Zoekresultaat

Spektra is Modular’s latest retail dedicated spotlight. It’s the result of the first collaboration with Florent Coirier, a Paris-based designer. “We believe in objects with meaning, so that they give meaning to everyday lives”, thus Coirier. The design for Spektra was inspired by this creed, resulting in a very precise Modular trackspot, ideal for retail application.

This fixture is the first trackspot in the Modular portfolio that has an adjustable zoom lens. A powerful lighting solution that was inspired by an astronomical telescope, it allows users to easily adjust the beam angle (15-55 degrees) and inclination of the luminaire. Spektra makes sure you only highlight targeted areas. Finally, its quality of light is excellent (CRI 90 or more), mimicking natural light. This is exactly what retailers need to put their goods in the spotlight.

Wollet: adjustable thin light panel.

A home needs cosiness. This can be achieved by using subtle lighting. Lighting solutions that create that cocoon-like atmosphere. Well, Wollet is that luminaire! It spreads a beautiful diffused light, thanks to the used OLED technology. It's a one-fold fixture, consisting of three components: a tight casing, a paper-thin OLED light source and a special hinge.

Its hinge not only allows you to tilt the light plate up to 180°, but also changes the look and feel of the luminaire. As always with Modular lighting solutions, technology and driver are seamlessly integrated into the device.

Sulfer: design luminaire for both in- and outdoor.

Our new Sulfer is a minimalist square-shaped fixture whose name refers to 'sulfur', the substance that's used for matches. This cast aluminium luminaire brings a modern accent to your walls, whether in- or outside (IP54) and fits perfect in private residences, hotels, restaurants etc.

By default, Sulfer diffuses a wide beam of light (flood), yet you can combine this fixture with an additional beam angle plate (medium or small). This nice little feature allows you to customize the beam. On top of that, the diffuser is recessed into the casing, making sure Sulfer never blinds you by distributing indirect light.

SLD50: LED profile with an all-seeing eye.

The popular SLD family of LED profiles welcomes its newest member: SLD50. This extremely thin (50 mm) profile integrates Modular’s brand-new Eyeball: a small, yet highly powerful, adjustable spot that is 360° rotatable and 30° adjustable in both directions.

Its sleek design comes with a new anti-glare prismatic diffuser, making SLD50 a perfect office lighting solution that can also be used in private residences or hospitality environments. It displays great CCT and CRI consistency across the different LED technologies (downlight, uplight and spotlight), making it an even more versatile fixture.

Flat moon update makes this enchanting moonlight an exceptionally slim fixture

Contemporary architectural projects love a minimalist, slim lighting design. Modular has risen to the challenge by developing a new proprietary LED PCB solution for a more homogeneous light surface. The first luminaire to integrate this new component is Flat Moon: a stylish, reduced height fixture (78 mm) that distributes a soft, yet functional light. Office-compliant when combined with one of the prismatic diffusers, it is also a perfect fit for public spaces, hotels, restaurants or retail environments.

Being exceptionally versatile, Flat moon can either be surface-mounted, recessed or suspended (with two types of suspension kits for either down or up/down lighter). You can even mount it directly onto the gear. Flat moon comes in three sizes: 450, 650 or 950 mm diameter. That's what we call versatility!

Qbini might look small, but we promise it will be hard to find a spotlight that's so versatile as this one! Its name is a combination of ‘cubic’ and ‘mini’, which immediately clarifies its USP: Qbini is a miniature square recessed LED fixture. It perfectly fits right into your home, hospitality project or boutque. Qbini immediately became Modular’s smallest recessed lighting solutions, coming at a diameter of only 44 mm.

What makes this luminaire so unique, is its pattented press-in, press-out technology, making installation child's play! Even when used with concrete ceilings, not one screw will ever be required. On top of that, its versatility is proven by the different frames and colours Qbini comes in. Depending on the lighting effect you're after, you can pick the black or white frame, holding one to four Qbini lamps. 

Any combination of a variety of six shapes, four frames, two colours, two positions, thre colour temperatures and two beam angles are possible and several expansions are already planned, for even greater versatility to come! Make sure you keep an eye on this magnificent new member of the Modular family! 

