New building E Interlaken Hospital, Unterseen

The Interlaken Hospital, with parts of the building dating from 1905 to 1974, has been undergoing a comprehensive extension and refurbishment since 2012.

The architects' vision of an overall inviting and pleasant space is complemented by the lighting concept. A timeless, comfortable and functional lighting atmosphere is created by compositions of spot and linear luminaires, light objects and free-standing luminaires that complement the architectural language in terms of form and material.

All therapy rooms and examination rooms are located on the façade of the building, where large windows allow plenty of daylight into the room and support the healing process.

In these rooms, the artificial light mimics the feeling of daylight by conveying a sense of relaxation and comfort and creating an inviting atmosphere. To promote visual comfort and uniformity, the luminaires provide a high proportion of indirect lighting. Soft, warm-toned room lighting creates a calming atmosphere. The light in these rooms is dimmable and the brightness can be controlled by the users.

The public areas such as reception and waiting areas are predominantly illuminated with artificial light. The lighting complements the precise material concept of the architecture both in terms of color temperature and the visual effect on the material.

The general lighting in these areas is realized with glare-free downlights and the visual interest is created by a reduced but superimposed arrangement of suspended and free-standing light objects. The result is a calm and inviting effect in the room.

Due to the geometry of the building, the corridors are long and without windows. To facilitate orientation and emphasize the architectural language, linear luminaires frame the core of the building with soft, uniform illumination of the concrete surfaces, while downlights provide sufficient lighting for the floor. Carefully executed concrete surfaces are bathed in soft light.

Reducing the visibility of the general lighting was our vision for the restaurant's lighting design. Standard downlights were adapted for installation above the perforated metal ceiling.

This meant that only the self-service areas, tills and other particularly important areas were highlighted with direct lighting to create interesting visual accents.