Seamless blend of architecture and light

November-December 2007 52Lighting India

Facade lighting

Seamless blend ofarchitecture and lightTransparency, openness and flexibility in modern buildings

have taken a step further towards light and luminescence in

defining the architectural philosophy of present times.

Lighting design maximizes flexibility, preserves Merck's

intimate scale.Lit buildings and dark landscapes create a

magical and changing boundary for the public realm. Merck-

Serono, the biggest and the best Biotech Company in the

world had a vision about its products and how the company

interacts within and with the public. Nothing what Serono

does reflects convention. Its building therefore was to have

the same spirit of innovation and renewal to match the minds

of Serono with their future surroundings.

- Amardeep Dugar

From Paxton's Crystal Palace for theGreat Exhibition in London acentury ago to the present day,

glass and steel are a favouritecombination of materials in modernarchitecture. Transparency, opennessand flexibility in modern buildings havetaken a step further towards light andluminescence in defining thearchitectural philosophy of presenttimes. But the real challenge inarchitecture is to blend modernstructures with existing, old and classicalbuildings. Such seamless blend ofbuildings can pose serious challenges forthe lighting designer as transparencyand openness should accommodateopacity and solidity in a manner that ispleasing to the users.

In the technology-conscious worldwe live in, it is the architects andengineers who push the limits of glazing

The city block atnight: Seamless

blend of classicaland modern

facades withlighting

Photo: Rainer Viertelbock

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technology to the unbelievable.Murphy/Jahn is one such uniquearchitectural firm who havediscovered how to createarchitecture that is experientiallyrich, complete, ever changing.According to Helmut Jahn,"Perfection is achieved not whennothing is to be added, but whennothing can be taken away." Thisshows that their architectural worktoday is more evolutionary thanrevolutionary. Progress isincremental, advancing fromproject to project, as new technicalideas are tested. For Helmut Jahn,transparency and lightness areconceptual and intellectual ideasthat can be realised with newmaterials. He strives forarchitecture of clarity and order;

he wants his buildings to becomprehensible and rational. Forthese purposes, glass is thematerial of his choice. It allowsspaces to be layered, to be read asoverlapping realms that slide pasteach other. However, thisphilosophy and use of materialstook a different turn in the designof the Merck-Serono building inGeneva/Switzerland.

Merck-Serono, the biggest andthe best Biotech Company in theworld had a vision about itsproducts and how the companyinteracts within and with thepublic. Nothing what Serono doesreflects convention. Its buildingtherefore was to have the samespirit of innovation and renewal to

match the minds of Serono withtheir future surroundings.Murphy/Jahn Architects,Chicago/USA and L-Plan Lighting

At its full built out in the

50's the site had a strong,

block-like character,

consisting of large-scale

simple industrial

buildings with a dense

urban character.

The main street: A centralorganizing element illuminated

with façade lighting

Photo:Rainer Viertelböck


Old and new facades:Opaque and transparentfragments unified by light


Design, Berlin/Germany had theirtask laid out in transforming thesegoals into a building, which reflects,better yet, exceeds these desires.

The site was difficult andchallenging and thus offered a greatopportunity. Its history goes back to1892, linked to the emergence ofelectricity in Geneva. At its full builtout in the 50's the site had a strong,block-like character, consisting oflarge-scale simple industrial buildingswith a dense urban character. Thehistoric buildings which had to bekept and incorporated, and the outparcels which complete the block,dictated a building fabric whichresponds to those conditions, yetestablishes its own identity andcontinuity throughout the site.

The result is not a building, but acity-block of a series of existing andnew structures with space, covered or

open, flowing between them. The"Mainstreet" becomes the centralorganizing element and interchangewith the public and links with theinternal and more private areas of theHeadquarters and the World ResearchCenter. Along its perimeterboundaries the building is seen neveras a whole but in fragments. Opaqueand transparent fragments of thebuilding are unified by light,projecting a consistent image ofstrong yet soft, solid yet airy. Thefaçade lighting seamlessly blends the

Lit buildings and dark

landscapes create a magical

and changing boundary for

the public realm.


The curving glass screen ofthe new building:

Glass architecture = Light architecture

Photo: Rainer Viertelböck


historical brick-mortar buildings withthe new glass-steel structurestransforming the city-block into abeacon in the urban nightscape. Theopacity of the columns and arches ofthe old building highlighted withinground fixtures equipped withmetal halide lamps superlativelycomplements the transparentluminous new building illuminatedfrom within.

Equally important is thelandscaping. Every court is halfgarden and half linear plaza. Talltrees in the gardens can also be seenfrom the higher levels. Within thisrigor of the plan, the courts in the"Mainstreet", the Headquarters or theDaycare create the appropriateenvironment. Around the complex,street trees or loose grooves of treesmake the transition to the city fabric.Lit buildings and dark landscapescreate a magical and changing

boundary for the public realm.Integration of linear lighting with therailings of exterior staircases, anddownlights with the curving steelstructure serves the dual purpose ofproviding illumination for the definedareas and underscoring thearchitectural elements. Luminousfurniture in the internal courts alsodraws users' attention.

