New Mile Böblingen

Beleuchtete Fußgängerzone mit Bäumen, Bänken und Straßencafé

Vogelperspektive auf Stadtplatz mit Bogenbrunnen und Sitzbänken

Belebte Fußgängerzone zwischen modernen Gebäuden und Bäumen

Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning
bauchplan ).(

Lighting Design
Lumen³

Development of ring luminaire
Lumen³ in collaboration with bauchplan ).(

Manufacturer
Bergmeister Leuchten

Lighting design and development of a custom ring luminaire

The redesign of Böblingen's Bahnhofstraße created an urban space whose quality extends far beyond the mere function of a pedestrian connection. The goal of the lighting design was to transfer the new urban identity into the evening and night, naturally combining orientation, safety, quality of stay, and atmosphere.

Therefore, the design process did not begin with the selection of a luminaire, but with the question of what effect light must achieve in this location. Good facial recognition, a pleasant perception of others, safe movement areas, clear orientation, and high visual quality formed the basis of the planning. Equally important was the task of promoting communication and lingering, and giving the public space a distinctive nocturnal character.

Based on these requirements, a unique lighting tool was developed in collaboration with the landscape architects from bauchplan ).(. The large, circular pendant luminaire translates the planning requirements into a clear yet concise form. It performs lighting tasks, creates spatial orientation, and simultaneously becomes a visible component of the design.

The light rings arranged above the street form a recurring structure along the pedestrian zone. Their presence is not limited to darkness. During the day, they act as light graphic elements in the urban space; in the evening, they change their character and become luminous spatial markers.

The ring luminaire combines direct light for the areas below with an independent visual presence. This avoids creating a uniformly and technically illuminated traffic area. Instead, a sequence of differently perceptible light zones develops, structuring the long street, highlighting places to linger, and giving the path its own rhythm.

The design of the luminaire thus arose directly from the lighting design task. Requirements for perception, use, and atmosphere were first translated into lighting technical criteria. From these criteria, the form of the lighting tool subsequently developed. Design and lighting technology were not treated as separate levels, but were understood from the outset as a coherent design process.

This is precisely where we see the special quality of the project: the luminaire is not a product selected retrospectively, but part of the architecture of the public space. Its form emerged from the task, its light from the needs of the place.

More than ten years after completion, the ring luminaires are still an integral part of Böblingen's city center. They have developed high recognition and have become a characteristic element of the New Mile.

Location

Böblingen, Germany

Period

2015

Photos

Clemens Franke