Museum of Light

Designing a Light Museum was an exciting and fulfilling topic for the students. It allowed them to explore the inspiring relationship between light and science, art, technology, and architecture while reflecting on their Egyptian heritage. The project’s location on a peninsula near the monuments of Abu Simbel, which celebrate sunlight during the winter and spring solstices, made it an even more fitting endeavor.

Light, a universal topic with transcultural significance, touches on profound subjects like poetry and philosophy as well as pragmatic concerns like energy, health, and economics. There are very few true “Light Museums” in the world. Most often, technical or science museums cover this topic, or art museums showcase artists’ interpretations of light. However, no museum or institute tells the story of light in all its consequences and expressions through a holistic experiential concept from building to exhibition. Abu Simbel, with its historical and mythological links to the power of light and its dam generating the country’s electricity, is an ideal location.

The question arises: can we construct a new building in such a historical context? My answer is unequivocally yes, but it leads to a finer question: should the new building be visible or hidden? This is a common challenge for architects working in historical contexts. The students’ excellent answers to this are showcased in the exhibition.

The project aimed to raise awareness among the students about the economic and social benefits that first-class contemporary architecture can bring to local communities. Long-term sustainability involves providing opportunities for people to thrive, encouraging local businesses to grow, and attracting outside investments. The project also included a Life Long Learning Institute, where visiting researchers and artists working with light could engage with local people, children, and youth projects. This is how architecture can extend its program to support regional development, providing a space for education, knowledge, tourism, business, and human exchange.

The bravery of repositioning the monuments to construct the Aswan Dam set a precedent for extending the story with a new visionary attraction of contemporary architecture, linked to Egypt’s ancient and modern history.

The bachelor project is the highlight for the students, marking the end of a long and sometimes stressful period of study. The rewarding feeling of deep achievement follows and cannot be taken away. Congratulations to all students for their enthusiastic work, and special thanks to my teaching assistants for their support this year, Abdelrahman Ghoneim and Marian Ghali.

Assoc. Prof. Ruairí O’Brien

Cairo 09.06.24

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Lighting shade roof GUC

Light and Shadow Concept

Our lighting concept for the roofing of the central square on the campus of the German University in Cairo is intended to improve the evening use of this popular meeting place at the university.
During the day, the space is primarily used to provide catering for students and employees. It is also a place for meetings and presentations. Current information about university operations runs on the large screen. However, especially in summer, it is often not possible to use the space during the day because the temperatures are too high and people seek closed rooms or the shade. With this in mind, Ruairí O’Brien . Architects designed variants for attractive shading.

Further information can be found at the following link.

The users look for shade under the roof during the day and light in the evening. This will be possible in the future thanks to our lighting concept. Thanks to the attractive lighting, the roof now also offers extended usage options for the food court into the evening hours. The lights, individually designed for the shade roof, with flexibly changeable color temperatures and individually adjustable illuminance levels ensure optimally coordinated lighting on the usage area, depending on the type of event. At the same time, the underside of the roof is attractively presented so that people enjoy spending time under it.

On the way in light 2024, Potsdam

Enthusiasm for soundless music light composition at “Unterwegs im Licht”

Last Saturday (20.1.), the international team of light artist and architect Ruairí O’Brien accompanied the numerous cultural players in the center of Potsdam at the 10th anniversary of “Unterwegs im Licht”.
From dusk until late in the evening, O’Brien’s artistic soundless-music light composition moved simultaneously and synchronously through the color wheel of spectral light colors on all the buildings – including DAS MINSK, the Museum Barberini and the Garnison Church, which is currently being rebuilt. The rhythmically and visually varied choreography made it possible for children and non-children to experience color theory in the most entertaining form. In addition to the inspiring overall composition, which offered surprising changes of rhythm and sound in the form of visual sensory impressions, the laser show “Journey through the Stargate” in the city canal and the final performance on the Alter Markt were among this year’s highlights, according to numerous visitors.
Each of Ruairí O’Brien’s compositions for “Unterwegs im Licht” is unique in terms of the city-related themes, the facades involved, the color palette, the intensity and the tempi. Part of the architect and light artist’s special signature is to make each room and each building tangible in its individual character.

