Pure light for special requirements at Knoll

The lighting solution for their headquarters in Bad Saulgau is as innovative as Knoll Maschinenbau GmbH themselves. The STREAM TABLE luminaires by Regent Lighting remain largely invisible while perfectly illuminating both desks and rooms. The purist luminaire concept harmonises with the minimalism that characterises the elegant design of the new buildings.

The new six-storey Knoll office tower "K1" and the adjacent three-storey administration building "K2" are representative for the strengths of the successful, independent family business. Knoll develops, produces, and sells machines and systems for a wide range of industries. Now, the largest employer in the Upper Swabian town of Bad Saulgau sets an example for innovation and sustainability with architecture, used materials and building technology. "We custom-designed, developed and implemented almost everything down to the last detail for the task set by the Knoll management. All with the highest standards of design, functionality and craftsmanship: from deep black through-coloured concrete elements for the elegant façades, which were developed with a local building contractor, to specially manufactured door fittings," explains the responsible building project manager Romeo Hutter from Baumschlager Hutter Partners in Heerbrugg, Switzerland.

"Originally, freestanding luminaires were planned for the lighting of open-plan offices, but for aesthetic reasons, we were looking for a purist solution without stands," explains Hutter. So, the choice fell on STREAM TABLE, which stands directly on the desks and remains largely invisible behind the computer screens. The decisive input came from Jürgen Marx, the managing director of the Vitra Store in Munich, who provided the high-quality office furniture. Marx had discovered a prototype of the new STREAM TABLE by Regent Lighting at Light & Building. "Because it is so compact and ready for immediate use, I carried a sample with me in a sports bag and was able to demonstrate the unique uplight," Marx says. In addition to a sampling, the enthusiastic architects created a visualisation with realistic renderings and thus convinced the clients.

STREAM TABLE is a revolution in office lighting because it shines all its light onto the ceiling, which then spreads through the room by reflection and perfectly illuminates the workplaces. This 100 % indirect lighting combines maximum visual comfort with a pleasant atmosphere. "The light at the desks is glare-free and we guarantee that it meets all standard requirements for office suitability," explains Oliver Bachner, the responsible Sales Manager and Deputy Managing Director at Regent Lighting Germany.

The luminaires are integrated into the building techonolgy with a BUS system. Energy-efficient daylight control is provided through DALI. The employees can also regulate the brightness of their working light themselves; however, most workplaces for two people share one STREAM. Dimming is done via DALI with an operating module in a pull-out chemist's cabinet at the desk. In addition, it is possible to intervene via the higher-level lighting control system. The necessary specifications of STREAM were defined by the project team together with the responsible department of Regent Lighting.

Thanks to powerful LEDs, STREAM can deliver the high radiance required at Knoll. The metal acoustic panels with heating/cooling function mounted on the ceilings consist of slats through which part of the light is lost. Therefore, a version of STREAM with correspondingly more light power was chosen. From an architectural point of view, the play of light on the ceiling is also remarkable: "The light beams accentuate the ceiling and create a feeling of spaciousness," Romeo Hutter is pleased to say.