The new light

The events with many guests, which are remembered gladly later, have become rare in the last few years. With the worldwide flare-up of the pandemic, trade fairs have been postponed or cancelled and face-to-face meetings have been shifted to digital channels. In the course of this, we have all had to learn how essential interpersonal encounters are for our work, for our well-being. And that it is important to be able to experience design, art and architecture without being separated from the works by a screen. High time, then, to reclaim a piece of quality of life now. Parallel to this year's special edition of Light + Building in Frankfurt am Main, a unique installation has been created for the regained joy of hospitality, collaboration and celebratory encounters: Vibia, Midgard, e15, Diez Office, Neumann Communication and Stylepark are jointly presenting the concept developed by Stefan Diez at Badias Schirn Café in the old town of Frankfurt am Main. Among other works, two from the portfolio of the renowned industrial designer were selected for the show: the "Ayno" luminaire family, which he created for Midgard, and the "Plusminus" lighting system, which he developed for Vibia. The high ceilings and the oval floor plan of Badia's Schirn Café provide an ideal stage for these: the textile belts of "Plusminus", whose fabric is interwoven with conductive fibres, are thus suspended from the ceiling at five different heights. The conical luminaire shades were attached to these with a click-and-connect function, illuminating the room with pleasantly directed diffused lighting and showing the architecture to its best advantage.

At the vernissage, the textile belts also stretched like runners along the metre-long rows of tables and served as a base for white glass spheres that illuminated the seats of the more than 120 guests from the architecture and design scene with pleasantly diffuse light. Accompanied by soft music, the Badias Schirn Café became a long-awaited meeting place for intensive conversations and for networking. Parallel to the "Plusminus" system by Vibia, the new version of the "Ayno" family of swivel luminaires, developed by Stefan Diez for Midgard, was illuminated on the pillars of the room: "Ayno Wall". With a tool-free assembly, a structure made of recycled and recyclable materials, powerful LED performance and a flexibly alignable cone, the collection shows itself to be efficient in every respect. Moreover, thanks to a fibreglass rod that is stretched to form an arc with the help of the luminaire cable, no joints are necessary for the luminaires. Instead, the desired position is easily achieved by moving the two adjustment rings. Guests can see how varied the "Ayno" models are when they walk through the Badias Schirn Café with the charming versions as floor and table lamps. And the later the evening gets, the more the luminaires come into their own, creating a unique feel-good atmosphere. Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows of the building, their light also shines far out into the alleys of Frankfurt's old town. On the opening evening, the wonderful atmosphere created by the light installation in Badia's Schirn Café was celebrated until well after midnight, along with the culinary highlights of Badia Ouahi's excellent cuisine. In keeping with the spirit of sustainability, the installation will stay in the Badias Schirn Café at the Schirn Kunsthalle.

Badias Schirn Café
Schirn Kunsthalle
Römerberg, 6a
Frankfurt

Phone: 069-29 723 699