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Originally designed in the 1930s by architect Frits Peutz for businessman Peter Josef Schunck, the Glass Palace – or Glaspaleis – in the Dutch city of Heerlen stands elegantly beside the city’s market square. Now serving as a cultural hub and home to five institutions, the building has recently been modernized, with support from BEGA. The focus of the upgrade was to maximize energy efficiency by enhancing the performance of the 200 lighting fixtures previously installed from the same brand, dating back to the late 20th century.
Built on a concrete frame with mushroom-shaped columns and hanging glass façades, the original design housed a multi-level retail space that included areas for the sale of tailored clothing as well as storage facilities. The open floor plan, free of partitions, allowed natural light to flood in, enhancing the display of fabric colors. However, when the interiors were later converted to offices, the introduction of partitions and changes to the façade created a need for new lighting solutions.
In 1995, after narrowly escaping demolition, the building was officially recognized as a monument of cultural value, leading to its purchase by the city of Heerlen with the vision of transforming it into a cultural center. The next step was commissioning architects Jo Coenen and Wiel Arets to redesign it. At the time, BEGA provided custom lighting solutions, with ceiling luminaires and spherical pendants, some of which also served as emergency lighting. These fixtures, still in use today, continue to enhance the building’s esthetic and demonstrate the brand’s enduring reliability. For this reason, the recent renovation focused exclusively on enhancing the sustainability of the existing lighting systems without disrupting their operation. LED conversion kits were installed to further improve the building’s lighting, making it more efficient and harmonious with the overall design.
BEGA
Hennenbusch 1 – D – 58708 Menden
Tel. +49 2373 966-0
E-mail: [email protected] – www.bega.com