Read more here

The illumination was realized by the following partners:

City of Potsdam (organizer)

P3 Projekt GmbH (organization)

Ruairí O’Brien . Lighting Design (lighting concept)

TLT Event AG (technical realization)

Photos 1-3, 6-9: Leon Lenk

Photos 5-7, 10: Ruairi O’Brien . Lighting Design

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. #lightingdesign #citymarketing #light #lightplanning #lightdesign #architecture #urbanplanning #sustainabledesign #sustainablecities #brandidentity #lightdesign

Lighting concept “Light chain” 26er RING, Dresden

As part of the Urbact project “USER”, and as part of the lighting concept for the 26er Ring, Ruairí O’Brien developed proposals for measures to reduce the separating effect of the railway viaduct as a break between the inner-city Dresden districts of Altstadt and Friedrichstadt using lighting design measures. In addition to the “dissolution” of the urban development barrier, the focus was on an attractive lighting design for the central traffic junction at Dresden-Mitte train station and increasing the safety of road users. Within several lighting concepts, the combination of flat, spatial and selective lighting effects were examined and corresponding proposals were developed. Client: City of Dresden Services: Light analysis / brainstorming / suggestions for measures

Marketplace Light Planning of the Old Cotton Mill in Flöha, Saxony, Germany

Construction begins Autumn 2023.

Flöha’s “Old Cotton” is a historical landmark that has played a significant role in shaping the region’s identity and economy for over two centuries. Established in 1809 during Napoleon’s time, the spinning mill evolved into one of Germany’s largest and most modern factories by the late 19th century. Although production ceased in 1994, the city of Flöha recognized the cultural and economic value of the brownfield site and launched the “City Center” project in 2001 to revitalize the area.

The name “Old Cotton” represents the rich legacy of Saxony’s oldest spinning mills, which operated continuously for an extended period. The Heritage Quarter holds a special place in the city’s history, and the iconic industrial architecture of the old cotton mills continues to define Flöha’s identity and image.

Moreover, the entire area, including the adjacent park and the industrialist’s villa “Immenhof,” enjoys monument protection. To support the city’s vision of developing the heritage buildings quarter of the old cotton mills as the new city center and market square, Ruairí O’Brien.Lichtdesign has created a unique lighting concept. This concept accentuates the beauty of the site and complements Flöha’s ambitious plans to create a vibrant cultural hub in the heart of the city.

Client: Stadt Flöha
Landscape architecture: Lohaus · Carl · Köhlmos Part GmbB landscape architects · urban planners
Lighting design: Ruairí O’Brien . Lighting Design

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Old Cotton Mill in Floeha

Lighting Concept for the old cotton mill in Floeha

Light towers project receives recognition award for the competition “Ab in die Mitte! Die City-Offensive Sachsen” 2022

Under the motto “Creative out of the crisis – rethinking the city center”, 34 project ideas for the revitalization of city centers were submitted by 33 municipalities. The award ceremony will take place at the Denkmal trade fair in Leipzig on 25.11.2022.

Ruairí O’Brien . Lichtdesign is developing the lighting concept for the old cotton mill in the city of Floeha and is accompanying the lighting design development of the new city center within the old cotton mill and its new marketplace. The project “Light towers” of the city of Floeha, which was created according to our lighting concept, received a recognition award worth 5,000 euros. Head of the building department Andre Stefan accepted the congratulations and the certificate from State Secretary Thomas Kralinski (SMWA).

Floeha’s project idea involves the interior lighting of the three towers on the “new building” by installing resource-saving LED lights. It is intended to be the first building block for the implementation of accent lighting and to contribute to making the cubature of the largest building complex in the old cotton mill appear in an intelligently timed manner in the early evening hours in order to lend the future center more attention as well as quality of stay and experience.

Here you can see our visualization of the competition entry “Light towers” of the city of Floeha 2022.

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.