Sock it to me: Plug & Light

We live in fast-changing times. Modern building design must take the most disparate users and their changing demands on a building’s spaces into account. Rooms must be simply and quickly alterable and the lighting design accordingly flexible.

Plug & Light introduces a true innovation to the lighting market. The open system can be versatilely used, virtually anywhere that lighting is employed in a flexible, design-oriented way. Special competencies came together in the development of the first plug-in light socket: the three mid-sized companies Insta, Gira and JUNG have bundled their expertise in the areas of electrical switches and sockets, lighting and building systems control and have set new standards with the Plug & Light system.

Here, Insta – the Plug & Light system developer – draws on decades of experience in the area of light and building control. Founded in 1905, Gira has advanced to become a recognised international leader in the full-range supply of intelligent solutions for building control systems. JUNG has stood for the masterful interplay of sophisticated design and innovative strength since 1912.

According to the developers at Insta, ‘what posed the biggest development challenge was creating a system that was future-proof and open to all technological trends, and that presented itself as completely “un-technical”.’ The German Design Awards jury agreed that the network achieved this brilliantly; it selected the system, freshly launched on the market, for its Special Award 2019. At its premiere at Light + Building 2018, Plug & Light additionally received the AIT Innovation Award Architecture + Technology.

Five lamp series that are compatible with this system are already available from BRUMBERG, the Sauerland-based specialist for premium lighting technology. BRUMBERG is thus the first Plug & Light partner, and the network is on the lookout for more. Gira’s stance: ‘The network makes the Plug & Light socket available to other manufacturers as an open interface. Counter to common proprietary technology practices, this is an example of successful cooperation and opening up. We want as many people as possible to use this interface.’ After all, the more partners there are, the greater the variety of designs and uses of the new system – meaning that everyone benefits.

© Architonic