Smart 82 adjustable

Our Smart family is famous for the unique combination of intelligent design and attractive finesse. Available in Modular’s three hottest formats (Kup, Lotis, Cake), a wide range of diameters, colours and a large diversity of accessories and mounting options, make this family as flexible as it is alluring. The continuing popularity of this fixture has led to several new expansions to the portfolio.

One of a few gaps of the Smart portfolio, was the absence of a small adjustable spotlight. That's why we're introducing the Smart 82 adjustable. This allows you to rotate one of the smallest members of the family 355 degrees at an angle of up to 25 degrees! Now you're able to adjust Smart 82 for the perfect level and style of illumination in exactly the right place. Of course, we also made installation as simple as possible, equipping Smart 82 with a leaf spring design. If a recessed installation isn’t possible, or if you’d like to achieve a bold and stylish look, you can combine Smart 82 adjustable with a Smart tube or box for a surface mounted solution.

To top things off, we're also launching the Smart mask for Smart 48. This accessory previously only came for with Smart 82, 115 and 160, but is now also available for the smallest member of the Smart family. This adds even more emphasis and originality to our smallest Smart luminaire. Not only will the Smart mask 48 add that special touch to your lighting solution; the mask also serves perfectly to cover uneven oroversized luminaire holes in ceilings.

K120 adjustable

The K family is one of those (in)famous Modular icons. One letter is all this elegant, simple and versatile spotlight portfolio needs. This basic, round, recessed and highly-bright spotlight fits perfectly into any hospitality and retail environment. A 45-degree inclination enables K to offer targeted illumination, highlighting the best aspects of key products, services and areas. 

Now we’re adding yet another option to this coveted family, offering even greater lighting flexibility for larger spaces. The K120 adjustable has a larger diameter, offering a higher lumen output. This new family member also comes with three different accessories: two anti-glare accessories, a crossblade or honeycomb., and a spread lens. The latter allows you to create a softer lighting ambiance

Drupl 70 flange

Inspired by the effects of sunlight through droplets of water, Modular’s Drupl is derived from the Dutch 'Druppel', meaning ‘drop’. New advances in luminary technology make Drupl the perfect continuous lighting solution for offices, where high-quality light and anti-glare qualities are key. 

Drupl is the result of cutting-edge optical lighting research, combining the benefits of unique optical lenses, highly-performant LEDs producing light at a quality of CRI90 or greater and a Modular worthy design. This profile will immediately transform any professional space. We now added a Druple flange version to this already broad family. This new version enables an attractive, streamlined and advanced recessed installation.

Finally, Modular has also upgraded the technology of many of its prominent linear lighting solutions (like SLD50, SLD75 and MP78). The Fortimo LED Lines now come in three colour temperatures (2700K, 3000K and 4000K), and each colour option comes with a standard light quality of CRI90+!

Every year, on the 13^th of June, the world celebrates International Albinism Awareness Day. On this day, we celebrate diversity, promote inclusion and make people aware of the rights of people with albinism who are still endangered in some parts of the world. People and animals with albinism are very sensitive to light. That’s why they are a very important source of inspiration to Modular

People and animals with albinism lack the pigment melanin, resulting in pale skin, eyes and hair. This also causes a very ambiguous relationship with light. On the one hand, people and animals with albinism are a lot more light sensitive than others. While on the other hand, they don’t like to be in the dark and need light, just like anyone else.

The uniqe pale look of people and animals with albinism makes them stand out of the crowd more easily, something Modular can relate to very well. This unique look was the source of inspiration for Modular’s current campaign, called “Sensitive to light”. Together with Belgian photographer Frieke Janssens we tried to capture the sheer and hypnotising beauty of these people and animals.

Israelian artist Yulia Taits was also drawn to the beauty of the combination of people and animals with albinism in her “Porcelain Beauty” project (2 pictures at the bottom). She described her models as “pure and amazing”. It’s this ‘pureness’ that makes our most recent campaign pop out. Frieke Janssens played a huge part in this, making sure that the images displayed the right mood and atmosphere, highlighting the characteristic features of our models.(read our interview with Frieke here) She proved that there are an infinite number of tints and shades of white. White is definitely not just one colour!

