Studio De Schutter - Lighting Design

For the listed Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Oberschule in Berlin, a design concept was developed that makes the school’s presence visible within the urban context while carefully integrating into the historical facade. The objective was to create a solution that is both visually distinctive and fully compliant with the strict requirements of a protected building. After a detailed analysis of the architecture, a former facade niche once used for a statue was selected. Today, it carries the school’s initials, MELO, transforming it into a defining architectural element.

The custom-designed, folded aluminium letters are backlit and deliberately engage with depth, perspective, and perception. Their three-dimensional form creates a dynamic visual effect, allowing the lettering to unfold as viewers move past. The material itself shifts in appearance depending on light and viewing angle, enhancing this optical interplay. At the same time, the construction was minimized to preserve the historic structure, ensuring only minimal contact with the brick facade. The lighting is sensor-controlled, dimmable, and adapts to the time of day, creating a subtle presence that reduces light pollution and respects the surrounding neighbourhood. The project has received multiple awards, recognized for its subtle yet impactful intervention within a heritage context.