Office Lighting – Spaces That Connect People Sustainably
An office is far more than a collection of desks. It is a place where teams come together, ideas emerge, and identity becomes visible. Lighting in the office plays a key role: it influences mood, communication, and performance—subtly, yet sustainably.
💡 How Light Shapes Work Environments and Connects People
Office lighting is far more than a technical factor. It determines how we perceive spaces, how we communicate, and how productive teams can be. A well-thought-out lighting concept not only creates visibility but also atmosphere.
Natural daylight, combined with strategically applied artificial lighting, supports concentration, fosters exchange, and provides orientation. Light plays a dual role here: functional for work and emotional for the company’s identity. Whether open office spaces designed to spark creativity or retreat areas that provide calm.
For us as lighting designers in Berlin and Antwerp, this means: office lighting is always also cultural work. It makes values visible, strengthens well-being, and transforms rooms into places that are more than just workplaces.
🪟 Different Zones – Work, Meetings, Relaxation
Today’s office is a multifunctional place: focused individual work, creative teamwork, and relaxing breaks alternate. To let each area unfold its full effect, differentiated lighting in the office is essential.
Computer Workplaces: clear, glare-free lighting at around 500 lux to ensure precision and focus.
Meetings: flexible, adjustable light between 300–500 lux to support presentations and foster open discussions.
Relaxation areas: warm, subdued light starting from 200 lux to create contrast with work and enable recovery.
Corridors and transitions: lower brightness levels (approx. 100–200 lux) to provide orientation while saving energy.
Reception areas: representative, accentuated lighting at 300 lux as the company’s business card.
Creative zones: variably dimmable light, often combined with colored accents, to stimulate the flow of ideas.
🌱 Taking Sustainable Responsibility
Companies investing in sustainable office lighting today send a clear signal: responsibility is part of corporate culture. Durable LEDs, modular systems, and European manufacturers lower operating costs while strengthening brand image.
When planning office lighting, it is not enough to consider only the initial brightness. Luminaires lose light output over the years. Dust, dirt, and material aging play a role. That’s why DIN EN 12464 specifies so-called maintenance values: a workplace with 500 lux should still meet this level of illumination after years.
From the outset, we plan with a maintenance factor that offsets losses due to aging. This ensures lighting remains not only compliant with standards but also pleasant for employees.
Sustainability and maintenance go hand in hand:
High-quality LEDs with long service life reduce replacement needs.
Easy cleaning and accessibility extend luminaire lifespan.
Modular systems allow the replacement of individual components instead of entire fixtures.
Thus, office lighting becomes not a short-lived commodity but a long-term investment in well-being and resource conservation.
🌍 Biodynamic Light – Mirroring the Rhythm of the Day
People work best when aligned with their natural biorhythm. This is where biodynamic office lighting comes into play: it adapts brightness and color temperature to the course of the day.
In the morning, cool, activating light helps kickstart the day. At midday, neutral light ensures clarity and concentration. In the evening, lighting becomes warmer and softer—providing relief without unnecessarily straining the body.
This principle is not just a comfort feature, but a true health factor: studies show that biodynamic lighting concepts reduce fatigue, improve sleep quality, and enhance office performance. At the same time, modern control technology makes it possible to save energy and flexibly adapt the system to individual needs.
In this way, office lighting contributes not only to efficiency but also actively supports the well-being of all employees.
🤝 B2B Practical Tips for a Healthy Work Atmosphere
Plan for control options – employees love freedom of choice.
Rely on light zones that enable both communication and retreat.
Integrate daylight – shading, window orientation, and artificial light in dialogue.
Link sustainability with employer branding – lighting that conserves resources signals appreciation.
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Office Lighting: Images of the Impact Hub at 12053 Berlin (designed by Studio De Schutter).