The fact that not everyone in this world appreciates people with albinism and their unique look and sensitivity is why we at Modular believe it’s important to celebrate International Albinism Awareness Day.

People shouldn’t be judged by the absence of pigment. We all live under the same sun. Only some of us are more sensitive to the light than others. 

Our Qbini spot family was a hit as soon as it was launched in early 2017. But what values, processes and inspirations led to the creation of this distinctive luminaire for residential and hospitality spaces? We caught up with Florent Coirier, designer of Qbini, to uncover the details

As a designer, Florent seeks the purest, most unalloyed distillation of an object: “When I create something, I want to avoid complexity. Every new aspect that I add to a design is carefully calculated to enhance its functionality. I strive to express the essential essence of an object that speaks to each of us. Qbini is the result of these goals in action.”

Form, function and familiarity

Florent first worked with Modular when he designed Spektra, our first spot equipped with a zoom lens. The Qbini family is his newest collaboration with Modular. The product was created through an iterative process that started out with a winning bright idea.

Back in 2016, Modular approached several designers with a request for a recessed, square spot that is capable of both blending in and standing out. Inspired, Florent sat down in his Montmartre studio and drew many designs before hitting on one that he felt met every single need with beauty and minimalism: a tiny, cubic spot that comes in three square shapes and three round shapes.

“My final design was influenced by the most basic geometry: I wanted to start with the elementary shapes of the circle and square, and building blocks were my inspiration for the in/out options. These shapes might be simple, but they are fundamental for all of us.”

Having already worked closely with Modular in the past, Florent was familiar with the company’s desire to bring innovative ideas and eye-catching options to the market. “So, I was pretty confident that they’d appreciate it,” he laughs.

A continuous conversation

He was right – Modular was enthusiastic about his streamlined and versatile design. A collaborative dialogue was kicked off, and Florent drew the original designs for Qbini. 3D rendering quickly followed, and then physical 3D prototyping. At the same time, the Modular team developed Qbini’s patent-pending installation system, which enables each lamp to be positioned flush or deep recessed at the press of a finger.

“We went back and forth,” he continues, “ensuring that the design and the technology were in perfect harmony. This approach required a constant conversation between myself and Modular, because they had to evolve at the same time.”

Tiny, recessed and versatile

What is it that makes Qbini, the result of all these efforts, so special? Florent: “When I designed Qbini, LED technology had evolved to a point where it could work in a very small luminaire. So, its compact size is one of the things that makes Qbini unique. Added to that, Qbini gives architects plenty of inspiration to play with colour, shape, position and number of lamps in residential and hospitality projects. In short: Qbini combines choice, modularity and the highest-quality light.”

A bright future - literally

Currently, Florent continues to work closely with Modular to design new additions to the Qbini family. Earlier this summer, Modular launched an adjustable version, which also comes in black and white and can be installed in frames of one to four lamps – just like the original shapes.

“There are many beautiful evolutions coming up,” he says. “It’s not always simple to strike the perfect balance between design and strategy, and the available technology isn’t always ready for what I have in mind, but we have many exciting things in store.”

“We’re taking Qbini to the next level,” he asserts.

Download our brochure for the latest evolutions in the Qbini family. And stay tuned for the next post in our product blogs series, which will cover the Drupl!

Qbini is our youngest - but already one of our most versatile - product families and we have only just begun! Qbini was launched earlier this year in March and already took home its first award in May (Muuuz International Award). With a new adjustable round version, we are now offering even more options!

As you know by now, this small, modern spotlight is perfect for the more intimate spaces. This also goes for its new Adjustable version, which only comes in a round version and  is best described as “compact”, “simple” and “multitalented”. It’s everything the original Qbini is, adding an asymmetrically rotating light source. This new feature offers you the possibility of highlighting even more details in any interior.

