A sense of "wow"
Barbara Hallmann: In 2014, Snøhetta initiated the research project "Nordic Light". How have the results influenced the architectural work of your office?
Peter Girgis: With this project we have tried to capture what experiences different people have with the presence or absence of light. Our work in the built environment always builds on the relationship between people and their surroundings. Light is a key component in this relationship. Light is and can be many things. There are visible as well as invisible light sources in architecture. The colour of light can be adjusted to create warm or cool spaces. Depending on this, different moods are created, both spatially and emotionally. The "Nordic Light" project has taught us to reinterpret nature and what we see in it in an individual way and for each project. We decide on different light colours and amounts of light each time. And each time we rethink the interplay of visible light sources and ambient light.
How would you describe Snøhetta's approach to artificial light?
Peter Girgis: Artificial light appears in every project in two forms: visible and invisible. And the whole thing in different colours. We always try to look at the context and design visible light sources in such a way that they reinforce the idea of the space. The function and appearance of these objects should go hand in hand with the overall image of the rooms. And then there is the invisible light that fills the space with soft accents and gives it depth by illuminating entire surfaces - not just individual objects or things.
In which of your projects was the lighting design particularly challenging?
Peter Girgis: Let's take the underwater restaurant "Under" as an example, which is five metres below sea level: Here, the natural lighting changes completely over the course of a day – and so we also have to adjust the artificial lighting. In Norwegian, "under" has the double meaning of "below" and "wonder". The restaurant's windows offer a view of the seabed as it appears differently throughout the seasons and in different weather conditions. When you look at the sea and the light from here and how it changes each time, you understand a whole new part of our living world. Because here, the daylight coming in from above is constantly changed by the moving water.
How did these observations affect the lighting concept for the underwater restaurant?
Peter Girgis: The artificial light is only allowed to appear subtle and hidden in this place so as not to distract from the main window or cause a reflection in it. The small dot lights with the colour gradient of the fabric ceiling are not obtrusive, but appear delicate and considerate in this context.
A while back, Snøhetta also started designing its own luminaires. How did that come about? And when will there be more projects of this kind?
Peter Girgis: Our Product Design team designed a luminaire for the shops of the Holzweiler clothing brand, which we designed. At that time, it was about perfectly integrating light into the idea of a space - and a space that has a very clear function. Above all, we will continue our commitment to contract luminaires for the retail sector to create lighting solutions that perfectly fit the respective brand and the idea behind their spaces.
You were at Euroluce for Snøhetta; your office was the special guest. When you look back: How will current developments influence the interaction between light and architecture in the future?
Peter Girgis: As my colleague and Director of Snøhetta Product Design, Marius Myking, said on stage at Euroluce: "For us, the most important project will always be Snøhetta. Driven by a continuous state of reinvention. What started as a multidisciplinary architecture and landscape practice in Oslo, has evolved into a multidisciplinary and global creative force offering Landscape, Architecture, Interior, product, graphic, and digital design. Together these disciplines act at the forefront of sustainable and social innovation by leveraging Snøhetta's global experience and multidisciplinary expertise. We strongly believe that social and environmental sustainability is a prerequisite for innovation. Lighting, both natural and designed, is an essential aspect of sustainable design that has the power to enhance our well-being and reduce our carbon footprint." To follow up on what Myking said, today we have better opportunities than ever to bring together the knowledge and skills of experts and innovators in lighting production with the ideas and concepts of designers and architects. This is how new possibilities for lighting are created. In the process, the standards and experience of the leading manufacturers form a solid basis for new things. For me, the combination of standard and non-standard solutions has particularly great potential.
From your own personal point of view: how can you judge whether light is used well in an architectural project?
Peter Girgis: There are many possibilities and different perspectives for assessing light in architectural projects. The perspective of a visitor entering the space for the first time is important. If I am in the space and feel a sense of awe and wonder, a sense of "wow" – then that is a success. It's that first impression. That moment when you don't know exactly what's going on. A moment that vacillates between clarity and obscurity, between the visible and the invisible. When the magic of an idea is present in the space or landscape, so to speak. Then, in my opinion, the designer has achieved his goal of creating meaning and inspiration through design.
