NEWS


09.02.2024

Light painting technique

Have you ever thought about the technique of light painting? Is it possible? And how do they do that? To find out, don’t miss the opportunity to attend the “Light Line” workshop with engineer Ruairi O’Brien, a workshop that combines Arabic calligraphy and light painting. Ruairi O’Brien is an architect, lighting designer, artist and teacher. He is an associate professor and head of the Department of Architecture and Visual Design at the German University in Cairo and founder and director of the Eric Castner Museum in Dresden, Germany. He has exhibited his artwork, lighting projects and architectural works internationally in several cities including Cairo, Berlin, London, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Dresden and Washington.

Tharandt

Tharandt

The House of Sustainability is an architectural study as the result of a multi-stage participatory planning process for the future use/development of a central area in the center of the forestry town of Tharandt. In the past, the German House (host cities, cultural hall, cinema) was located on this area. With the demolition of the former Deutsches Haus hotel and inn in 2014, a central inner-city fallow or empty area was created. The design presented here (tree house / house of sustainability) is the result of a feasibility study on the district development of the central inner-city location in the forestry town of Tharandt from 2014. The House of Sustainability design for Tharandt reflects the genius loci of the forestry town of Tharandt, brings together modern hi-tech and original nature and creates a symbiosis of city and natural landscape in dialogue with the traditional architecture of the surrounding area (church, castle, town hall). The glass facade creates transparency and draws attention into the interior. There is a large space there for trees and plants that need special protection in our climatic conditions or their own climate. In this way, the building also creates a link to the forest botanical garden, which can be expanded with the tree house/house of sustainability to include plants and plants from other latitudes on earth.

Lighting concept for the city center of Bad Vilbel

Lighting concept for the city center of Bad Vilbel

Current completion of the lighting concept

The well-known mineral water town of BAD VILBEL is getting a lighting concept for its city center. The development of the content has been completed and a first rough version has now been handed over to the city administration. Final completion is planned for the end of the year and the concept will be officially presented at the beginning of the new year.

The Handbook serves as an important tool to engage citizens, business owners, investors and city representatives in the decision-making processes necessary to ensure a future “people and nature” friendly, innovative and sustainable lighting strategy for its unique historic city center and riverfront .

The city of BAD VILBEL is located in the south of the state of Hesse, in the immediate vicinity of the metropolis of Frankfurt am Main and is known for its mineral water springs. With the concept, which was implemented as part of the nationwide “Living Centers” program in Germany, the historic city receives an attractive, innovative and sustainable lighting concept to improve the evening ambience.

Contents:

    Staging the historical building structure in the appropriate architectural lighting scenarios.

    Improving citizens’ sense of security at night.

    Development of a light guidance system inspired by the unique motif of the city’s natural spring water.

    Development of identity-related “City Light Art” scenarios for the riverfront.

The lighting concept for Bad Vilbel is the seventh lighting master plan that we have developed for a city, a city district or a local center in recent years.

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House of architects, Dresden

House of Architects, Dresden

Facade lighting for the Saxony Chamber of Architects

For the House of Architects in Dresden, headquarters of the Saxony Chamber of Architects, Ruairí O`Brien developed appropriate and sophisticated permanent architectural lighting that incorporates architectural elements on the building. The row of trees in front of the building shines in a warm white light, the vertical elements of the façade are illuminated with a discreet cool light, and can also be illuminated in colour for special occasions.

Re-Thinking Bismarck

Artistic-dicactic concept Re-Thinking Bismarck Reflections on Light and Shadow of History

The artistic-dicactic concept is an expression of an immersive culture of remembrance that stimulates a productive, critical discourse on various levels about the effect of the colonial-nationalist-ethnically charged Bismarck monument. The spatial light/shadow sculpture intertwines historical past with sensory present, marks relational interdependencies, and engages visitor:s in an immediate, low-threshold way through interaction with solar geometry.
Light and Shadow – Reflection, Change, Time. The object forms an overarching physical and artistic-philosophical roof for the mediation work taking place on site and the examination of Bismarck’s work, the historical context and the history of reception to date.
The urban planning dimensioning takes up the significance of the theme and the scale of the area as well as the location (monument object and park area) in order to create visibility and contextual connection. The object creates a long-distance and close-up effect and breaks with conventional expectations. The design language and surprising positioning trigger attention through irritation, thus questioning the massive presence and emotional impact of the monument.
The light/shadow object forms a roof and creates a microclimatic, sensually and cognitively stimulating space for diverse individual and communal, for analog, media and digital interventions, reflections and activities.
When viewed up close, the object forms an immersive time-space-light-human mesh that offers multi-layered levels of immersion and, through interaction with solar geometry, constantly tells of new things and allows new discoveries to be made.
A simple and large element whose roof, surface, pane blocks the incidence of sunlight and creates a walkable, playable space. This microclimatic space is darkened, colder than the surroundings; those who look up cannot see the sun. This break between outside and inside creates an immediate, low-threshold physical accessibility, sharpens instincts and senses, stimulates receptivity on a haptic and cognitive level. The interaction of shadow and light can be felt by everyone. It opens up spaces of sensation and understanding on a physical and metaphorical level, making the web of topography, history, absence, universality and sensory presence tangible.
A convex mirror in the light-blocking pane collects sunlight from the reflected environment and causes light rays or pools of light to travel across the floor or the dwell space for visitors:inside. Through these light movements caused by the mirror, certain historical moments can be made present.
The convex mirror creates connection/relationship between monument, object and visitor and makes the visitor part of the intervention – puts him in relation to monument, person, history, present, makes conscious these interdependencies and thus creates spaces for individual re-contextualizations.

