RÖHRENLICHT (PIPE LIGHT)

luminaire design build

Environmental Controls I Fall 2013 :: Keith Simon

Partner :: Marissa Jordan (2 weeks)

The attic of Sutton Hall, a building of the UT School of Architecture, serves as a studio space for both first years and graduate students. The space is very dim, even during the day.  The current light fixtures and window apertures do not provide adequate lighting for the studio space. Currently the attic hosts 18 suspended fluorescent rod fixtures, and 6 uplighting sconses at each column supporting the roof.   In addition, there are 14 clerestory windows lining the North side of the room. The room itself has great potential to be a productive space, but its insufficient lighting makes the room feel abandoned and uncomfortable.

Röhrenlicht is a design solution that could supply adequate task light for multiple students, while still allowing for versatility and personalization, as every designer’s needs are different. Röhrenlicht is a suspended fixture comprised of a wooden rectangular box through which 4 metal pipes are threaded. The pipes are configured in such a way that when rotated, they do not interfere with one another. The wiring required to light the bulb is threaded through the metal piping and reaches the power supply through an outlet hole in the wooden box. The parts are easily collapsible and foldable in order for students to pack it up and transport the fixture from studio to studio. This fixture supplies reachable task lighting for 2-4 desks through the use of rotating pipes. The goal was to create a versatile, compact, and unobtrusive luminaire that provides task- oriented light supply.