The same patented clicking system and easy installation method as before, Qbini Adjustable offers you the user-friendliness you’re used to of a Modular fixture. Recessed or deeper recess, 1 up to 4 lamps, black or white, 3 accessories… The possibilities are endless and its rotatable LED lets you highlight every special interior design feature with a medium or flood beam angle tilted at 30 degrees. Qbini Adjustable is the perfect example of the sophistication of simplicity, being compact and housing the smallest dedicated heatsink ever designed for a spotlight of its kind

Smart Tubed Wall 82

Talking about versatile product families. Let’s introduce you to the newest addition to our Smart family: Smart tubed Wall 82. This family of beautifully designed and immensely customisable spotlights ads an elegant touch to any interior. Its new wall version now brings a unique lighting effect to your space, shining both up and down.

This new version is compatible with 82mm round spots and directs light up and down or simply down. It comes in three sizes (XL - 190mm, L - 130mm or S - 86mm), two colours (black or white) and can be combined with all other Smart designs (cake, kup and lotis) in white, black or gold. To top things of, it can be fitted with both the adjustable and the fixed versions and the gear-excluded luminaires allow you to include our Connected lighting technology

Smart48

With only 48mm, this spot proves that bigger is not always better. It’s our most compact Smart luminaire and also one of the most popular ones!  Smart 48 spots and masks are now also available in classic gold, completing the full Smart colour range. This means all smart 48 lamps now come in white, black and gold structure.

Bold

We gave you some extensions to existing product families, but now it’s time for something completely new: Bold. This fixture is made up of strong lines, oblique angles and a hidden light source. It manages to attract attention without being pretentious or gaudy.

Bold is the product of a successful collaboration with Dutch designer Studio Kees and is a perfect example of what architectural luminaires are all about. It’s all about paradoxes, based on and inspired by the works of Escher, as well as some of the most fearless architectural features of modern architecture. Bold manipulates perspective to blend in and stand out at the same time. This fixture is the epitome of daring, while playing in harmony with the other stylistic elements of your residential or hospitality space.

This luminaire can be wall or ceiling mounted, in both a vertical or horizontal position and can be flipped around 180 degrees – even after the wall plate was installed. As always with our fixtures, Installation is child’s play, with no visible screws. This is all thanks to a flush-fitted magnetic cover plate. Let yourself be surprised by this marvelous design fixture. Its single light source is artistically hidden within the frame of the fixture, directing its light toward the opposite plane of the wall. This causes the shape and light effect to change with position.

Rektor 2x LED

Rektor’s name was derived from the Latin word “ruler”. Not a coincidence, since this LED fixture has every quality of a true leader: it showcases the distinguished effects of right angles, accented light direction and has absolutely no visible wires. Designed in collaboration with Couvreur.devos, it took home the prestigious Henry Van de Velde design award in 2014.

Now we have doubled the fun! Rektor now comes in a two lamps surface-mounted edition. This offers a greater illumination and even more interesting adjustable lighting effects. Perfect for drawing attention to special features in your interior and for crafting an unmistakable architectural ambiance. Coming in seven colours with a metal housing cover accent, we have all tastes catered for!

Dali - professional dimming for large spaces

Dali, the powerful and professional dimming system for larger projects, now comes in a track rail system for Dali dimmable track spots. Modular offers a surface or recessed track rail (1 or 2 meters), 90° & 180° connections, endplates, suspension sets, recessed brackets and powerfeed units. Moreover, we have also extended our Dali track spot range, which now includes Spektra, Médard, Kanon and Stove. This allows you to combine our cutting-edge dimming system with a track spot that fits any application.

Sensors in profiles

The above mentioned new Dali control system allows Modular to offer a smart profile lighting solution. This incorporates three types of miniature sensors, detecting motion, daylight or infrared lighting. Profiles that are equipped with sensors fit right into an array of professional areas, like open or closed offices, lobbies, bathrooms and meeting rooms.

The incorporation of sensors in our lighting profiles makes the lighting solutions think for you. They are programmed to regulate light levels, based on ambient light, time of day and/or presence in rooms. Lights will be automatically turned off when nobody’s around, thus saving energy (and money). As soon as someone enters the room, lights will be switched on. Other sensors detect sunlight and adjust lighting to a more low-key state. When night falls, lights will be brightened. All of these functions result in a maximum comfort and let you save up to 75% on energy expenditures.

