PROJECT DETAILS
LIGHT FOR THE JKU CAMPUS: ZUMTOBEL DEVELOPS LIGHTING SOLUTION FOR ANOTHER TWO BUILDINGS AT THE JOHANNES KEPLER UNIVERSITY IN LINZ
The campus as a space for learning, working, and above all, living: this successful concept attracts thousands of new students to the Johannes Kepler University (JKU) in Linz every year. The university is establishing itself as one of the best in Europe and, with the extensive redesign and redevelopment of the campus, is aiming to become even more attractive to students, teachers and academics. Following in the footsteps of the LIT Open Innovation Center and the Somnium viewing platform, the new welcome centre and the spectacularly renovated library are now open. Zumtobel has also played its part, working with the architects to develop the lighting solution.
The key concept involves living, learning and working all in one place, and was the motivation behind the plans to redesign the Johannes Kepler University campus in Linz. Extensive green spaces and a location outside the city centre have helped these plans come to fruition. The further development of the campus involves a total of four construction projects, with Linz-based architects' office RIEPL RIEPL ARCHITEKTEN winning the tender for all four.
The Kepler Hall and the JKU Learning Center are now complete, adding a finishing touch to the facilities offered by the university. Transparency, linearity and an imposing character define both buildings, for which Zumtobel worked closely with the architects to create completely individual lighting solutions.
Safe, strong, black – customised light line in the Kepler Hall
In future, the 3,000-square metre Kepler Hall will serve as a new welcome centre for the university. The building has been designed as an auditorium and event centre and also houses a sports/multi-purpose hall. The spacious covered entrance area is an extremely versatile space and can be used as an open-air cinema, for street food stalls, for a farmers' market or as an additional sports or leisure venue. The concrete construction is fully glazed, which ensures that the building interior is visible from the outside but poses a particular challenge for the lighting. Why? Because despite a room height of around 14 metres and very low reflection values (due to the glazing), the illuminance of 500 lux required for sports facilities must nevertheless be guaranteed. To meet these precise specifications, Zumtobel developed a wide-beam, powerful light line using the SLOTLIGHT luminaire, with a very high luminous flux of between 14,600 and 18,300 lumen, depending on the application area. The black, ball-proof light lines are dimmable and were also installed in the existing architectural structural grid for a uniform, uncluttered ceiling aesthetic.
The Learning Center offers well-lit meeting rooms
If the Kepler Hall captivates visitors with its distinctive architecture, the redesign of the library is no less impressive. The library building, which dates from the 1980s, was extended with an 23-metre overhang in the forecourt. A landscaped atrium and a large outdoor staircase were also added. The vertical and horizontal extension has created new research areas, attractive learning spaces, relaxed lounge zones and different communication areas for project-led group learning and rooms for concentrated solo work inside the JKU Learning Center. For this area, Zumtobel supplied a tailor-made lighting solution with MIREL continuous rows on TECTON trunking. The streamlined continuous rows with a high luminous flux (3,700 lm) and good glare control (UGR < 19) form a light line and offer perfect lighting conditions for different kinds of visual tasks in the library. In addition, the steel façade of the new building is spectacularly lit by the Thorn luminaire NIGHTSIGHT. Different light distribution ensures that the façade and the forecourt are illuminated uniformly and effectively – with no light scatter or shadows and perfect glare control. At night, this transforms the new library building and the covered outdoor area under the overhang into a space with a very special atmosphere.
The redesign and expansion of the Johannes Kepler University campus is an ongoing process, with Zumtobel providing the lighting and offering specialist support to RIEPL RIEPL ARCHITEKTEN. E-lite Technisches Engineering and Hainzl Industriesysteme GmbH have also played a major role in implementing the various solutions. Founded in 1966, Johannes Kepler University is continuing to develop by establishing new faculties and offering more areas of study, and has been named one of the best universities in Austria on numerous occasions. Its aim is to not only create an excellent place to study but also a place that promotes well-being, in which students and teachers can learn and live together – and have a great time in the process.
The campus as a space for learning, working, and above all, living: this successful concept attracts thousands of new students to the Johannes Kepler University (JKU) in Linz every year. The university is establishing itself as one of the best in Europe and, with the extensive redesign and redevelopment of the campus, is aiming to become even more attractive to students, teachers and academics. Following in the footsteps of the LIT Open Innovation Center and the Somnium viewing platform, the new welcome centre and the spectacularly renovated library are now open. Zumtobel has also played its part, working with the architects to develop the lighting solution.
The key concept involves living, learning and working all in one place, and was the motivation behind the plans to redesign the Johannes Kepler University campus in Linz. Extensive green spaces and a location outside the city centre have helped these plans come to fruition. The further development of the campus involves a total of four construction projects, with Linz-based architects' office RIEPL RIEPL ARCHITEKTEN winning the tender for all four.
The Kepler Hall and the JKU Learning Center are now complete, adding a finishing touch to the facilities offered by the university. Transparency, linearity and an imposing character define both buildings, for which Zumtobel worked closely with the architects to create completely individual lighting solutions.
Safe, strong, black – customised light line in the Kepler Hall
In future, the 3,000-square metre Kepler Hall will serve as a new welcome centre for the university. The building has been designed as an auditorium and event centre and also houses a sports/multi-purpose hall. The spacious covered entrance area is an extremely versatile space and can be used as an open-air cinema, for street food stalls, for a farmers' market or as an additional sports or leisure venue. The concrete construction is fully glazed, which ensures that the building interior is visible from the outside but poses a particular challenge for the lighting. Why? Because despite a room height of around 14 metres and very low reflection values (due to the glazing), the illuminance of 500 lux required for sports facilities must nevertheless be guaranteed. To meet these precise specifications, Zumtobel developed a wide-beam, powerful light line using the SLOTLIGHT luminaire, with a very high luminous flux of between 14,600 and 18,300 lumen, depending on the application area. The black, ball-proof light lines are dimmable and were also installed in the existing architectural structural grid for a uniform, uncluttered ceiling aesthetic.
The Learning Center offers well-lit meeting rooms
If the Kepler Hall captivates visitors with its distinctive architecture, the redesign of the library is no less impressive. The library building, which dates from the 1980s, was extended with an 23-metre overhang in the forecourt. A landscaped atrium and a large outdoor staircase were also added. The vertical and horizontal extension has created new research areas, attractive learning spaces, relaxed lounge zones and different communication areas for project-led group learning and rooms for concentrated solo work inside the JKU Learning Center. For this area, Zumtobel supplied a tailor-made lighting solution with MIREL continuous rows on TECTON trunking. The streamlined continuous rows with a high luminous flux (3,700 lm) and good glare control (UGR < 19) form a light line and offer perfect lighting conditions for different kinds of visual tasks in the library. In addition, the steel façade of the new building is spectacularly lit by the Thorn luminaire NIGHTSIGHT. Different light distribution ensures that the façade and the forecourt are illuminated uniformly and effectively – with no light scatter or shadows and perfect glare control. At night, this transforms the new library building and the covered outdoor area under the overhang into a space with a very special atmosphere.
The redesign and expansion of the Johannes Kepler University campus is an ongoing process, with Zumtobel providing the lighting and offering specialist support to RIEPL RIEPL ARCHITEKTEN. E-lite Technisches Engineering and Hainzl Industriesysteme GmbH have also played a major role in implementing the various solutions. Founded in 1966, Johannes Kepler University is continuing to develop by establishing new faculties and offering more areas of study, and has been named one of the best universities in Austria on numerous occasions. Its aim is to not only create an excellent place to study but also a place that promotes well-being, in which students and teachers can learn and live together – and have a great time in the process.
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