/ge-edison-award) - 2015 Award of Excellence for the project LWL-Museum for Art and Culture, Munster, Germany - 2015 Award of Merit for the project Ministry of the Interior Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, Germany - 2015 Award of Merit for the project Ahrenshoop Museum of Art, Ahrenshoop, Germany
AZ Awards for Design Excellence of the Canadian architecture and design magazine Azure (http://awards.azuremagazine.com/winners-finalists/2015-2) - 2015 Award of Merit and winner of People’s Choice Award in the category Lighting Installations for the project LWL-Museum of Art and Culture, Munster, Germany - 2015 Jury Award in the category Lighting Installations for the project Ahrenshoop Museum of Art, Ahrenshoop, Germany