Glass and steel providetransparency to the new building,transforming functional office lightinginto façade lighting. The flat, direct-indirect luminaire design equippedwith special acrylic prism-structureand dimmers allows users to controlthe directionality and brightness of theT5 lamps for the task area. Systematicpower-supply units integrated into theconcrete ceiling provide layoutflexibility. The warm and cool colourtemperatures delineate the differentfunctions in the spaces.


The lighting concept is definedby requirements of one space withmany different functions andspatial qualities. A singulardownlight type with differentlight distributions and lamp types(metal halide and halogen lamps)facilitates this complex space withdifferent room heights. Functionalgrouping, independent switchingand dimming control ofluminaries (for the halogen lamps)fulfil the different lightingrequirements of the office,conference and lounge areas.

Halls and bridges connectingfunctional areas are pleasantjourneys in light andcomprehension, easing andfacilitating movements. Linearlight-lines equipped with high-efficacy T5 lamps, highlight theconnective role of the bridges byguiding people inside thebuilding. Custom-made cable

The open courts and landscapedelement lit with lightingintegrated to the structurePhoto:Rainer Viertelbock

Office lighting: Flexibility, Form &Function become the"Three F's of lighting"

The conference hall

CEO office: Complex spatial requirements

are fulfilled with multi-faceted lighting

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channels incorporated into thefixture system, serve cablingoptions for other technicalequipments as well. Need-basedlighting - downlights for thelounge and linear light for thebridges - leads to a minimalist andenergy-efficient design.

Downlights with adjustablereflectors in the restaurants servetwo distinct functions: providegeneral illumination and accentlighting spots to create interplay oflight and shadows on the floor.Decorative pendants provide'suspended brilliance' to the diners.This triple role of lighting providesa 'three-course' lighting menu.

The character and shape of theluminaires in the old buildings isdefined by the industrial look ofthe structure. The industrialpendants in the halls providedirect lighting and the wall-mounted up-down luminairesprovide direct-indirect lightingthat also illuminates the roofstructure. All components can be

The restaurant:A 'Three-course' lightingmenu with adjustable

downlights and pendantsPhoto:Rainer Viertelbock

Need-based minimallighting in the walkwaysand lounges: "Less lightingis more"



individually switched anddimmed.

The flat direct-indirectluminaires in the office areas of theold buildings are clinicallyjuxtaposed with steel girders,providing task lighting withoutbeing too conspicuous. Thus, theunifying concept of direct-indirectlighting is carried out in the newand old buildings in manner thatrespects both architectural styles.The industrial pendants in thelibrary building further add to theold character of the steel columnsand girders besides providing

sufficient illumination.

The ultimate goal of lighting isto create a pleasant andcomfortable work place for itsusers. Use of glass as a buildingmaterial in association withexisting buildings gives efficient,ecological and aestheticopportunities for transparency,reflection, opacity and refraction.Transparency allows for minimalform and aesthetics of constructionto blend with the opaque and solidhistorical built mass.

The transparent and opaque

buildings develop a dualluminescent quality of glowingfrom within and reflection of light.In the urban environment lightbrings out the poetic essence of thedesign after dark. Intelligentdaylight and user-controlledelectric lighting design results in ahigh-tech - low-energyconsumption building.

As I was personally involved inthe design of this project, there areseveral important didactic aspectsabout this project with respect tomy personal growth as anarchitectural lighting designer and



Facade lighting

the current Indian real estatescenario in general. Firstly, thearchitecture itself is commendablebecause the building fabricweaves modern elements withhistoric built masses, thereforerespecting history and redefiningthe term 'hi-tech.' This is an aspectwhich architects and designers inIndia should respect whiledesigning new buildings or in therestoration of old ones.

Secondly, the lighting designerswere brought into the project at itsinitial stage, which influenced thearchitectural design in such a wayso as to incorporate a lightingsystem that was both aestheticallypleasing and economical.

It is often observed in Indiathat the lighting designer is calledfor often mid-way or at the end ofthe project for a final 'touch-upjob' which is detrimental both tothe lighting designer and theproject. This undermines the truepotential of the lighting designerin terms of his/her contribution tothe project because it reaches astage when minimal or no changescan be incorporated.

And finally it is worthwhilenoting that all the luminaires andlighting elements used in thisproject are completely in sync withthe architectural style of the old andnew structure. With the growinglighting market in India, designersare often tempted to focus on the'trendy' fixtures which tend to beoutlandish in relationship to thearchitecture and site.

A lighting designer should have a seamless blend of designthinking that is sensuous as wellas sensible!

Amardeep M Dugar is a freelance architectural lightingdesigner cum writer based in Chennai. He is a member of theResearch Workgroup sponsored by the Professional Lighting

Designers Association (PLDA) based in Germany. He haslectured at the University of Wismar in Germany for the

Master of Arts course in architectural lighting design. Furtherto this, he has worked for several international publications

and done award-winning projects.

Project Team:

Client:Merck-Serono Geneva /Switzerland

Architects: Murphy/Jahn Architects Chicago/USA

Lighting Design: L-Plan Lighting Design, Berlin/Germany

Lighting Designers: Michael F. Rohde, Dorit Anderle, Karolina M. Zielinska,

Amardeep M. Dugar & Phattara Zranujit

Photographers: Rainer Viertelböck & Herbert Cybulska

Photo Courtesy: Murphy/Jahn Architects and L-Plan Lighting Design �


Seamless blend of architecture and light

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