The lights of home: Lampenwelt

‘Without light, there is no space,’ says Robert Wilson, and in his productions, he proves how right he is. The American theatre director and playwright, who studied architecture at Pratt Institute Brooklyn and painting in Paris, begins each new work with drawings of the lighting design. He creates moods, realities, extremes: his stages are not illuminated, rather they are filled with light and lighted details.

Now, our life may not be a stage, but in reality, too, our perception depends on light. Wilson even claims that light helps us to hear, see and smell better. In Feng Shui, the colour of light plays an important role, and studies show that even healing processes can be accelerated by biologically effective lighting design in rehabilitation centres.

Light poses a special challenge in architecture, especially in small spaces like the coodo mobile living modules. Theses stylish mini-houses have a cool design, they are modularly expandable, they are easy to transport, they are well-insulated and have high-quality glazing, there is electricity, heating and cooling systems, and, if desired, a kitchenette and bathroom. In short: minimalist living at the highest level.

In order to enliven their functionally well-thought-out interiors even further with a sophisticated lighting concept, the Brandenburg-based manufacturing company LTG Lofts to go commissioned the lighting planners from Lampenwelt and, in Stefan Krysztofinski, got the ideal project manager into the bargain. A qualified carpenter, Krysztofinski designed furnishing concepts for hotels before more recently working as a lighting and implementation planner for the interior design of modern office spaces.

Krysztofinski takes a holistic approach, utilising both his practical and theoretical skills. He sees light as the clock in people's lives: ‘This must also be taken into account when designing artificial lighting in rooms,’ he says. For coodo, this is the optimal way to plan. After all, the basic idea behind these chic residential units is to connect them to nature. Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling panoramic window front, the transition from natural to artificial light sources is a fluid one.

‘For coodo, in addition to the lighting effect, it's about curating an ensemble of luminaires to fit the modern style of the units,’ explains Krysztofinski. The confusion of the lamp market prompted Lampenwelt to found its own light planning service five years ago in order to assist interior designers and planners with the time-consuming task of finding suitable light colours and models – leaving them more time for making other creative decisions.

As part of the Luqom Group and Europe's largest online specialist market – with 17 international shops – Lampenwelt has know-how, design awareness and an overview of what countless manufacturers have to offer. The light planning division of the company, meanwhile, has contributed to the comfortable atmospheres enjoyed in various branches of Coffee Fellows and Areas, supported firms such as Haworth and RhönEnergie Fulda with creating their lighting concepts, as well as advising on projects large and small Europe-wide – from large exhibitions to smaller, private lighting projects.

Lighting design by Lampenwelt begins in the design phase of a project and covers all services from conception to installation. Krysztofinski came up with three very different concepts for the coodo modules that offer the client a clear picture of the different possibilities for staging interiors in the right way. The concepts consisted not only of different styles, but also offered a range of different budget options: as in any other part of a project, this is a factor not be underestimated any less when it comes to light planning.

The first design concept presented was titled ‘The Home Spot’ and was based on an even distribution of round recessed spots like Molto Luce's Dark Nights to create a homely atmosphere. Additionally installed LED light profiles in the furniture set pleasant light accents and allowed zoning together with the spots, while the After 8 pendant luminaire above the dining table, also by Molto Luce, complements the concept.

Inspired by the futuristic design of the coodo modules themselves, the second option ‘The Space Line’ was a kind of homage to Stanley Kubrick's ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’. with Ride R from Molto Luce in the leading role. A recessed wall-ceiling luminaire made of an extruded aluminium profile, it presented a uniform light pattern when precisely positioned. With the appropriate controls, it created atmospheric lighting situations – from cosy lounge to radiant space station.

In the end, though, the client was so convinced by Krysztofinski’s ‘The Recessed & the Pendant’concept that they immediately commissioned its implementation: through a variety of luminaires from the Molto Luce range – with different photometric properties and lighting characteristics – an exciting and, at the same time, coherent overall picture was created. Standout elements offered with this option were the Trigga Loon Mini and Ride Ring suspended luminaires.

This new lighting concept allows the coodos to be optimally presented, making their interiors equally as impressive as their futuristic exteriors. The LTG Lofts to go team says that brands like Lampenwelt make the coodo world even more beautiful. ‘The close relationship between LTG Lofts to go and Lampenwelt is based on the common goal of launching a new kind of product, one that excites, inspires and brings people together – a bit like fireworks.’

© Architonic