Where solid fortification once protected the historic cathedral, a tree-lined promenade stands today – a car-free, four-and-a-half-kilometer "fast lane" for the city's countless bicycles that also marks the separating line between the old town and the rest of the city. Streets cross the promenade at ten points – each of which was once the location of a city gate, such as the Hörstertor toward the north-west of the city. An attractive six-story high-rise has been erected on this historic site, its architectural radiance accentuated by BEGA luminaires.
The complex comprises a total of 15 residential units with a total area of 1350 square metres – the exact type of apartments to meet the ever-increasing demand for high-quality housing for the city’s more than 50,000 students. A clinker façade with clearly defined grid lines and generous window areas give the architecture of this new building its character – blending into the quiet surroundings like a friendly neighbour.
The large windows allow daylight to stream into the flats from the outside, and from the inside they provide an impressive view of some of Münster’s picturesque buildings. BEGA wall luminaires are installed between the windows. Virtually invisible during daylight hours, they blend into their surroundings while allowing the architecture to speak for itself. After dusk, however, they unleash their full potential: Arranged between the windows for maximum effect, they underline the building’s symmetry and create playful shapes with their light. The effect is achieved using precise silicone lenses with various beam angles, while their extra-small overhang opens up completely new options for accentuating walls and façades. Moreover, these wall luminaires offer a particularly long service life and are highly economical.
On the balconies, shielded BEGA wall washers create an attractive lighting atmosphere combined with high visual comfort. Precise reflectors inside the luminaire housing deflect the light of the LEDs to ensure glare-free illumination of the wall surfaces upon which the compact luminaires are installed.
BEGA recessed ceiling downlights accentuate one of the most striking features of this new building: the car elevator via which residents reach the 13 parking spaces in the underground car park. They cast their light from above onto the characteristic entrance area, which is reinforced with striking brass panels. The recessed ceiling luminaires feature a very wide range of light distributions, while their graphite-coloured trim rings blend in stylishly with the overall look. The area on both sides of the driveway is illuminated by compact BEGA outrigger floodlights. Equipped with highly efficient reflectors, these are particularly economical luminaires that are suitable for continuous operation.
Architecture Andreas Heupel Architekten BDA, Münster
