Discover Germany | Special Theme | Focus on Munich - The City's Highlights of 2019
BMW Group Classic, Munich.
A truly powerful tool: Designing with light Gabriele Allendorf and her Munich-based company Light Identity create stunning light concepts for both interior and exterior spaces. Allendorf shows what a crucial part light plays for our well-being and how it can be used effectively to enhance or develop corporate identities.
Patent Office, BMW Group Classic and the Pariser Höfe, to name but a few.
TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE I PHOTOS: GABRIELE ALLENDORF LIGHT IDENTITY GMBH
Her services are structured into three main areas. The first one is light consulting and planning. Often, it is Allendorf’s first step to explain the impact of light in general. “It might sound trivial to discuss the effect of daylight or of compass directions,” Allendorf explains. “But we often find that most people are not very aware of it. During those first conversations we also try to really get to know our customers and understand what matters to them individually.”
Gabriele Allendorf discovered her passion for lighting design early on in life. As a child, she was a ballet dancer and when the time came for the dress rehearsal, Allendorf was amazed at how an otherwise dark and empty stage could be turned into something truly magical just through lighting. “I remember how everything inside me went ‘wow’ when the lights were finally switched on and this black box in front of me was suddenly turned into a proper stage,” Allendorf remembers with a smile. “Just imagine the visual poetry of a tiny white feather illuminated by a single 60 | Issue 73 | April 2019
spotlight following it whilst it floats gently down to the floor. It’s simply beautiful.” That passion remains unchanged and Allendorf is nothing short of an artist: only instead of paint, she uses lights. Allendorf’s enthusiasm and love for her craft is genuine and her successful projects stand testimony for it. The company’s portfolio is accordingly extensive: from administration, public buildings, office buildings, showrooms and trade fairs to light art, gastronomy and private buildings – Allendorf’s team welcomes every challenge. Finished projects include prestigious clients such as the European
Lighting that matches corporate identities
In order to do light planning, the team conducts in-depth research, as Allendorf points out: “We examine all aspects that are connected to the location, the company or the person. From history to ex-