"Good Light For Clever People":

The Berlin Brain: Berlin has one more fascinating architectural landmark: the Philological Library from the famous english architect Lord Norman Foster. Eleven language and literature sub-libraries are integrated within the new construction, also known as ‘the berlin brain’, due to its similarity in appearance to a brain. Lighting solutions from Siteco provide illumination for students both for the Philological Library and the refurbished Rostlaube. Foster & Partners were awarded the Architekturpreis Berlin 2006  for the refurbishment of this building belonging to the Free Berlin University.

The exterior of the Philological Library resembles a softly curved form that has a similarity to a voluminous tear. The five-storey construction with an investment volume of 18.5 million euros is surrounded by a freely formed outer skin of aluminium segments, air-conditioning elements and doubly glazed fenestration that is supported by a radially geometrical steel frame construction.
The free-standing building is connected to the Rostlaube with two melon-yellow transitions or crossways. In the interior of the building three galleries fill the inner volume. Their outer boundaries have a wave-like form and swing from storey to storey in opposite directions.

The outer borders of the individual storeys resemble snake-like curves that serve to lengthen the edge lengths and with that the working and study areas. Because the profile of each storey in relation to the bordering storeys is either protruding or recessed, the outer border consists of a pattern of spaces with a double ceiling height, giving generously lit working areas’’, says Foster.

Curved Meets Straight / Spherical Meets Linear
The shelving for books is situated in the centre of each of the four floors and can take up to 70,000 books. The work stations for study and reading are to be found in the peripheral zones. Comfit M trunking systems from Siteco, equipped with a CAT II louvre illuminate the shelves and trasit zones. They allow a rapid orientation and assure optimal vertical illuminance levels over the complete shelf surface right down to the lower shelf units. The result: book titles can be easily read at a reasonable distance away. Direct light beam distribution creates a comfortable ambience and leaves technical equipment secured in the ceiling sections in a darkened atmosphere. In the outer shelf areas, asymmetrical louvres have been deployed.

Formally the trunking offers a contrast to the organically curved form of the architecture. While the outer skin of the building and the interior quote rounded forms in terms of design language, the Comfit M is characterised by a linear, somewhat angular feel. In total, 3,000 metres of trunking have been installed in the library areas within the various storeys. In the refurbished office areas of the Rostlaube, Comfit Plus individual luminaires have been used as surface-mounted and pendant luminaires. Comfit Plus continuous rows with blank covers and mitre cuts that follow the stairs serve orientation in the long floors and transit areas.

Circular shapes are dominant for the lighting of the entrance zone.
Siteco Lunis C Downlights with HIT high pressure discharge lamps have been used for the entrance area, Lunis downlights with compact fluorescent lamping for the sanitary areas. Within the smaller lecture rooms Comfit recessed luminaires with darklight louvres (3 x36 W TC-L) provide light. Arrangement, switching and quantity of light allow a consequent lecture activity and create optimal light for examinations.