LAVA’s design for the Philips Lighting Headquarters featured an experiential welcome in the atrium and office spaces that foster creativity.
Visitors are greeted by a huge parametrically designed interactive light ‘tree’, a sculpture of light containing 1500 ‘leaves’, panels suspended from the ceiling. Reflective surfaces create a play of light and shadow. The concept is of golden light filtering through trees.
Light was used for information, visualisation, emotion and enabling. LAVA not only showcased the latest lighting technology – the sculpture also gives shape and visibility to light. Light is the tool to create a volume of space.
LAVA used intelligent light control to generate different scenarios that activate or relax users - every panel is programmed for the whole calendar year, a bit like an ecosystem, with light effects turning golden, for example, when meetings are in progress.
The offices were designed to encourage informal ‘accidental’ interactions, a key enhancer of success in R&D businesses. Special environments were created for different work situations – from concentration to communication, activation to relaxation.
The project won a Commendation in the Australian Institute of Architects Awards 2017.