Esseldi

This slim linear lighting solution is the SLD50’s successor. Only launched about a year ago, SLD50 was an instant hit. This profile now makes room for Esseldi, which will take the iconic thin, linear lighting profile even further. This fixture comes in two ready-made lengths (1147 mm or 1920 mm) and a choice of a surface-mounted downlighter or a suspended up/down lighter. Esseldi 1920mm also comes with 2 small, adjustable spotlights (called “eyeballs”) on both ends of the fixture. These are perfectly situated to illuminate key areas of your choice.

Wink 82

Wink is anything but ordinary. This fixture was designed in collaboration with Couvreur.devos in 2015 and immediately won the Good Design Award. Now we’re adding a smaller version: our new Wink 82. The essence stays the same though: it still manages to peek out of the ceiling and provoke your curiosity. Its asymmetrical curves and angles still give Wink 82 an attractive dual sense of softness and straightforwardness that will add an extra special something to any intimate space.

That’s not all! Not only are we introduction a smaller version of Wink, we’re also adding a new accessory: Wink Flange. This feature will be compatible with all 3 Wink lamps and adds an extra touch in the form of a low ring around the spot, rather than a completely seamless install. That’s still not all: this new accessory enables Wink to be installed in concrete ceilings.

SMART is our most versatile series. When we say versatile, we truly mean it. Our three designs, SMART cake, lotis and kup, let you play with edges, curves, angles and lines to your heart’s content. Select from 4 sizes with white, black or gold colours for luminaires in harmony – or in contrast – with the surroundings. Light can be directed – or fixed – in the lumen intensity, colour temperature and beam angle of your choice, from spotlight to wide flood.

If you aim to accentuate luminaires themselves as distinctive design elements, you can choose from surface and suspended mounting options. For a more discreet, integrated effect, recessed installations are also possible. Install SMART on walls – a 2017 addition to our series! – with direct light up and/or down. Square masks in identical or contrasting colours can help you emphasise light-shaping designs even further. In other words: the combinations are limitless.

Light quality as a differentiator

Of course, in the end, the light is what drives the very existence of Modular’s lighting instruments. That’s why we never skimp on light quality; every SMART spot emits light at CRI90 or higher, for highly accurate colour rendering and maximum optical comfort.

Here too, choices abound. Multiple colour temperatures allow you to select options ranging between bright, functional lighting to a warm glow. In addition, our warm-dim technology warms the colour temperature of the light as it is dimmed, for a relaxing, cosy ambiance at low light levels.

SMART: one spotlight to rule them all

This ability to mix and match a wide array of characteristics – both aesthetic and functional – is why architects and lighting designers enthusiastically embrace SMART. It allows them to develop unique, tailored solutions for accent, orientation and general lighting applications, to transform a simple “room” into a truly light-enabled space.

Check out our website to get every detail about SMART options and evolutions. And keep an eye on this autumn’s product blogs series: we’ll zoom in on another popular Modular product – Qbini – in our next blog!

Combining high-quality, glare-free light – courtesy of its characteristic, drop-shaped lens filter – with appealing aesthetics and flexibility, Drupl is a favorite among architects fascinated by the interplay between light and space. Architect Vedrana Ergić made ample use of Drupl at the Adris headquarters in Zagreb, which won the prestigious Bernardo Bernardi award for best interior design in Croatia. We asked her about the role of light in her work, and the effect that Drupl has on the office environment and its residents.

For Vedrana, the creation of the Adris headquarters was the pinnacle of her ongoing relationship with the leading Croatian company, which started in the mid-1990s. Back then, Vedrana was part of the team that created the first interior design for the group’s boardroom. To this day, the subtle elegance of the office still reflects the values of the company. The Zagreb project also marks the first time Vedrana – who has the rare 8-bulb version of Modular’s Multiple Trimless installed at her own apartment – used Drupl.

Where exactly did you use Drupl at the Adris offices?

