Client
Town of Geretsried
Geretsried Building Cooperative

Architecture
Kehrbaum Architects

Completion
2023

Project Team DAY & LIGHT
Stefan Vetter
Frank Vetter

With the Neue Mitte, Geretsried is gaining an urban centre where architecture, urban design, and lighting planning are closely intertwined. The lighting at Karl-Lederer-Platz supports the clear sequence of spaces between the town hall tower, retail, residential and public open spaces: variations in brightness mark paths, squares and seating areas, without creating glare or allowing for dark, uninviting spaces.

Environmental and species protection are taken into account through strictly limited light cones, reduced connected loads, and the omission of light in the upper hemisphere. Accent lighting purposefully stages the water features and selected urban spaces without outshining the square.

The central underground car park is more than just infrastructure: it forms the elegant arrival area of the new city centre. Bright, even general lighting conveys a sense of security, while the pedestrian routes are staged as „catwalks“ with rhythmic spotlights. The high brilliance and the considered use of contrasts model people and objects plastically, intuitively guiding them to lifts and exits. The car park thus becomes a high-quality extension of the square – an underground urban space with its own distinct lighting atmosphere.