Light for the “Haus zum Falken”
Press Release
09/11/2026
Dornbirn , Austria
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A customised lighting solution from Zumtobel allows Santiago Calatrava's architecture to reveal its full impact
The “Haus zum Falken” by Santiago Calatrava at Stadelhofen station in Zurich has the effect of a monumental sculpture in public space. For the foyer, which was designed as an integral part of the exterior, Zumtobel supplied a customised lighting solution. This consists of an individually adapted luminous ceiling and precise accent lighting, creating a harmonious interplay of natural and artificial light that showcases the architecture and materials to striking effect and accentuates the understated elegance of the room. Smart lighting management adjusts the light to the daylight. The office building, which opened in 2025, is owned by the AXA Anlagestiftung. The client was BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Switzerland AG.
Zumtobel developed the luminous ceiling in collaboration with TYPICO, the system provider and competence centre for textile communication, on the basis of the CIELUMA luminous ceiling. The large area and the curvature of the ceiling presented a special challenge to the team. The solution: a curved mounting profile connects two diffuser fabric panels. Mounted perpendicular to the rear wall, it runs precisely down the centre. The curve of the perimeter mounting profile also follows the curvature of the ceiling. A dirt trap ensures that the luminous ceiling retains its radiance. Via the LITECOM lighting management system, the light is continuously dimmed in line with daylight. The Tunable White technology integrated into the luminous ceiling also allows the light colour to be continuously adjusted to the outdoor light between 2700 and 6500 Kelvin: pleasant warm-white in the morning and evening hours, invigorating cool white during the day.
On the rear wall of the foyer, spotlights from the SUPERSYSTEM INTEGRAL lighting system act as wallwashers to accentuate a sculptural artwork designed by Calatrava, which extends across the entire wall like a curtain facade. To achieve this, the SUPERSYSTEM INTEGRAL spotlights were installed as wallwashers in the ceiling space between the luminous ceiling and the artwork. During the day, the hinged doors of the artwork are open, providing access to the lifts and staircases. To showcase the artwork to perfection even when the doors are open, spotlights were also positioned in front of the lifts and directed at both the doors and the floor. This ensures that Calatrava's art can always reveal its full expressive power. With diffuse ceiling light and directional light on the foyer's rear wall artfully designed by Calatrava, the light from Zumtobel accentuates the architecture in a special way and contributes to the building's special atmosphere.