The “distorted” image of the convex mirror of the Bismarck monument and its immediate surroundings opens up universal possibilities for reflection in the observation of persons and historical events.

Light Concept St. Josef Church Dresden

Light Concept St. Josef Church Dresden

Reconstruction and extension of the parish center St. Josef Dresden-Pieschen

The building is the first reinforced concrete church of the Art Nouveau style in Dresden. The church was extensively rebuilt from 1970 to 1978 (architect Hubert Paul). The sculptural work was carried out by Friedrich Press.

The current reconstruction includes the ground, 1st and 2nd floors in the eastern part of the church building.
The lighting concept connects the different areas and uses of the community center, which is spread over three floors, with a common lighting language that enhances the architectural spaces and supports their flexible use by the community with energy-efficient lighting technologies.
The unique lighting fixtures and created “light” spaces provide diverse lighting scenarios that support the community in conducting secular and church activities, civic meetings, public and private events.

Planning Areas:

  • Ground floor: meeting space, chapel / workday chapel
  • 1.Upper floor: conference rooms / seminar rooms / group rooms for music
  • 2.Upper floor: Great hall under the historical vault

Client: Catholic parish of St. Martin, Dresden

Architect: Matthias Klut Dipl.-Ing. Freelance architect

Lighting design: Ruairí O’Brien . Lighting Design

Completion: Spring 2023

More about the project: Read more here

AMD / Xilinx, Meeting rooms / Conference and communication areas

AMD / Xilinx Location Dresden

Meeting rooms / Conference and communication areas

Completion of the new premises of the Dresden branch of AMD according to the concept for light and colour by Ruairí O’Brien.
Location: Annenhöfe Dresden, Germany (2022)
Client: TLG REAL ESTATE AG
Architect: O M Architekten GmbH BDA
Services: Interior design / colour concept / lighting design
Client: Xilinx Dresden GmbH / Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)
Photos: Baldauf&Baldauf

Design Guide

Bauschulenstrasse design guide

Lively center Baumschulenstrasse-Köpenicker Landstrasse

The Integrated Urban Development Concept (ISEK) forms the basis for the development of the Baumschulenstrasse – Köpenicker Landstrasse area as part of the Living Centers and Quarters (LZQ) funding program. The aim is both to strengthen the district center around Baumschulenstrasse and to improve local supplies throughout the entire funding area. An attractive design of the public space and the existing buildings is a central component of an attractive commercial street, as is an appropriate external representation of the commercial businesses located in the ground floor zones. This design guide was developed to support local businesses and property owners in improving the appearance of their respective businesses and working towards a coordinated overall impression.

Dresden long-distance bus station

Dresden long-distance bus station

Mobility Hub: Terminal Long-distance Bus Station, Bicycle Parking Garage, Air Taxi

The Mobility Hub presented here has an innovative, modular and flexible overall concept that enables the tendered functions of bus station and bicycle parking garage and also provides an attractive space for different uses, such as offices, hotels, StartUp Centres, studios, shops, etc. The design is based on a simple construction principle.

The ingeniously simple construction principle allows for sectional and phased construction as well as flexible future development. Which offers the potential to adapt structurally to future changes without demolition.

The main structure of the building functions as a bridge over the bus station area to achieve an area as free of supports as possible, which can also be used differently in the future.

Two high-rise blocks will be built on the sides of the “bridge” (total height 50 m). These high-rise towers / Thinking Towers complement the semi-circle of high-rise buildings in the immediate vicinity on the northern side of the station, at the entrance to Prager Straße, and offer plenty of space for a wide variety of uses.

The concept succeeds in positioning a striking, versatile and forward-looking architecture at an enormously important location in terms of urban development, which is potentially capable of adapting structurally to changing requirements in the future and enables new uses when mobility, technology or market conditions change.