Vedrana: “Drupl is the primary source of light in the 10,000-m² Croatia Osiguranje offices, part of the Adris group. In open spaces, Drupl luminaires are interpolated in the baffles of the Armstrong ceilings. In the offices, they are directly installed on the monolithic ceilings. By using line light fixtures on the ceilings between the baffles, we accentuated the continuity of the ceiling lines and achieved high-quality lighting.”

What does Drupl bring to the room that no other lighting solution could offer?

“Drupl is a brilliantly designed product and it meets the most important criteria of excellence in product design. It illustrates the DNA of Modular products - clean design, smart functionality and technological superiority.

There are several reasons to choose Drupl as a primary source of lighting in business premises. First, its unique, purified line perfectly suits office ceiling designs. Secondly, it remains well below the prescribed UGR level of 19, while still providing bright lighting that can cover an entire work site. And finally, it’s an extremely efficient light source with very high light intensity and low energy consumption. In this particular project, the requirements for an LEED certificate had to be met.”

Going back to the design itself, how does Drupl’s raindrop shape affect the rooms in the Zagreb offices?

“By combining Drupl ceiling lights and Smart Cake pendant lights above the desks, we have not only achieved light uniformity, but created a stimulating work environment for the employees as well.”

“I am convinced that high-quality lighting is one of the most important factors of comfort in a space. When it is ideally arranged in a functional sense and used strategically for ambience accents, it contributes to a pleasant experience and boosts productivity.”

What role does light in general play in your work? 

“Light is not just a matter of functionality, and the choice of lighting fixtures is not just a matter of appearance. Well-designed lighting is one of the most important layers in an architectural intervention. When designing, I think of a space as a black box theatre in which three-dimensionality is built, spatial volume is defined, and textures are emphasized by light.”

So, what are your criteria for choosing lighting?

“When I choose lighting fixtures and furniture, I also take their cultural importance into consideration. I seek to create the ultimate experience of space; a new microcosm from a previously different context: a modern, but non-trendy environment that an end user will find pleasant and stimulating. In order to achieve this, I focus on unexpected spatial solutions, the total design concept that integrates technological solutions, shaping, details, and lighting design in particular. I strongly believe that well-designed lighting adds that final touch and emphasizes the atmosphere of space.”

With a brand-new surface-recessed version, Drupl has become even more flexible. Discover the full range of options and possibilities on the Drupl product page.

Collection: Vedrana Ergic Architecture - Adris HQ Zagreb

Photography: Romano Decker & Dejan Kutic

© 2016 Romano Decker & Dejan Kutic

Just like friendly salespeople, lighting is essential to create a memorable shopping experience. When done right, it sets the perfect in-store mood, guides our gaze to highlights and interesting accents, and showcases products in all their glory. For the first Jordan store on European soil, located in Paris’ Bastille quartier, only the best was good enough: a carefully thought-out lighting plan, fronted by Modular’s heavyweight track lighting champion, Kanon.

“Retail and track lighting go hand in hand,” says Modular’s Rainer Lachitjaran, who designed the store’s lighting plan in close collaboration with Nike’s global headquarters in the US and Foot locker Europe in the Netherlands. “It offers all the flexibility shops need to adapt to changing seasons and product lines, it’s perfect for accent lighting, and it’s easy to install. Our brand-new, three-step DALI dimming protocol only adds to the incredible versatility of Modular solutions.”

No-nonsense style

For a prestigious project like this, Rainer decided to bring out the big guns. “As the ceilings of the Jordan store are pretty high, we needed powerful lighting that, at the same time, was subtle enough to apply the right accents. Kanon 110, our second most-powerful track lighting solution, was a match made in heaven. It offers all the brightness we need, while a variety of possible beam angles enable a compelling ambiance. What’s more, its no-nonsense design fits amazingly well with the unique rawness and tough ambience of the shop.”

In daylight as on display

Another important aspect of in-store lighting is the ‘color rendering index’, or CRI. This measure of the accurate color representation of light goes from 0 to 100, with 100 being broad daylight. Rainer: “For Jordan, we couldn’t take any chances of potentially disappointing customers: those brand-new basketball shoes needed to look as fly on the street as they did on display. Luckily, Kanon has a CRI of 94.4, which is far above average. What you see is exactly what you get.”

