ERCO Leuchten supplies precision lighting tools for the BMW Central Building in Leipzig.

Zaha Hadid Architects competition entry for the BMW Plant in Leipzig, impressed the judges not only through its functional design but also because it constituted a new concept in industrial architecture. The Central Building uses the manufacturing process as its design theme by connecting the bodyshell unit, paint shop and assembly shop; abolishing the traditional segregation of blue-collar and white-collar workers. The different functional areas are layered, breaking with the tradition of strict spatial segregation.

Communication and transparency dominate with two large terraces of office space located close to conveyor systems carrying vehicles in varying stages of completion. Canteens and social rooms, staff assembly halls, quality control bays and entrance halls are all accommodated within the open, flowing spatial continuum.

London-based lighting design company Equation Lighting has been growing since 1984, working successfully with renowned companies and architects all round the world . For BMW, Equation Lighting designed an unpretentious and highly effective artificial lighting concept that contributes to the division of the spatial continuum by incorporating the use of coloured light. The ambient lighting makes use of illuminance levels of 200 to 300 lx with colour temperatures of 3,000 to 3,500 K. Special zones and elements of the building are enhanced by higher illuminance levels (300 to 400 lx), colder light colours (4,000 to 4,200K) and by the use of monochromatic blue - the corporate colour of BMW.

The facades and roof are both designed with a high degree of transparency while the conveyor belt system doubles as a carrier of artificial lighting. Blue fluorescent lamps have been discreetly integrated into the design on top while underneath they have flush-fitting ERCO Lightcast Downlights with metal halide lamps, providing glare-free illumination through their Darklight reflector technology. While the luminaires all have the same apertures the lamps used in the luminaires have been selected to suit the various room heights. The current generation of metal halide lamps combine brilliant light and colour stability with a low maintenance through the service life of approximately 9000 hours.

Spacious thoroughfares are an important concept in the building, as at peak times they have to accommodate a vast moving workforce. ERCO double-focus downlights in the concrete ceilings illuminate all the thoroughfares from very small light apertures providing exceptional visual comfort. The emitted light beams are intentionally visible on the raw concrete surfaces and create a rhythmical, scalloped pattern. The staircase access areas are revealed in sharp contrast to the surrounding zones through the concentrated light from the blue metal halide lamps. ERCO lens wallwashers are used to illuminate the wall surfaces with excellent uniformity. In the upper storey of the building, the core sections have been designed as a voluminous concrete entity detached from the constraints of the building shell. In this area cantilever-mounted ERCO Parscoop washlights illuminate the concrete shell with blue light from metal-halide lamps, creating a dramatic effect, even visible in the day time.

Zaha Hadid and Equation have created a dynamic building, which effectively transforms the corporate philosophy into a communicable experience. Here corporate light really is an integral part of the corporate architecture and ERCO luminaires have achieved the correct balance between precision lighting technology and artistic clarity.