» The dynamic daylight
flits through the room like
a fairy. But we succeeded
in capturing it.«
An interview with Helen Neumann
Ms. Neumann, as the Head of Lighting Design of Occhio,
you helped design and carry out the remodeling project at the Alter Hof
from the start. What made this project so special?
Helen Neumann The sublime, sophisticated architecture is brought to life by an
extremely large number of façade openings. In the open office area, sloped glass
panels provide amazing views of Munich as well. You can see the Cathedral
Church of Our Lady and can observe the towers from amazing perspectives.
The architecture is defined by these many beautiful glass areas. For the lighting
design, this requires you to harmonize the daylight that is pouring in from
everywhere with artificial light. The lively, high rooms have few reflective areas
that you can use to direct the light back into the room. Daylight is dynamic, and
in the Alter Hof it flits through the room like a fairy. Creating focused work
light here proved to be an exciting challenge for us lighting designers. But we
succeeded in capturing the fairy and creating a type of magical symbiosis
between the architecture and lighting.
What approach did you take?
Helen Neumann We took an exciting journey together with the interior designers
and the owners. We all moved forward with great care. And we had to abandon
the standard in the process, such as with the mountings for our Mito sospeso
suspended luminaires in the conference rooms. In this case, we turned to the
glass slopes and mounted the luminaires with a specially made metal clip in such
a way that they can still hang straight on the sloped areas. They look as though
they’re floating in the room. If, in the end, it looks as though someone simply
tossed the luminaires into place, then the idea has worked perfectly – the light-
ness of appearance. It does not spoil the effect of the architecture in any way.
Rather, it appears light and transparent thanks to the glass façades.
We each perceive light differently. What light-control options
did you create in the Alter Hof?
Helen Neumann You can control the light with DALI or our Occhio air app.
DALI sets the general lighting in accordance to a certain time cycle, on which the
Occhio spotlights operate. We programmed a range of light scenarios after
having detailed discussions in which employees here in the Alter Hof talked
about their wishes and needs. Every workstation is of course equipped with
its own individual light solution. We used our Mito terra 3d floor luminaire here.
It is disconnected from the DALI system and can be operated individually with
Occhio air or gesture control. The Mito sospeso luminaires in the conference
rooms are also controlled with Occhio air.
» We have created a
magical symbiosis between
architecture and lighting.«
Helen Neumann
is the Head of Lighting Design at Occhio.
She or her team can be consulted as early
as the planning phase of new buildings
when necessary.
Helen Neumann
Head of Lighting Design – Occhio
Alter Hof Munich
57
