Leica Camera Headquarters. Gruber+Kleine-Kraneburg. Zumtobel
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Leica Camera Headquarters

Gruber + Kleine-Kraneburg

Leica Camera Headquarters. Gruber+Kleine-Kraneburg. Zumtobel
By Editorial Staff -
Zumtobel Group has participated in the project

In February 2014, the German firm Leica Camera moved its headquarters to a new location in the same town (Wetzlar), to a place known as Leitz Park. Designed by the Gruber + Kleine-Kraneburg architecture practice, the complex houses the expected production and administration facilities, along with areas open to the public, such as a display of cameras, lens and other related historical items, the Leica Gallery and the Leica Store, a restaurant and a coffee house. The company clearly wants to welcome its clients and photography lovers into its world, allowing them to explore the history of the brand and admire the product range. 

The complex is really a series of buildings visually connected by the ground floor glazing that seems to wrap around the structures. At night, this glazing is lit up, creating a powerful visual effect that recalls a reel of photographic film. 

Zumtobel’s contribution was fundamental as it created the lighting system, working closely with the lighting designers from hpi Himmen and Lichtvision. The chosen solutions reflect the client’s desire to seamlessly integrate the complex into the area, creating a space that meets the needs of countless different users, while adopting a formal style that gives the architecture a sense of sober elegance. 

Zumtobel was not only tasked with providing efficiency, flexibility and elegance, but also ensuring all the systems could be dimmed and managed centrally using a EIB/KNX system. 

The choice fell on Claris II, Linaria and Panos infinity. The first, installed in the computing areas, consists of minimalist pendant luminaries with a discreet, linear appearance. These also have indirect reflectors that ensure uniform light also spreads out across the ceiling. The corridors and service areas are lit by Linaria luminaires to create a pleasant setting in which light very much plays a guiding role. Since Linaria luminaires are only three centimetres thick, they are the thinnest of all the DALI-compatible models available on the market. 

Two models from the LED Panos Infinity series were adopted and mounted as wallwashers in the client areas and the cafeteria, and downlights in the corridors. The former operate at 4,000 K due to incident daylight and are excellent in focusing the light on precisely where it is required. The latter operate at 3,000 K, with excellent colour performance and uniform photometric distribution. Both these cutting-edge LED technologies are highly energy efficient, with savings of up to 40%.

 

Zumtobel Illuminazione
Via Isarco, 1 - I - 39040 Varna (BZ)
Tel +39 0472 273 300 - Fax +39 0472 837551
E-mail: [email protected] - www.zumtobel.it

Zumtobel Lighting
Schweizer Strasse, 30 - A - 6851 Dornbirn
Tel. +43 5572 390-0 - Fax +43 5572 22826
E-mail: [email protected] - www.zumtobel.com

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