Located in the beautiful scenery of the Black Forest, Testo AG, one of the world's leading manufacturer of measurement instruments and systems, laid the foundation of its modern headquarters with the construction of the first of four planned buildings. Conveniently situated at the main road B31 between Titisee and Neustadt, the building with its striking façade of glass and natural stone designed by the Sacker Architects from Freiburg, blends in harmoniously with its surroundings.
CITY ELEMENTS set the scene effectively for the new site of Testo AG
At dark, the adjacent parking spaces are accentuated by high-quality CITY ELEMENTS illumination columns of Hess. With their visually attractive design they harmonise perfectly with the modern building and atmospherically set the scene for the outdoor installation.
© Hess
Custom lighting solution
CITY ELEMENTS meet all lighting requirements
The main focus of the lighting tasks was on the atmospheric, energy efficient and conforming to standards lighting of the parking area located directly in front of the office building without having glare effects. Lighting designer Bernhard Mahler from the planning office Stromlinie Lichtdesign in Constance has bundled these tasks in five multifunctional illumination columns of Hess. "Using CITY ELEMENTS we were able to cover the large parking area with only a few luminaires. Their restrained design turns them into functional and highly variable lighting tools that do not compete with the building, but are in line with it", says the expert.
"Using CITY ELEMENTS we were able to cover the large parking area with only a few luminaires. Their restrained design turns them into functional and highly variable lighting tools that do not compete with the building, but are in line with it"
Minimalist form - maximum functionality
The CITY ELEMENTS lighting system of Hess is characterised by individually combinable single elements, different diameters and variable heights from 4 to 9 meters. As a result, customised solutions for different lighting requirements can be realised. Further advantages offer their extremely energy-efficient operation.
High quality of stay
Islands of light provide a pleasant atmosphere
To cover the parking area in its entirety, the 6-metres high CITY ELEMENTS are fitted with three lateral light exits in the top and medium element. All light spots are oriented towards the parking spaces and can hardly be recognised from the parallel running main road.
To illuminate the surroundings the elements are equipped with narrow beam, asymmetric reflectors and energy efficient 35-watt metal halide lamps (HIT-CE). Additional LED spotlights in the medium element create large “islands of light” on the parking area.
The, at first glance, optically irregular looking light pattern is for Bernhard Mahler an important aesthetic design aspect in dealing with light. "A pleasant lighting atmosphere on the parking area was very important to us. The islands of light give the impression of being met by the light and of walking on an imaginary light carpet", explains the lighting designer his underlying considerations. The parking area receives thereby a very positive presence.
Safety and orientation
The safety of pedestrians also doesn’t go short, because the unusual lighting solution meets the requirements of the DIN standard 13201 for street lighting. Despite the differently illuminated zones along the parking spaces, the area is evenly lightened conforming to standards. The atmospheric lighting supports the orientation and ensures a strong sense of security for pedestrians.
Project information
- Town / Country
- Titisee-Neustadt, Germany
- Lighting design
- Stromlinie Lichtdesign Konstanz
www.stromlinie-lichtdesign.com - Builder
- Testo AG