ERCO's LED retrofit for 5-storey Berlin bookstore

Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus in Berlin, Germany, is known as a cultural hub for the literary minded, and during planning for a complete refurbishment, the five-storey bookstore opted for ERCO luminaires to bring to life a modern lighting concept that both optimised merchandise while facilitating a relaxed, browsing experience.

Planning began in 2013 for renovations to the 650 m² building, and with lighting a central component for the interior upgrade, management said they chose ERCO luminaires due to their quality and guaranteed longevity. Julia Claren, managing director of the KulturKaufhaus, said the significant investment costs of the ERCO luminaires would easily be compensated by their efficiency.

Choosing the right light

KulturKaufhaus boasts a large collection of not only books, but also CDs, sheet music and stationery. Claren said that these are the types of products that shoppers like to examine, therefore this must be possible without tiring influences. Her main request was for light to be used in a way that would create a pleasant ambience for browsing, as well as effectively set off the merchandise. Since visual comfort is a critical factor to encourage reading, this required luminaires that offer precise colour rendering, efficient glare control and a consistent colour temperature.

With this in mind, the lighting concept was based on vertical illuminance to achieve optimal illumination for the endless rows of shelf space, and all throughout the store, just three ERCO luminaire ranges have been deployed: Light Board, Logotec and Quintessence downlights — which all emit a warm white light.

Bold and beautiful

In its previous design, the KulturKaufhaus had followed the principle of brightness at all cost, resulting in diffuse and insufficiently differentiated light that failed to set off the diversity of the store’s products. The ERCO lighting solution was therefore a huge step forward for the business, as light is now used to subdivide the massive floor space by defining separate zones that facilitate orientation and create hierarchies of attention. Dynamic accent lighting with ERCO spot and oval flood distribution also set off individual zones and merchandise displays.

The lighting upgrade offers a controlled use of light, precisely illuminating targeted surfaces with optimised illuminance levels, as well as superior light quality. The overall effect is a soft and homely atmosphere for the popular store. Claren said her expectations have been “met to the fullest extent” and believes KulturKaufhaus will be the first department store in Germany to complete the migration to LED technology.

Image credit: © ERCO GmbH, www.erco.com. Top image: Relighting Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus, Berlin. Bottom image: ERCO Logotec range.