Exploring Lichtzeitraum: An Architectural Light Installation

Ueberholz GmbH's Innovative Design at the Architecture Biennale

The Lichtzeitraum, a brainchild of Nico Ueberholz, is more than just an architectural installation. It is a space within a space, a sensory experience that evolves with time. The installation uses light to create different spatial perceptions, communicating feelings of expanse and constriction to the observer. This innovative approach to design and architecture was inspired by Ueberholz's desire to create spaces that stimulate and support communicative processes.

The installation's unique properties lie in its ability to make spatial perception tangible through light, music, and rhythm. Different lighting phases create wide or narrow spaces, making the vastness or restriction tangible. A striking design element is a window arrangement along the back of the room, a LED-light wall, which perfectly matches the changing spatial suggestion.

The Lichtzeitraum was realized using LED-Panels, LED stripes, and UHD TV. It measures 4620mm in width, 3360 mm in depth, and 3630 in height. The project started in May 2016 and was showcased until November 23rd during the Biennale 2016 at Palazzo Michiel in Venice.

The underlying research for this design focused on architectural light and room installation, exploring the creation of different rooms by light. It aimed to achieve a perfect combination of perception, deception, and reality by showing an outer scenery of Canale Grande through an imaginary window on an LED screen.

One of the main challenges in realizing this design was coordinating all activities into an emotional experience and programming the individual light phases with the representation of each individual room situations. Despite these challenges, the Lichtzeitraum was successful in achieving its aim of giving architecture a feeling of permanence and stability.

The Lichtzeitraum's innovative approach to design and architecture has earned it the Silver A' Lighting Products and Fixtures Design Award in 2017. This award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.