Work, enjoy and play: the Buntweberei in Eislingen

03 of September '24

Artemide Buntweberei Gople

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On a former industrial wasteland in the Swabian city of Eislingen, the Buntweberei district has been created, combining recreational facilities and restaurants with a state-of-the-art office campus. Together with designer Filippo Salvia, Artemide created a holistic lighting concept that skillfully combines aesthetics with functionality.

Filippo Salvia has known the abandoned site of the former Wurster textile company all his life. Until the 1970s, textiles were produced here. In subsequent years, the 10,000-square-meter site was used sporadically. For many years, the owners' family looked for a new use for it. "In 2017, I contacted the Wurster family and together we thought about what could be done with the site," - explains Salvia, an entrepreneur, investor and originator of the project. The idea of creating rooms for officers along with a lifestyle hotel, dining and recreational facilities seemed attractive to me. I imagined a modern campus with historical charm, where one can work and enjoy life at the same time."

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Buntweberei Eislingen

The concept, which Salvia developed together with architects Krummlauf, Teske, Happold of Heilbronn , was realized. Most of the buildings were built from scratch, and the old boiler house was extensively renovated and transformed into an event venue. The old mill canal was rebuilt and is now a pedestrian promenade that encourages strolling. In addition to Salvia, two celebrities have contributed their ideas to the Buntweberei: former national handball player Michael "Mimi" Kraus runs "Nice Fitness & Spa" there, and influential fashionista Karo Kauer has a corporate headquarters and runs a boutique and café. When it came to lighting, Artemide was the first choice of the Salvia designer. Working closely with the traditional Italian manufacturer, a holistic lighting design was created that has a decisive impact on the atmosphere of the place.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Buntweberei Eislingen

Industrial design meets glass art

The most spectacular building in the Buntweberei is the Loom Hotel. With six floors, it towers over the entire site, and the glass skybar enchants with an impressive panoramic view of the Filstal valley. Inside, the industrial atmosphere of the old weaving mill has been deliberately enhanced with modern stylistic elements. The Tolomeo Mega in elegant black is the first design element of the reception area. Floor and wall lamps are complemented by Nur by Artemide founder Ernesto Gismondi. Lamp shades in a special rust color are a skillful reference to industrial design. The parabolic pendant luminaires subtly blend into their surroundings with geometrically calibrated lines. The lobby is immersed in soft light. Gople pendant luminaires were used on the staircase leading to the skybar. Designed by fashionable Danish architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group, the glass fixture combines traditional Venetian glass-blowing techniques with a clear, purist design. Its warm light elegantly contrasts with the cool, exposed concrete of the staircase, enhancing the sophisticated atmosphere.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Nur Suspension, Tolomeo Mega Terra.

Artemide Buntweberei Gople - Gople

The uniqueness of the building is emphasized by round luminaires made of hand-blown glass and the Nur pole luminaire on the lawn. The outdoor Nur is a special luminaire that was jointly developed by Salvia and Artemide for this project.

Work, lifestyle and relaxation

In "Nice - Fitness & Spa Club" by Mimi Kraus, the Nur luminaires in rust color once again catch the eye. The efficient and purist Vector spotlights that illuminate the workout equipment create ideal lighting conditions for fitness activities. The kids' club, on the other hand, is illuminated by Giò - with many small fixtures hanging in black and white that spread good cheer. From the loungers in the relaxation rooms in the spa area, one can gaze at the boundless sky through a circular window. Especially at dusk, a hoop of light by Pritzker Prize winner Alejandro Aravena conjures up magical, atmospheric images. Just a few steps away is the Tolomeo Paralume, an outdoor version of the classic design, whose cozy light transforms the outdoor living room into a place of peace and relaxation.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Vector Spot, Nur Suspension.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - O Suspension, Tolomeo Paralume Outdoor

The restaurant "Restaurant im Kesselhaus," directly connected to the historic building in the new section, is also equipped with Artemide products. The nh pendant lamps designed by Neri & Hu hang like a string over the long bar counter. Their distinctive feature is the hand-blown glass spheres, which hang from elegant brushed brass hooks and provide cozy light. The counter work area is optimally illuminated by a Vector spotlight. Both designs can be found in the rest of the restaurant: the Vector spotlight for general lighting and the nh S4 Circulaire as a stylish spotlight fixture. Its circular glass body is echoed by the Dioscuri ceiling lamp.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - nh Suspension, Vector Spot

The floor above the restaurant with meeting rooms is enriched by Discovery Vertical, forming a subdued, stylish set. Ernesto Gismondi's design work attracts attention here as a scenographic element: transparent when turned off, the minimalist housing of the luminaire floods the space with uniform light as soon as it is turned on.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Discovery Vertical, Vector Spot

Flexible office spaces, transparent lighting structures

The headquarters of Salvia Gebäudetechnik and "Kubus - Meet'n'Work" are located on the other side of the mill canal: a coworking space with fully equipped offices that can be rented. Cubicles and mobile standing desks facilitate workflow and mutual exchange. A.24 's geometrically clear lighting structures are equally dynamic. Carlotta de Bevilacqua's system is directly aligned with the architecture: Whether circular, linear or meandering, the various lighting modules and magnetic reflectors distribute light exactly where it is needed.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Eggboard, A. 24.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Eggboard, A.24

Next door, at the company's headquarters, visitors are greeted by the word "Salvia," which was created using light letters from Bjarke Ingels Group's Alphabet of Light system. The open office space provides excellent working lighting in all areas. A number of carefully positioned luminaires create aesthetically pleasing compositions of direct, indirect and diffused light, including A .24 and the AoL Circular and Linear versions. Eggboard by Mario Cucinelli is an eye-catcher. Maintained in fresh spring green, the acoustic luminaires with integrated noise protection provide a strong accent in the office atmosphere created by concrete and glass. Silent Field 2.0 complements the reduced color palette in the common areas with contrasts of black and white - and also performs the function of sound absorption.

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Alphabet of Light

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Eggboard, A.24

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Silent Field 2.0, A.39

Efficient energy management

In addition to aesthetic considerations, Filippo Salvia and Artemide attached great importance to an efficient sustainability and energy concept. "By controlling the lighting with a specially developed _application, we have extremely low energy consumption," explains the project developer. "The facility's digital twin records exactly how much energy is used and where. Each lighting fixture can be programmed and adjusted based on this data. Overall, the combination of heat pumps, photovoltaics and energy management that we designed for Buntweberei is proving to be a successful, sustainable solution."

Artemide lighting for Buntweberei in Eislingen - Eggboard, A.24

Filippo Salvia is pleased with the overall result: "As a trained electrician with a passion for light, I know how important the lighting of a building is. It often determines whether or not we feel comfortable in a place. That's why it was important for us to create a lighting design for the entire Buntweberei that harmoniously combines sustainability criteria and ensures well-being."