Rath GmbH & Co. KG: Brumberg

Come new construction, come Rath.

For the construction company Rath GmbH & Co. KG in Haiterbach, it was time for a move. Why not build it yourself and create a place that perfectly suits the company? The result is a spacious, light and modern object - also thanks to the ideal lighting concept from Brumberg.

"It was getting too cramped for us in our aging building in Pfalzgrafenweiler. We needed a new administration facility including workshop and warehouse, and we located it right next to our ballast plant near Haiterbach," says Managing Director Benjamin Rath. Next to an impressively large warehouse complex, a strikingly modern, brightly lit office building has been built. Flat, cubist and with wide glass fronts, it looks more like a futuristic gallery than the workplace of a construction company. "Transparency was important to us from the very beginning," Benjamin Rath knows. "As a construction company, we wanted to openly show how a building works." Visible through the glass façade: the uncovered steel beams, the real wooden floor, an open-plan office bathed in warm light, and a hustle and bustle.

Lots of communication, more motivation.

Create the useful, avoid the useless - the office with its 16 workstations is designed according to this principle. Instead of individual offices, all colleagues sit in one room and can communicate directly with each other. Discreetly installed sound-absorbing elements everywhere, as well as fabric-covered partitions, ensure a subdued noise level and the right amount of privacy in the workplace. And instead of any random light source, the sleek and straight fixtures reflect the "no frills" nature of the office. "We addressed the lighting issue very early on. What was important to us was energy efficiency and a light that doesn't tire but motivates," Benjamin Rath emphasizes.

Efficient light, great illumination.

Timo Beck, Area Sales Manager at Brumberg, was involved in the project right from the start: "The BIRO40 lighting channel system was the right choice. The simple, elongated shape fitted perfectly into the ceiling construction. In addition, the aluminium cover and the wire suspension matched the colour of the steel beams perfectly." However, according to Timo Beck, the colour temperature was much more important: "The tried-and-tested 4,000 Kelvin creates ideal working conditions, as it is neither too warm nor too white. In the past, whiter light was often used because it was believed to boost performance. Then it turned out that the very high blue component of white light is harmful to health in the long term, causing headaches, for example." Further attention was paid to the suitability of the light for screens. Solution: the prismatic cover (UGR <19), which is absolutely glare-free and makes it pleasant to work in. Another advantage of the BIRO40 lighting channel system is the option of additional indirect light. Timo Beck explains: "With purely direct light, there is a 'cave effect', i.e. the ceiling is relatively dark and the direct light pushes downwards. The light channel brightens up the room and the ceiling area at the same time so that everything appears large, bright and more pleasant overall." For its part, the LED technology of the BIRO40 ensures that the air does not heat up and energy costs are saved.

Individual solutions, satisfied employees.

In addition to the individually configurable BIRO40 pendant light channel, luminaires were needed that provide pleasant light and are integrated into the ceiling - e.g. in the corridors, above the printers and in the WCs, the LED recessed downlights with 24 watts do this job perfectly. In this way, lighting solutions were used in every area of the building that are geared to the needs of the people working there and at the same time guarantee energy efficiency. Benjamin Rath is very satisfied with the new company headquarters: "The architecture and the lighting concept harmonize and the working atmosphere couldn't be better." The fact that there was no proper inauguration ceremony due to the pandemic is a pity, he says, but can be tolerated given the result.