“On top of this, Kanon also boasts a gamut index (color saturation) of 98.8. This means there’s no increase or decrease in saturation of a specific colour. Combined with the high CRI, this even color saturation is the ideal recipe for light quality, and creates the optimal conditions for retail applications.”

On the court

As the Jordan flagship store in Europe, the Bastille shop offers visitors way more than just a glimpse at some of the world’s most coveted sneakers. Rainer: “There’s an actual mini basketball court in the store, where you can try on your new shoes before buying them and see how they perform. Here, I opted for the Drupl fixture instead of Kanon. In addition, there’s also a ‘custom lab’, where shoes are personalized according to the customer’s every wish. Here, I wanted to distribute the light as evenly as possible, which is why I chose our Smart Cake 115 diffuse fixtures. In other areas of the store, I used Vaeder and Smart fixtures as well.”

Kanon, however, definitely remains the Michael Jordan of the Jordan store. Just like the legendary athlete, Modular’s Kanon track lighting packs incredible performance and flexibility with heaps of style. At Jordan Bastille, every day is match day.

Discover how Modular’s track lighting can help you to create an unparalleled retail or hospitality experience. 

Photography by Arjan van der Bliek

Since its inception in 1997, Opti Q has been renowned for its optical expertise and eye for quality. For her new eyewear shop in Menen, Belgium, founder and manager Greet wanted the interior to convey that excellence, while also providing a superior, relaxed shopping experience. To balance these requirements, lighting consultant Katja Van Hove gave a leading role to Modular’s singular Wink recessed downlighter with its half-hidden, half-peeking-out design.

Opti Q is a real ‘eye catcher’ in the center of Menen. Located at one of the city’s busiest intersections, the store’s curved façade has been brilliantly integrated into the interior by FIVE AM architecture. The result is a shop divided into several zones: a ‘reception’ zone, a strolling zone, and a functional zone. The latter consists of testing and working areas and is mainly equipped with purely functional lighting profiles. The first two zones, however, have very specific characteristics and functions, and thus lighting requirements

Zone 1: drawing attentio

“The first thing visitors will notice upon entering is the curved, copper-colored wall,” explains Katja. “In this zone, it’s all about drawing attention, but not to the lighting. That’s why we decided to highlight the copper wall with the Asy Wink 115, which has an asymmetrical light beam. This inclined recessed downlighter gently guides spectator’s eyes to the eyewear collection. Thanks to its subtle design, however, the lighting itself remains largely invisible.

Also in the ‘copper zone’ are tables where people can try on sets of glasses. “Here, we opted for the Wink version with a symmetrical light beam. The lighting is more functional, as clients want to have a clear impression of what a pair of glasses will look like in daylight. Wink’s excellent color quality (CRI 90) can really shine here.

Zone 2: relaxed browsin

Behind the copper wall, visitors enter a carpeted corridor where they can browse through the complete collection in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere. “In this second zone, we don’t need to draw the visitor’s attention anymore. Instead, we wanted to let the glasses speak for themselves by creating subtle yet highly qualitative lighting conditions. Again, Wink proved to be the ideal solution.

Katja decided to implement the Asy Wink in the corridor to highlight the collections on both sides of the wall. However, instead of using the normal reflector, she used the Asy Wink spreadlight: this Wink is equipped with a spread lens, which creates a very relaxed, soft wall-wash effect. “This ensures that no specific product is ever highlighted, while colors are always rendered as they would be in broad daylight.

A playful wink

In both zones, Wink’s design perfectly complements the curved interior of the store without drawing attention. “For the client, the design was certainly an important factor, as was the playful ‘wink’ to eyes. But ultimately, it was the functionality and flexibility of the downlighter that allowed us to maintain uniformity in design throughout the entire store and keep the focus on the products themselves.”

Katja used the regular Wink, Asy Wink and Asy Wink spreadlight 115 in trimless version. For residential purposes where less light output is needed, Modular now also offers an even subtler 82 mm version. For easier installation, Wink is now also available with aluminum flanges. Get inspired by our complete Wink offering.

Architect: FIVA A
Photography: Philippe Braem, Cafeine.be