Client
Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche AG

Architects
Dierig Architects, Ravensburg

Lighting technology
Wefra Group

Photos
Christoph Mittermüller

Completion
Building: 2003
Nachtdesign 1.0: 2006
Night Design 2.0: 2022

Project Team DAY & LIGHT
Frank Vetter
Julia Wallner

„Has it really been that long again?“ we asked ourselves when Porsche contacted us to discuss the renovation of the facade lighting for the Porsche Service Centre, which we had planned. The award-winning building was completed by Dierig Architekten in 2003, and the facade lighting was added in 2006 to appropriately honour the building's landmark status in the evenings and at night.

At that time, LED technology was already being used in the lighting industry, but we were giving intensive thought to energy efficiency and sustainability. For the floor-by-floor illumination of the double-skin façade system, specially manufactured LED luminaires were ultimately used with foresight, and these are still in operation today. The additional investment costs compared to conventional light sources are likely to have long since been amortised by the electricity savings. For illuminating the outer façade area, however, LED technology did not offer enough power and precision in light control to illuminate the complete height of the building, and consequently, high-pressure discharge lamps with reflector technology and anti-glare elements were used.

14 years later, the Stuttgart-based car manufacturers have asked us to modernise the facade lighting. The aims are to save energy, further reduce light pollution, and the impact on insects and animals, and to gain more flexibility in control.

With the support of the Wefra Group, using high-quality and precise LED spotlights, all objectives were finally achieved, and the facade lighting was completed with the final programming work at the beginning of 2022.