Let there be light (in the office): Occhio

Without a doubt, lighting design for the modern office has to be flexible and individual. And since work processes and office configurations are changing ever faster, architects and interior designers need to shape this development. Potential changes, which may not occur for five or ten years, must be taken into account as early as the design phase. In addition, it’s crucial to respond to individual employees and make it possible for everyone to set up their workspace according to their own preferences, for example through height adjustment or lighting control.

Modern nomadism has become a matter of course in many modern offices – you become part of a new team, change areas of responsibility or get together for spontaneous or informal meetings wherever there’s space for it. The designer and founder of Occhio, Axel Meise, has followed all of these developments very closely and designed a large number of luminaires for ceilings, tables and floors, all of which are part of larger luminaire systems and can be used in very different spatial scenarios.

'Occhio', the Italian word for 'eye', was originally the name for one of the first luminaire systems that Meise developed around 20 years ago as an attractive, well-thought-out alternative to the great number of solutions flooding the lighting technology market. Still utilising halogen technology at that time, the system delivered consistent quality in design and light – traits that still characterise the system today. Of course, Meise and his team have continuously improved and expanded it into a comprehensive LED product portfolio.

The success of the Occhio lighting system – especially with architects, design-oriented lighting planners and private clients – contributed to the establishment of the company of the same name, which today is counted in the top tier when it comes to lighting solutions for customers with the highest demands. And no matter what is required – whether diffuse or directional light, warm or cool colour temperatures, uplights or downlights, – with luminaire series’ such as Mito, Mito linear, Sento or Più, the Munich-based manufacturer offers a suitable solution for every application, the design of which can complement very different overall design concepts – an important factor also and especially in the area of office lighting. Here it is important that luminaires enter into a meaningful dialogue with other office elements even when switched off, and that they interact to create a formally harmonious ambience.

With the Mito linear luminaire series, Occhio has once again succeeded in balancing elegant and restrained design with powerful lighting technology. The Mito terra free-standing luminaire, for example, looks like a minimalist sculpture in a room, but one that offers 'color tune' – a feature that enables individual changes in light colour, – integrated gesture control or ambient light control. Ease of use is a high priority at Occhio, a particularly decisive advantage in the office context. If employees can become their own lighting designers to a certain extent, this can add to their feeling of well-being in the office, and, put simply, make them feel good at work.

As an object, the Mito terra may be restrained, but this is not something that can be said of its light quality or functional power. As an optional, height-adjustable, free-standing luminaire, it can be adjusted to the height of the respective table in an instant, and offers the advantage of not taking up any space on the desk. The same naturally applies to the Mito volo pendant luminaire and the Mito alto ceiling luminaire, which are all available in different colours and materials, including warm metallic options, and which can be combined with one another thanks to their simple form and clear 'family character'.

In developing his system, three aspects were of particular importance to Axel Meise: 'Mito linear combines design quality, light quality and interaction with light in a comprehensive system – for a new dimension in lighting design'. For architects and interior designers entrusted with lighting design in offices, thinking in systems with consistent, formal and technical quality has a major advantage: a systematic, holistic approach leads to a uniform, formal design language in the office, which is a central goal for any designer.

One thing, in the end, is clear: with Occhio, the right lighting solutions for all office purposes can be achieved – and all with a clear and coherent aesthetic, whether with Mito linear or any other luminaire series.

© Architonic