Illwerke Centre Montafon

Wood in the spotlight

The Illwerke Zentrum Montafon (IZM) looks like a giant 120-metre-long wafer biscuit and shoots out, past the visitor car park, into the lake. With around 10,000 square metres of floor space, Vorarlberger Illwerke AG's five-storey hydro power centre of excellence is one of the largest office buildings in the world to be built using a wood-hybrid construction system. For the lighting solution, Zumtobel has cleverly combined daylight and artificial light.

The Illwerke Zentrum Montafon (IZM) combines modular construction, local craftsmanship and regional building culture in an outstanding design: the building was constructed using a modular principle with prefabricated components. Composite wood-concrete elements rest on supports which are integrated into the façade and are held in the central axis by a steel beam. The wooden façade itself is protected by canopies from rain and snow as well as from overheating in the summer.

LED light lines follow the length of the building

When entering the office building, the first thing that catches the eye is Miriam Prantl's coloured light installation in the foyer. Otherwise, wood also dominates the interior design. Zumtobel's lighting is based on sustainable criteria: apart from the conventional luminaires in the basement, all the lights are LEDs. The specially produced LED light lines are the most important element. They emphasise the extreme length of the office building and are tailored precisely to their surroundings.

Light as a custom-made product: surface-mounted, not built-in

In the open, light-flooded office spaces, all workplaces are positioned by the large windows. Daylight and artificial light are perfectly combined – for the benefit of the employees. As the ceiling was designed as a heating/cooling ceiling, it required ceiling luminaires which, contrary to their flush appearance, had to be designed as surface-mounted rather than recessed luminaires. Equipped with microprismatic optics and a UGR value of less than 19, they provide the best possible, uniform and glare-free light at the workplace. The length of the approximately 1,000 lights was chosen specially for the Illwerke Zentrum. The 100 x 1,845 millimetre luminaires are laid out in such a way that a flexible division of workplaces is possible at any time.

Perfect camouflage, optimum illumination

In the central zones of the offices there are spaces for communication and sanctuary, where the coloured upholstery creates an exciting contrast to the otherwise calm wood look. Light is provided by a custom-made version of the linear luminaire SUPERSYSTEM, which is integrated into the prefabricated architectural elements. For several metres, the 40-millimetre-wide LED light lines become a suspended oak strip. It's the perfect camouflage – only the light, and not the luminaire, is visible.

Award-winning project

To make the lighting particularly energy-efficient and user-friendly, Zumtobel has connected all luminaires to daylight sensors and motion detectors. The building services and lighting concept allowed the Illwerke Zentrum Montafon to be designed as a green building. The Austrian Sustainable Building Council (ÖGNI) has issued the building with its Gold certificate. This project proves once again that a coherent concept, consistently implemented down to each individual luminaire, pays off. And sets new standards – in construction, architecture and lighting technology.